The Glenville State College Department of Land Resources will offer a Wildlife Management major within their Bachelor of Science in Natural Resource Management Program beginning fall 2020.
The major is designed for students who want to pursue a career in wildlife management or pursue an advanced degree in wildlife, according to Dr. Brian Perkins, associate professor of forestry at the school.
“We developed this new major to provide students an opportunity to pursue career opportunities with the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources as a wildlife manager,” Perkins said.
“The curriculum includes wildlife, biology, forestry, and natural resource classes. Wildlife management is a natural fit with our other majors, which include forestry and environmental science.”
Numerous careers are available to graduates at the W.Va. Division of Natural Resources, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and environmental consulting groups as a wildlife manager, wildlife biologist, wildlife technician, or natural resources police officer.
Students will acquire knowledge of the life history, habitat, and ecological requirements of important game and non-game wildlife, learn to identify, classify, and name important flora and fauna endemic to the Appalachian region, demonstrate and apply wildlife management techniques and methods, develop office and field skills in the use of geospatial technologies, computer software, and quantitative analysis, and develop wildlife management plans.
Dr. Nabil Nasseri, assistant professor of Natural Resource Management, said many students at the school had expressed an interest in the program.
“I am excited that the Department of Land Resources will be offering students an opportunity to major in Wildlife Management, as this has been an area of great interest with current and incoming students,” Nasseri said.
“The Wildlife Management major will allow students to gain experience in a variety of field techniques in sampling and measuring wildlife populations. Furthermore, the courses included within the Wildlife Management major will focus on the ecological and economic importance of responsible and ethical wildlife management. ”
For more information about the majors offered within the Natural Resource Management Program at Glenville State College, contact the Department of Land Resources at Land.Resources@glenville.edu or 304-462-6370.
