2026-2027 Academic Catalog

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Bachelor of Science in Fish and Wildlife Conservation

Fish Conservation Major with Freshwater Fisheries Conservation Option

Program Curriculum

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
Degree Core Requirements
BIOL 1115	Principles of Biology Laboratory	1
BIOL 1116	Principles of Biology Laboratory	1
BIOL 2704	Evolutionary Biology	3
FIW 2114	Principles of Fish and Wildlife Conservation	3
FIW 4464	Human Dimensions of Fisheries and Wildlife	3
FIW 4414	Population Dynamics and Estimation	3
NR 1234	First Year Experience In Natural Resources and Environment	2-3
or NR 2234	1st Semester Experience-Transfer Students in Natural Resources and Environment
Select one of the following:		4
FIW 4314	Conservation of Biological Diversity (Wildlife Majors)
FIW 4714	Fisheries Management (Fisheries Majors)
Subtotal		20-21
Major Requirements
BIOL 2804	Ecology	3
FIW 3514	Fisheries Techniques	3
FIW 4424	Ichthyology	4
FIW 4614	Fish Ecology	3
GEOS 3034	Oceanography	3
Geographic Information Systems Restricted Elective
Select one of the following:		3
FREC 4114	Information Technologies for Natural Resource Management
FREC 4214	Forest Photogrammetry and Spatial Data Processing
GEOG 2084	Principles of Geographic Information Systems
GEOG/GEOS 4354	Introduction to Remote Sensing
Subtotal		19
Additional Degree Requirements
CHEM 1035	General Chemistry	3
CHEM 1036	General Chemistry	3
CHEM 1045	General Chemistry Laboratory	1
CHEM 1046	General Chemistry Laboratory	1
Experiential Learning Requirement
Select one of the following: (requires department approval)		1
FIW 2974	Independent Study
FIW 2994	Undergraduate Research
FIW 3964	Internship Through Directed Field Study
FIW 4974	Independent Study
FIW 4994	Undergraduate Research
XXXX 3954 Study Abroad
Legal Foundation Restricted Elective
Select one of the following:		3
AAEC 3314	Environmental Law
FIW 2514	Fish and Wildlife Conservation Policy
FREC 4434	Natural Resource Policy
UAP 3354	Introduction to Environmental Policy and Planning
UAP 4344	Law of Critical Environmental Areas
Writing Restricted Elective
Select one of the following:		3
ALCE 3624	Communicating Ag and Life Sciences in Writing
ENGL 3764	Technical Writing
ENGL 3774	Business Writing
Subtotal		15
Option Required Courses
FIW/FREC 4324	Genetics of Natural and Managed Populations	3
STAT 3616	Biological Statistics	3
Physical Science Restricted Elective
Select one of the following:		3
ENSC 3134	Soils in the Landscape
GEOS 1004	Earth Science: Our Past, Present, and Future
GEOS 1024	Earth Resources, Society, and Environment
PHYS 2205	General Physics
PHYS 2206	General Physics
Aquatic Ecology Restricted Elective
Select two of the following:		8
FIW/ENT 4484	Freshwater Biomonitoring
BIOL 4004	Freshwater Ecology
BIOL 4454	Invertebrate Zoology
ENT/BIOL 4354	Aquatic Entomology
Subtotal		17
Free Electives
Select 2-4 credits		4
Subtotal		4
Pathways to General Education
Pathways Concept 1 - Discourse
ENGL 1105	First-Year Writing (1F)	3
ENGL 1106	First-Year Writing (1F)	3
ALCE 3634	Communicating Ag and Life Sciences in Speaking (1A)	3
or COMM 2004	Public Speaking
or FREC 3524	Environmental Interpretation
Pathways Concept 2 - Critical Thinking in the Humanities
Select three credits in Pathway 2		3
Select one of the following:		3
FREC/LAR 2554	Leadership for Global Sustainability
PHIL 1304	Morality and Justice
PHIL 2304	Global Ethics
Pathways Concept 3 - Reasoning in the Social Sciences
Select three credits in Pathway 3		3
Select one of the following:		3
AAEC 1005	Economics of the Food and Fiber System
AAEC 1006	Economics of the Food and Fiber System
ECON 2005	Principles of Economics
ECON 2006	Principles of Economics
Pathways Concept 4 - Reasoning in the Natural Sciences
BIOL 1105	Principles of Biology	3
BIOL 1106	Principles of Biology	3
Pathways Concept 5 - Quantitative and Computational Thinking
Select one of the following:		3-4
MATH 1025	Elementary Calculus (5F)
or MATH 1225	Calculus of a Single Variable
Select one of the following:		3-4
MATH 1026	Elementary Calculus (5F)
or MATH 1226	Calculus of a Single Variable
STAT 3615	Biological Statistics (5A)	3
Pathways Concept 6 - Critique and Practice in Design and the Arts
Select three credits in Pathway 6a		3
Select three credits in Pathway 6d		3
Pathways Concept 7 - Critical Analysis of Identity and Equity in the United States
Pathways Concept 7 is currently suspended effective Fall 2025. Please refer to the Pathways Page for more information.
Select three credits in Pathway 7		3
Subtotal		45-47
Total Credits		120-123

Upon having attempted 72 semester hours (including transfer, advanced placement, advanced standing, credit by examination, course withdrawal), "satisfactory progress" toward this degree will include passing the following:

Be enrolled in a degree granting-program, and
Be certified at the close of the academic year by their department as making satisfactory progress toward a degree based upon preestablished minimum criteria, and
Have an in-major GPA of 2.00 or above and maintain an in-major GPA of 2.00 or above until graduation. Courses used for the in-major GPA computation include all those designated as FIW, FREC, GEOG, NR, and SBIO.

By the end of the semester in which they have attempted 60 hours (including transfer, advanced placement, advanced standing, and credit by examination), it is recommended that students must pass the following courses, or their equivalents, with a grade of C - or better: BIOL 1105, BIOL 1106, BIOL 1115, BIOL 1116, and FIW 2114.

Graduation Requirements

Major Requirements:
To earn a B.S. degree in Fish Conservation, a student must pass the following courses, or their equivalents, with a grade of C - or better: BIOL 1105, BIOL 1106, BIOL 1115, BIOL 1116, and FIW 2114.

There are no hidden prerequisites on this check sheet; however, course requirements may change over time, and students should always check for prerequisites for classes they select.

Students should consult www.fishwild.vt.edu/experiential_learning.html for more details on how to fulfill the experiential learning requirement. Note that you will not receive credit for your experiential learning until all the documents related to the experience are completed and submitted, in addition to being registered for the experience. Students enrolling in FIW 2974, FIW 3964, or FIW 4974 should use the P/F option; FIW 2994, FIW 4994 and XXXX 3954 may be taken P/F or A/F.

To remain in good standing, a student must achieve and maintain an overall and in-major cumulative GPA of at least 2.0. Courses used for the in-major GPA computation include all those designated as FIW, FREC, GEOG, NR, and SBIO. To graduate, a student must achieve an overall and in-major cumulative GPA of at least 2.0.
In accordance with university guidelines, courses satisfying degree core requirements may not be double counted to satisfy other areas of a degree (e.g., Pathways).

Foreign Language Requirement

Complete an 1105-1106 foreign language (e.g., FR, GR, SPAN) grouping or the equivalent unless two (2) high school units of the same foreign language or six (6) transfer credit hours of foreign language have been earned. These credits do not count toward graduation.

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Fall Semester		Credits
ENGL 1105	First-Year Writing	3
BIOL 1105	Principles of Biology (Minimum C-)	3
BIOL 1115	Principles of Biology Laboratory (Minimum C-)	1
MATH 1025 or MATH 1225	Elementary Calculus or Calculus of a Single Variable	3-4
NR 1234 or NR 2234	First Year Experience In Natural Resources and Environment or 1st Semester Experience-Transfer Students in Natural Resources and Environment	2-3
Pathway 6a		3
	Credits	15-17
Spring Semester
ENGL 1106	First-Year Writing	3
BIOL 1106	Principles of Biology (Minimum C-)	3
BIOL 1116	Principles of Biology Laboratory (Minimum C-)	1
MATH 1026 or MATH 1226	Elementary Calculus or Calculus of a Single Variable	3-4
FIW 2114	Principles of Fish and Wildlife Conservation (Minimum C-)	3
Pathways Concept 2 Ethics course		3
Select one of the following:
FREC 2554	Leadership for Global Sustainability
PHIL 1304	Morality and Justice
PHIL 2304	Global Ethics
	Credits	16-17
Second Year
Fall Semester
CHEM 1035	General Chemistry	3
CHEM 1045	General Chemistry Laboratory	1
BIOL 2704	Evolutionary Biology	3
BIOL 2804	Ecology	3
STAT 3615	Biological Statistics	3
Pathways Concept 2 - Critical Thinking in the Humanities		3
	Credits	16
Spring Semester
CHEM 1036	General Chemistry	3
CHEM 1046	General Chemistry Laboratory	1
FIW 4424	Ichthyology	4
STAT 3616	Biological Statistics	3
Pathways Concept 3		3
Select one of the following:
AAEC 1005	Economics of the Food and Fiber System
AAEC 1006	Economics of the Food and Fiber System
ECON 2005	Principles of Economics
ECON 2006	Principles of Economics
	Credits	14
Third Year
Fall Semester
FIW 4414	Population Dynamics and Estimation	3
FIW 3514	Fisheries Techniques	3
Legal Foundations Restricted Elective		3
Select one of the following:
AAEC 3314	Environmental Law
FIW 2514	Fish and Wildlife Conservation Policy
FREC 4434	Natural Resource Policy
UAP 3354	Introduction to Environmental Policy and Planning
UAP 4344	Law of Critical Environmental Areas
Pathway 1a		3
Pathways Concept 3 - Reasoning in the Social Sciences		3
	Credits	15
Spring Semester
FIW 4614	Fish Ecology	3
FIW 4324 or BIOL 2004	Genetics of Natural and Managed Populations or Genetics	3
Pathways Concept 6 - Critique and Practice in Design and the Arts		3
Physical Science Restricted Elective		3
Select one of the following:
ENSC 3134	Soils in the Landscape
GEOS 1004	Earth Science: Our Past, Present, and Future
GEOS 1024	Earth Resources, Society, and Environment
PHYS 2205	General Physics
PHYS 2206	General Physics
Pathways Concept 7 - Critical Analysis of Identity and Equity in the United States		3
Experiential Learning (department approval required)		1
FIW 2974	Independent Study
FIW 2994	Undergraduate Research
FIW 3964	Internship Through Directed Field Study
FIW 4974	Independent Study
FIW 4994	Undergraduate Research
	Credits	16
Fourth Year
Fall Semester
FIW 4464	Human Dimensions of Fisheries and Wildlife	3
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Restricted Elective		3
Select one of the following:
GEOG 2084	Principles of Geographic Information Systems
FREC 4214	Forest Photogrammetry and Spatial Data Processing
FREC 4114	Information Technologies for Natural Resource Management
GEOG/GEOS 4354	Introduction to Remote Sensing
Aquatic Ecology Restricted Elective		4
Select one of the following:
FIW 4484 or ENT 4484	Freshwater Biomonitoring or Freshwater Biomonitoring
BIOL 4004	Freshwater Ecology
BIOL 4454	Invertebrate Zoology
ENT 4354 or BIOL 4354	Aquatic Entomology or Aquatic Entomology
Writing Restricted Elective		3
Select one of the following:
ALCE 3634	Communicating Ag and Life Sciences in Speaking
ENGL 3764	Technical Writing
ENGL 3774	Business Writing
	Credits	13
Spring Semester
FIW 4714	Fisheries Management	4
GEOS 3034	Oceanography	3
Aquatic Ecology Restricted Elective		4
Select one of the following:
FIW 4484 or ENT 4484	Freshwater Biomonitoring or Freshwater Biomonitoring
BIOL 4404	Ornithology
BIOL 4454	Invertebrate Zoology
ENT 4354 or BIOL 4354	Aquatic Entomology or Aquatic Entomology
Select free electives to total 120 credits		4
	Credits	15
	Total Credits	120-123