Date of Award:
12-2024
Document Type:
Thesis
Degree Name:
Master of Science (MS)
Department:
Wildland Resources
Committee Chair(s)
Eric M. LaMalfa
Committee
Eric M. LaMalfa
Committee
Jessica W. Tegt
Committee
Fred L. Cunningham
Abstract
The demands for diversely skilled wildlife biologists and scientific researchers in the wildlife profession are projected to increase. Increasing urbanization has affected wildlife management, and the recruitment of future wildlife professionals. Thus, state and federal supervisors in agencies that hire wildlife professionals are concerned that recent graduates of university wildlife programs lack the necessary skill-sets to address these complex contemporary wildlife management issues. My research sought to identify where the educational performance gaps may exist between university wildlife programs, wildlife agencies, and student expectations. To conduct my research, I evaluated undergraduate wildlife curricula offered by 42 accredited universities listed on the National Association of University Fisheries and Wildlife Programs. I compared their wildlife undergraduate curriculums to published OPM 0486 federal standards (OPM 0486 workforce guidelines) for educational requirements to qualify as a wildlife biologist. Concurrent to the curricula analysis, I surveyed state and federal wildlife agencies hiring supervisors to determine if recent hires possessed desired knowledge and skill-sets. Additionally, I emailed surveys to 38 undergraduate student chapters of The Wildlife Society to assess the students’ personal learning and professional goals and mentoring needs. Most university undergraduate wildlife programs may offer the coursework to meet OPM 0486 federal guidelines, but because of how the universities structure their curricula, students fail to fit the criteria. Additionally, many students expressed concerns that they are not receiving the mentoring they desire to prepare them for professional careers. Specific wildlife hiring supervisors included new hires did not have the proper hands-on skill-sets, human dimensions skills, communication skills, oral skills, leadership skills needed to succeed professionally. To address these gaps, I recommend that universities 1) update undergraduate wildlife course curricula, 2) create universal titles for wildlife courses that match the federal course list, and 3) build better partnerships with state and federal wildlife agencies to see what skill-sets they expect in new hires.
Recommended Citation
Strange, Trevon D., "Are Universities Adequately Preparing Undergraduate Students for Careers as Professional Wildlife Biologists?" (2024). All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present. 377.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd2023/377
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