About Wildlife Ecology

Wildlife ecology, as an area of study and concern, has grown in the United States and Texas over the last 50 years to play a major role in developing decisions on land and water use, wildlife populations, and recreation. Wildlife issues are no longer confined to hunting, fishing, and agricultural pursuits, but rather encompass much larger issues pertaining to energy sources, urban and suburban development, overpopulation of some species, threatened and endangered species, water use and availability, and coastal development, among others. Nowhere is this more pronounced than in Central Texas.

Texas State University-San Marcos sets in the middle of fields of conflict between the demands of a burgeoning human population for land and requirements of wildlife species for habitat. These conflicts will increase with the growth and concentration of human populations, and yet, the public continues to support wildlife issues and seeks balanced solutions to these problems. Each of these areas of concern brings with it positions requiring well-trained wildlife ecologists.

The wildlife ecology program at Texas State has a long history of interagency cooperation with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Students have been supported financially in research by interagency contracts and many graduates of Texas State are employed by these agencies. Cooperation with these agencies has allowed students to be on the cutting edge of wildlife research in the state. As a result, student interest in wildlife, and related issues, especially at the Master's level, has risen substantially.

Even though opportunities for students trained in wildlife ecology continue to increase, the field remains highly competitive and demanding in the selection of individuals for each job. The Master's degree has become the recognized degree required for employment by many private, state, and federal entities. In this competitive climate, a M.S. degree in wildlife ecology is a more advantageous degree.

Research Options

The opportunity to study and conduct research at the forefront of this discipline is not greater anywhere else in Texas. Six ecological regions of Texas are located within a two-hour drive from campus. Research options for students are varied ranging from:
- White-tailed deer ecology and genetics
- Endangered bird species
- Ecology of turtles
- Toad biology
- Bat ecology

The Degree

The M.S. in wildlife ecology is a more specialized degree plan with emphasis on the practical application of ecological principles in field experiences and research leading to a thesis. Students are required to complete a minimum of two graduate courses in statistics or ecological methodology and analysis. Courses in geographic information systems (GIS) are recommended. The objectives of the degree are to provide:
- A high quality M.S. for students with an undergraduate degree in ecology, biology, zoology or wildlife biology.
- Students with the field knowledge and skills to enter a highly competitive job market in natural resource management.
- Students for advanced studies in wildlife management and ecology.

Components (30-hour minimum)
- The seminar component of three to four hours consists of courses in methods of research and seminars.
- Core wildlife ecology courses including two advanced statistics courses from the 21 to 22 hours of the ecological foundation. Based on the nature of the research, a graduate student may take courses that assist in data analysis.
- These support courses may substitute for prescribed deceives under the ecological foundation component. The student's major professor and/or graduate committee develop a plan of study with courses that relate to the student's research.
-The thesis component of six hours comprises the research data collection and writing of the thesis.

Admission Requirements
All applicants who meet requirements of Texas State's Graduate College will be considered for admission, but achieving the university's minimum requirements should not be considered an assurance of admission to the wildlife ecology graduate program. In addition to university requirements for admission, departmental requirements for unconditional admission are as follows: - A preferred combined score of 1000 on the verbal and quantitative portions of the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) general test.
- An undergraduate GPA of 3.0 (4.0 scale) in the last 60 credit hours leading to a bachelor's degree.
- On rare occasion, a student may be granted conditional admission if his/her grade point average is less than a 3.0. This student will he required to meet conditions stipulated by the department.
- Submission to the graduate advisor of a short (300-500 word) statement describing the applicant's academic and professional goals.
- Submission of two letters of recommendation to the graduate advisor from individuals competent to assess the applicant's abilities to pursue graduate education and research.

Faculty in Wildlife Ecology

John T. Baccus, Ph.D., - Wildlife Management - Mammalogy

Michael R. J. Forstner, Ph.D., - Systematics - Genetics

Clay Green, Ph.D., - Wildlife Ecology - Ornithology

David G. Huffman, Ph.D., - Biometrics - Ornithology

Francis L. Rose, Ph.D., - Herpetology

Thomas R. Simpson, Ph.D., - Wildlife Management

Butch W. Weckerly, Ph.D., - Biostatistics

Financial Assistance

Departmental assistantships are available to academically qualified graduate students. The basic stipend is for a nine-month academic year. Financial assistance is offered by the university in the form of loans, scholarships, grants, or part-time employment

The Texas State University Environment

Texas State University has uniquely combined rapid growth with a small college atmosphere. Located in San Marcos, Texas, it is situated in an ecologically strategic position; within a 100 mile radius of the campus are several physiographic regions. These are the Gulf Prairie, Post Oak Savannah, Blackland Prairie, Cross Timbers, South Texas Plains and Edwards Plateau. This great diversity of terrestrial ecological systems provides excellent natural laboratories for study and research in wildlife biology. Facilities for controlled experimentation with wildlife are available near the campus at the Pollard Refuge, the 3500-acre Freeman Ranch and Spring Lake. On-campus classes are taught in a modern laboratory-classroom. A research collection is available for comparative studies.