07-08 Undergrad Catalog | Plant and Wildlife Science

Catalog Addendum

Val J. Anderson, Chair
275 WIDB, (801) 422-3527

College of Life Sciences Office of Academic A dvisement
379 WIDB, (801) 422-3042

Admission to Degree Program

All degree programs in the Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences are open enrollment.

The Discipline

Disciplines in the Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences focus on four of the great dilemmas facing mankind in the twenty-first century: harnessing biological technology to meet the needs of an expanding human population in the developing world; assessing and minimizing the impact of human activities on an increasingly vulnerable environment; managing and conserving wildlife and wildlands; and adapting urban landscaping to meet increasing water, space, and other resource limitations while enhancing the aesthetic quality of urban environments.

Majors offered provide a flexible education for directly entering the job market or preparing for professional schools in business, engineering, the health professions (medical and dental schools), landscape architecture, law, public administration, or science.

Wildlife and wildlands conservation is directed at managing wildland ecosystems—optimizing the function and services of natural ecosystems. Students are educated in wildland plants, animals, soils, and ecology, as well as wildlife and land management techniques. This focused approach not only qualifies students for four federal job series occupations but also prepares them to work for a wide array of government and private land-management and conservation agencies.

Career Opportunities

Bio-Agribusiness Management

This intercollege program involving the Marriott School of Management combines a strong science education with business fundamentals. The biotechnology business emphasis prepares students for management positions in the burgeoning agricultural biotechnology industry or for graduate study in the biological sciences, law, or business. The agricultural emphases prepare for employment in multiple agribusiness enterprises or for advanced degrees in business or law.

Biotechnology

The biotechnology major educates students in scientific principles and biotechniques used to genetically improve economically important plants and animals. This field holds tremendous promise for meeting the food and fiber needs of the developing world. Students are prepared for immediate employment or for graduate study in plant and animal biotechnology, molecular biology, genetics, or the health professions.

Environmental Science

Students majoring in environmental science learn a broad combination of chemistry, engineering, geology, geography, and plant and soil sciences to help them solve environmental problems. They are prepared for graduate study and direct employment in fields dealing with assessing and remediating human-induced environmental impacts, as well as for careers in law, business, and the health professions.

Landscape Management

This program is accredited by the Professional Landcare Network (PLANET), the leading professional organization in landscape horticulture management. The major combines practice and instruction in horticultural science, business, and landscape design to prepare students for graduate studies in business, law, landscape architecture, and horticulture, or for direct employment as managers in the growing urban horticulture industry.

Plant Biology

Plant biology students are prepared for a variety of graduate programs emphasizing science (e.g., agronomy, ecology/evolution, horticulture, and molecular biology/biochemistry), the health professions, law, and business.

Wildlife and Wildlands Conservation

This degree program qualifies students for federal job series employment in wildlife biology, range conservation, ecology, zoology, and botany. It also prepares for graduate programs in renewable natural resources and for eventual professional agencies, including the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Natural Resource Conservation Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, and Park Service. Graduates are well prepared to deal with complex issues involving wildlife and wildlands management and the overall conservation of natural resources.

Graduation Requirements

To receive a BYU bachelor's degree a student must complete, in addition to all requirements for a specific major, the following university requirements:

The university core, consisting of requirements in general and religious education. (See the University Core section of this catalog for details. For a complete listing of courses that meet university core requirements, see the current class schedule.)
A minimum of 30 credit hours in residence
A minimum of 120 credit hours
A cumulative GPA of at least 2.0

Undergraduate Programs and Degrees

BS	Bio-Agribusiness Management Emphases: Agricultural Management Biotechnology Business
BS	Environmental Soil Science
BS	Genetics and Biotechnology
BS	Landscape Management
BS	Plant Biology
BS	Wildlife and Wildlands Conservation
Minor	Landscape Management

Students should visit the college advisement center for help or information concerning the undergraduate programs. Undergraduate advisement in major requirements is available from departmental faculty (assigned advisor).

Graduate Programs and Degrees

MS	Agronomy
MS	Genetics and Biotechnology
MS	Wildlife and Wildlands Conservation
PhD	Wildlife and Wildlands Conservation

For more information see the BYU 2007–2008 Graduate Catalog.