Fisheries, wildlife, and conservation sciences
Deepen your understanding of the species and habitats that shape the natural world when you earn your Postbaccalaureate Undergraduate Certificate in Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences online from Oregon State University. You’ll build on your bachelor’s degree without committing to another full degree program right away. And if you hold a bachelor’s degree in the biological sciences, your credits may transfer and reduce the time you need to finish the certificate.
Explore topics such as vertebrate biology, systematics, population dynamics and ecological restoration and prepare for employment with state and federal agencies. Coursework will prepare you to meet the education requirements for third-party certifications. Whether you’re already working in natural resources and hoping to advance, or you’re ready to explore a new career, this certificate program can help you put your passion for the natural world to work.
Skills you’ll gain in OSU’s online fisheries, wildlife, and conservation sciences certificate program
As a student in Oregon State’s online fisheries, wildlife, and conservation sciences certificate program, you’ll gain the in-demand skills you need to stand out in the job market and level up your career. You’ll learn from expert Oregon State faculty who have real-world experience in the field.
- Fish and wildlife biology
- Ecology and ecosystem science
- Conservation strategy and planning
- Vertebrate biology and systematics
- Population dynamics
- Conservation genetics
- Wildlife policy and governance
Program details
Find your future in fish and wildlife management. Develop the knowledge you need to understand species, habitats, ecosystems and the human dimensions of conservation through foundational coursework, advanced fisheries and wildlife courses and applied learning experiences.
The fisheries, wildlife, and conservation sciences undergraduate certificate program is offered online by Oregon State’s College of Agricultural Sciences.
Certificate requirements
A total of 47 quarter credits are required to earn your Undergraduate Certificate in Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences online. This includes 20 credits of foundational biological sciences and chemistry and 27 credits of specialized coursework. Curriculum details and certificate requirements are available on Oregon State’s academic catalog.
Additional program features
Experiential learning
Earn your undergraduate certificate online in a program that gives you opportunities to translate theory into practice. Field studies, habitat assessments, species identification assignments and other hands-on experiences are built into your online FWCS certificate coursework, helping you develop practical skills you can use in the field and on the job.
Prerequisites
This postbaccalaureate certificate is designed for students who hold a four-year bachelor’s degree in any subject that isn’t fisheries, wildlife, and conservation sciences. If you hold a bachelor’s degree in the biological sciences, your credits may transfer and reduce your required credit completion requirements.
Start on the pathway toward a bachelor’s degree
Once you complete the Undergraduate Certificate in Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences, you can apply the credits you earn directly toward Oregon State’s bachelor’s degree in fisheries, wildlife, and conservation sciences.
If you plan to apply these credits toward a full degree, we encourage you to first contact the certificate program to learn about the degree requirements. Please note that acceptance into a certificate program does not guarantee acceptance into a full degree program.
Applying credits like this, an approach known as stacking, can help you build credentials over time and advance your career. It's also a great way to test a field of study through a series of courses before committing to a full degree program. For students like Ali Lanenga, stacking can make a journey to a degree feel more manageable.
Prepare for professional certifications
Your courses can help you meet some minimum education requirements for valuable third-party certifications from The Wildlife Society and the American Fisheries Society. These certifications can help you demonstrate your expertise to potential employers and help to advance your career.
A note on federal financial aid for this program
The U.S. Department of Education has approved this certificate for federal financial aid when included in a full degree program. Approval for federal aid for the standalone certificate is currently pending. In the meantime, alternate funding sources (such as private loans or scholarships) may be needed.
Explore Oregon State’s microcredentials
You can gain highly specialized skills that are in demand by employers — and do it with less of a time and financial commitment — when you earn a microcredential online from Oregon State. Choose from a large and growing collection of these short-form offerings that can help you upskill quickly.
Related programs
3 programs available
Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences
B.S.
Learn how to maintain balance for fish, wildlife and the delicate environments they live in through science-based curriculum that emphasizes applied ecological principles.
Fisheries Management
Graduate Certificate
Gain the practical skills in biology, assessment science and social science that you need to manage sustainable recreational and commercial fisheries in collaboration with scientists and policymakers.
Wildlife Management
Graduate Certificate
Apply a range of applied sciences to manage wildlife populations, with a focus on practical skills that will help you balance habitat conservation and wildlife population dynamics with human dimensions.
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Program specific questions
Get answers to your questions about pursuing an online fisheries, wildlife, and conservation sciences certificate.
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