Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Biology and Conservation (WBC) University of Guelph

Conserving Organisms and their Ecosystems

Protect Biological Diversity

Gain a foundation in the ecological and evolutionary factors impacting the sustainability of species and an understanding of how to manage natural systems and species that are at risk and invasive.

Tackle Contemporary Wildlife Issues

Assess the complex interplay between science, socioeconomic factors and public opinion in the forging of public policy decisions and the value of interdisciplinary approaches to understanding complex problems in wildlife biology.

Gain Hands-on Experience

Take advantage of opportunities for hands-on experience in the field working with plants and animals in a variety of ecosystems, building on core program themes of ecology, evolution and conservation.

Why Wildlife Biology and Conservation?

As a truly unique program, there is currently no other major in Canada that explicitly integrates ecology, evolution, and conservation into a 4-year major, building on the University of Guelph’s long-standing reputation in the areas of biology and natural resources management.

This major empowers you to explore the relationship between ecosystems and organisms, from the molecular level to populations, as well as how we can conserve species through natural system management and interdisciplinary approaches of ecology, evolution and conservation.

This is a major within the degree: Bachelor of Science.

Students may enter this major in Semester 1 or any semester thereafter. A student wishing to declare the major may wish to consult the Faculty Advisor. A minimum total of 20.00 credits is required to complete the major.

Semester 1

• BIOL*1070 Discovering Biodiversity 0.50
• CHEM*1040 General Chemistry I 0.50
• MATH*1080 Elements of Calculus I 0.50
• PHYS*1080 Physics for Life Sciences 0.50
• 0.50 Liberal Education electives 0.50

Semester 2

• BIOL*1080 Biological Concepts of Health 0.50
• BIOL*1090 Introduction to Molecular and Cellular Biology 0.50
• CHEM*1050 General Chemistry II 0.50
• PHYS*1070 Physics for Life Sciences II 0.50
• 0.50 Liberal Education electives 0.50

Semester 3

• BIOC*2580 Introduction to Biochemistry 0.50
• MBG*2040 Foundations in Molecular Biology and Genetics 0.50
• 1.50 electives or restricted electives 1.50

Semester 4

• BIOL*2060 Ecology 0.50
• BIOL*2400 Evolution 0.50
• STAT*2230 Biostatistics for Integrative Biology 0.50
• 1.00 electives or restricted electives 1.00

Semester 5

• BIOL*3010 Laboratory and Field Work in Ecology 0.50
• 2.00 electives or restricted electives 2.00

Semester 6

• BIOL*3040 Methods in Evolutionary Biology 0.50
• BIOL*3060 Populations, Communities and Ecosystems 0.50
• BIOL*3130 Conservation Biology 0.50
• 1.00 electives or restricted electives 1.00

Semester 7

• BIOL*4110 Ecological Methods 1 1.00
• BIOL*4150 Wildlife Conservation and Management 0.50
• 1.00 electives or restricted electives 1.00

Semester 8

• BIOL*4500 Natural Resource Policy Analysis 0.50
• 2.00 electives or restricted electives 2.00

Restricted Electives

Note that some courses have prerequisites, so be sure to consult the undergraduate calendar.

1. A minimum of 1.00 credits of Liberal Education electives is required

2. A minimum of 0.50 credits from the following:

• BOT*2100 Life Strategies of Plants 0.50
• ZOO*2090 Vertebrate Structure and Function 0.50
• ZOO*2700 Invertebrate Morphology & Evolution 0.50

3. A minimum of 0.50 credits from the following:

• BOT*3050 Plant Functional Ecology 0.50
• ZOO*3600 Comparative Animal Physiology I 0.50

4. A minimum of 0.50 credits from the following:

• BIOL*3020 Population Genetics 0.50
• BIOL*4120 Evolutionary Ecology 0.50

5. A minimum of 3.00 credits from any of the following lists of courses. 3 3.00

The program offers a sound scientific background in preparation for careers in resource management, conservation, ecological consulting, teaching, and government service. This major also qualifies students for post-graduate work in ecology, evolutionary biology, environmental sciences, or wildlife management.