Master of Science in Conservation Education

Get Started on Your Graduate Degree Online Today!

This innovative and comprehensive program is designed to meet accreditation and industry standards. Conservation educators work in a variety of nonformal and formal settings to promote environmental stewardship and help create environmentally responsible citizens. You will acquire skills to become a leader in the field of conservation education.

Program highlights:

Any undergraduate degree is accepted, as long as you have completed Biology I and II or test out of the biology prerequisite by taking the Praxis exam.
Enjoy asynchronous weekly tasks that easily fit into your schedule.
You can complete your advanced degree 100% online.

Who should pursue this degree?

Students who wish to strengthen the educational, scientific and leadership skills necessary to gain a competitive edge in the field of conservation education should consider this degree.

Tuition & Fees

Tuition per credit hour	$558.50
Instructional Support Fee per credit hour	$25.00

Tuition and fees listed are subject to change and do not include all possible charges. Additional fees may apply. Please refer to the master class schedule for individual course charges.

What are some potential careers?

Education manager or director, outreach program coordinator, environmental educator, environmental specialist, instructional guide and naturalist are just a few of the careers that await.

What are some potential careers?

Program Structure

Major Required Courses (21 credit hours)

Education and Leadership

Course Number	Course Title	Hours
WFA 8713	Program Development and Evaluation for Conservation Educators	3
WFA 8723	Conservation Education Outreach Techniques	3
WFA 8733	Conservation Leadership, Management, and Communication	3

Science Foundation

Course Number	Course Title	Hours
WFA 6623	Conservation Biology	3
WFA 8743	Aquatic Biodiversity Conservation	3
WFA 8753	Terrestrial Biodiversity Conservation	3

Capstone Project Course

Course Number	Course Title	Hours
WFA 8763	Capstone Project for Conservation Education	3

Potential Elective Courses (9 credit hours)

Course Number	Course Title	Hours
WFA 6223	Wildlife Plant Identification	3
WFA 6513	Current Topics in Human-Wildlife Interactions	3
WFA 6393	Urban Wildlife Ecology	3
WFA 8343	Concepts in Ecology and Natural Resource Management	3
WFA 8463	Human Dimensions of Wildlife and Fisheries Conservation	3
BIO 8043	Ecology and Environment	3
BIO 8053	Comprehensive Study of Animals (College of Arts & Sciences: Department of Biological Sciences)	3
BIO 8063	Comprehensive Study of Plants	3
GR 6303	Principles of GIS	3
GR 8633	Climate Change	3
GG 6523	Coastal Environments	3
GG 8203	Ocean Science	3
GG 8233	Environmental Geoscience	3
FO 6123	Forest Ecology	3

Total Hours		30

Major required courses: Per Office of Graduate Studies policy, “A student who has taken a course at the 4000 level at MSU CANNOT enroll in the same course at the 6000 level without explicit permission.” Any Major Required Course completed while an undergraduate fulfills the requirement to have taken the course, but it must be replaced with another graduate level course, selected from Elective Courses, to satisfy the 30 credit hours; the minimum graduate level course credit hour requirement for the degree program.

Degree program requirements: At least 15 credit hours of GPA-graded coursework must be taken at the 8000-level or higher. In addition to coursework, all students will be required to take a final comprehensive exam.

Degree program prerequisites: BIO 1134 Biology I & BIO 1144 Biology II or equivalents. The prerequisite courses, or their equivalents, must be completed before admission. A grade of C or better is required on all undergraduate prerequisite courses and must be completed at an accredited institution. A passing score on the Praxis II Biology exam would be accepted in lieu of the pre-requisite courses for admission requirements.

Students enrolled in a non-thesis degree program must complete a comprehensive exam (see Graduate catalog). The comprehensive exam for the non-thesis, Master of Science in Conservation Education degree program is based upon knowledge and skills obtained during the six major required courses for the degree program; education and leadership courses (WFA 8713, WFA 8723, WFA 8733) and science foundation courses (WFA 6623, WFA 8743, WFA 8753).

Because you must be enrolled in at least a 1-credit hour course the semester you take your final comprehensive exam, we recommend you schedule and take your final exam while enrolled in the capstone course, WFA 8763.

Course Rotation

Major Required Courses

Every Year

Fall	Spring	Summer
WFA 8713Program Development and Evaluation for Conservation Educators	WFA 8723Conservation Education Outreach Techniques	WFA 8763Capstone Project for Conservation Education
WFA 8743Aquatic Biodiversity Conservation	WFA 8733Conservation Leadership, Management, and Communication
WFA 8763Capstone Project for Conservation Education	WFA 8753Terrestrial Biodiversity Conservation
WFA 6623Conservation Biology	WFA 8763Capstone Project for Conservation Education

Electives

Elective courses can vary in offerings and are subject to change from this posting. Enrollment in a preferred elective class may not be possible during the time a student will be completing their degree program. A student should work with their program advisor to select electives that are available and meet student objectives.

Course Number	Course Title (semester/year*)	Hours
WFA 6223	Wildlife Plant Identification (Summer/every year)	3
WFA 6513	Current Topics in Human-Wildlife Interactions (Spring/even years)	3
WFA 6393	Urban Wildlife Ecology (Summer/odd years)	3
WFA 8343	Concepts in Ecology and Natural Resource Management (Spring/odd years)	3
WFA 8463	Human Dimensions of Wildlife and Fisheries Conservation (Fall/even years)	3
BIO 8043	Ecology and Environment (Summer/every year)	3
BIO 8053	Comprehensive Study of Animals (College of Arts & Sciences: Department of Biological Sciences)(Fall/every year)	3
BIO 8063	Comprehensive Study of Plants (Spring/every year)	3
FO 6123	Forest Ecology (Fall/every year)	3
GG 6523	Coastal Environments (Summer/every year)	3
GG 8203	Ocean Science (Summer/every year)	3
GG 8233	Environmental Geoscience (Fall/every year)	3
GR 6303	Principles of GIS (Fall and Summer/every year)	3
GR 8633	Climate Change (Summer/every year)	3

*Odd years end in 1,3,5,7,9; even years end in 0,2,4,6,8

Capstone Course and Comprehensive Exam

The capstone project course (WFA 8763) is designed for students to apply their knowledge and skills gained from their successful completion of the major required courses in the M.S. in Conservation Education degree program. Students will seek out an organization that is involved with conservation education to develop a short-term partnership. During the partnership, students will evaluate the organization’s conservation education program, identify a need, and develop and deliver a tailored conservation education project to the conservation organization.

To aid in successful completion of the capstone project, the student and the conservation organization are supplied with Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture faculty-developed rubrics. These rubrics are designed to provide guidance for the implementation of the project. Additionally, the rubrics uphold academic rigor and standardize evaluation across capstone projects.

Additionally, during the capstone project course, students will schedule and complete their final comprehensive exam.

The examination must be scheduled by the student and taken at an approved location that provides proctoring. The examination date must be scheduled at least two weeks' time prior to the deadline posted on the Graduate Academic Calendar for the semester in which the student plans to graduate.

As noted in the Graduate Catalog, students must be in their final semester of coursework to participate in the comprehensive exam. Please note: students who fail the initial attempt CANNOT apply to retake the exam until three months from the date of the original exam (see Graduate Catalog). Also, any student on probationary status cannot take comprehensive exams until the probationary status has been lifted. Hence, some students may need an additional semester to take the comprehensive exam.

A Proctor Request Form, provided in the Capstone Course Canvas Class, MUST be submitted for approval two weeks prior to the examination date.

Email the completed form to the Conservation Education Graduate Coordinator, Dr. Leslie Burger, for pre-approval. If you have any questions about the process or requirements, please email Dr. Burger at leslie.burger@msstate.edu.

Admissions Requirements

Applications for the degree programs are reviewed three times a year. The application deadlines for those semesters are as follows:

Fall Semester – August 1
Spring Semester – December 1
Summer Semester – May 15

Students seeking full admission into the Master of Science in Conservation Education program should apply as a classified student. Non-degree seeking students wishing to take classes offered through the program should apply as an Unclassified student.

An applicant for admission to graduate study must hold a bachelor's degree from a fully recognized four-year educational institution that has unconditional accreditation with appropriate regional accrediting agencies. They must meet the admission requirements of the Graduate School and the Master of Science in Conservation Education program.

Regular admission to graduate study in the program requires a minimum grade point average (last four semesters of undergraduate work) of 3.00/4.00. When a student is deficient in one of the criteria cited, the student's application, nevertheless, may be considered for admission based on the strength of other materials contained in the student's application.

The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) scores are NOT required for entry into this program.

Attention International Students

International students are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and score greater than 550. Detailed information regarding international applications can be found in the Graduate Catalog. Questions regarding international applications can be addressed to the Office of the Graduate School at gradapps@grad.msstate.edu.

ETS is providing home testing for the TOEFL iBT test, and MSU is encouraging students to take advantage of this testing option. For those students applying who have taken the TOEFL within five years of the semester they plan to enroll and are unable to access the TOEFL iBT test from home, we will accept your previous test scores.

Admission Options

Domestic/International Classified Admissions
Domestic Unclassified Admissions
International Unclassified Admissions

Provisional Admissions
Readmission
Transfer Credit

Domestic/International Classified Admissions

Submit online application. You will choose Master of Science in Conservation Education as your Program of Study and Online Education as your campus.
Statement of Purpose
Three letters of recommendation
- You will be asked to submit three names and three email addresses of individuals you are using as references. Once you click submit, these individuals will be sent an email from MSU, which will provide a link to an online form for completing their recommendations.
One official transcript showing bachelor’s degree or progress toward degree. (For international students, please submit a copy in native language along with translated copies, if appropriate.)
One official transcript showing ALL work after bachelor’s degree. (For international students, please submit a copy in native language along with translated copies, if appropriate.)
- Electronic transcripts should be sent to: gradapps@grad.msstate.edu Mississippi State University, Graduate School. Only one copy of an electronic transcript is required.
- Paper Transcripts Address (USPS):
  Mississippi State University
  The Office of the Graduate School
  P.O. Box G
  Mississippi State, MS 39762
- Physical Street Address (for DHL, Fed Ex, UPS, DHS, etc.):
  Mississippi State University
  The Office of the Graduate School
  175 President Circle
  116 Allen Hall
  Mississippi State, MS 39762
Payment of $60 non-refundable application processing fee for domestic students.
Payment of $80 non-refundable application processing fee for international students.
Once you are admitted, you will receive an email with complete instructions on registering for classes and contacting your advisor

Domestic Unclassified Admissions

Only NINE (9) hours of course work taken as an "Unclassified Student" can be applied toward a degree program. All Unclassified students should submit a classified application once they have reached the maximum of nine hours. Full admission into the Master of Science in Conservation Education online program will be based upon successful completion of all classified admissions requirements.

If you are applying unclassified, select "Graduate School - Unclassified" as the college.

Submit online application
One official transcript showing bachelor’s degree or progress toward degree. (For international students, please submit a copy in native language along with translated copies, if appropriate.)
One official transcript showing ALL work after bachelor’s degree. (For international students, please submit a copy in native language along with translated copies, if appropriate.)
- Electronic transcripts should be sent to: gradapps@grad.msstate.edu Mississippi State University, Graduate School. Only one copy of an electronic transcript is required.
- Paper Transcripts Address (USPS):
  Mississippi State University
  The Office of the Graduate School
  P.O. Box G
  Mississippi State, MS 39762
- Physical Street Address (for DHL, Fed Ex, UPS, DHS, etc.):
  Mississippi State University
  The Office of the Graduate School
  175 President Circle
  116 Allen Hall
  Mississippi State, MS 39762
Pay $60 non-refundable application processing fee

International Unclassified Admissions

If you are applying unclassified, select "Graduate School - Unclassified" as the college.

Submit online application
TOEFL or IELTS scores are required for international students.
One copy of academic records showing degree(s) (in native language along with translated copies if appropriate)
One official transcript showing bachelor’s degree or progress toward degree. (For international students, please submit a copy in native language along with translated copies, if appropriate.)
One official transcript showing ALL work after bachelor’s degree. (For international students, please submit a copy in native language along with translated copies, if appropriate.)
- Electronic transcripts should be sent to: gradapps@grad.msstate.edu Mississippi State University, Graduate School. Only one copy of an electronic transcript is required.
- Paper Transcripts Address (USPS):
  Mississippi State University
  The Office of the Graduate School
  P.O. Box G
  Mississippi State, MS 39762
- Physical Street Address (for DHL, Fed Ex, UPS, DHS, etc.):
  Mississippi State University
  The Office of the Graduate School
  175 President Circle
  116 Allen Hall
  Mississippi State, MS 39762
Must obtain application approval from the Dean of the Graduate School
Payment of $80 non-refundable application processing fee for international students.

Provisional Admissions

A student who has not fully met the requirements stipulated by the University and the department for admission to graduate study may be granted admission as a degree-seeking graduate student with provisional status. Such student must have as his/her initial objective advancement to regular status. A provisional student must receive a 3.00 GPA on the first nine hours of graduate level courses on the program of study taken at Mississippi State University (transfer hours or unclassified graduate hours will not apply) in order to achieve regular status. If a 3.00 is not attained, the provisional student will be dismissed from graduate study.

Readmission

Once enrolled in graduate study, a student who fails to meet the continuous enrollment requirement must complete an Application for Readmission to register for classes. Continuous enrollment is defined as enrollment in two of three semester terms (Fall, Spring, or Summer) with Fall enrollment required. Students who have not been enrolled for a period of three years or longer and are in good academic standing, are eligible to reapply to through the Lapsed Student Program. Readmission is not guaranteed and must be approved by the Department Head, Academic Dean, and Dean of the Graduate School. Interested students or academic departments should contact the Graduate School for more information.

Transfer Credit

Students may transfer up to twelve (12) hours of graduate level credits from regionally accredited institutions. The decision to grant transfer credit is made by the advisor and the student’s graduate committee. If you wish to transfer credits, contact your advisor. You will need to provide an official transcript showing the courses you wish to transfer.

Courses

WFA 6223 Wildlife Plant Identification
(Prerequisite: BIO 1134 and BIO 1144 or equivalent). Two hours lecture. Four hours laboratory alternate weeks. Identification, taxonomy, ecology, and management of wildlife food and cover plants

WFA 6393 Urban Wildlife Ecology
(Prerequisites: Junior or higher standing, Grade C or better in WFA 3133, and/or Instructor Consent). Three hours lecture. Investigations of traditional wildlife conservation, ecology and management principles as they pertain to urban environments with an emphasis on species natural histories and urban ecosystem characteristics

WFA 6513 Current Topics in Human-Wildlife Interactions
(Prerequisites: Junior or higher standing, Grade of C or better in WFA 3133, and/or Instructor Consent). Three hours lecture. Investigations and related discussions regarding current topics and past trends in human-wildlife interactions emphasizing the role of wildlife damage management by wildlife biologists

WFA 6623 Conservation Biology
Three hours lecture. Theory and applications of conservation biology, measures of biodiversity, ecological geography, measures and treatments of decline

WFA 8343 Concepts in Ecology and Natural Resource Management
Three hours lecture. A forum to discuss current literature and theory that advances the study of community ecology and its application to natural resource management

WFA 8463 Human Dimensions of Wildlife and Fisheries Conservation
Three hours lecture: Theory, measurement and application of human dimensions in wildlife and fisheries conservation, with emphasis on how people value wildlife, how they want wildlife to be managed, and how they affect or are affected by wildlife and wildlife management decision making.

WFA 8713 Program Development and Evaluation for Conservation Educators
Three hours lecture. Development and evaluation of conservation education outreach programs and activities for varied audiences across; learning levels abilities, and cultural environments

WFA 8723 Conservation Education Outreach Techniques
Three hours lecture. Theory and practice for establishing effective conservation education and outreach programs

WFA 8733 Conservation Leadership, Management, and Communication
Three hours lecture. Theory, best practices, and enhancement of skills in leadership, management, and communication for conservation educators with an emphasis on volunteer management but applicable to management of all organizational employees

WFA 8743 Aquatic Biodiversity Conservation
Three hours lecture. Taxonomy, biodiversity, ecology, conservation and management matters of freshwater, tidal, and open ocean systems and application of knowledge to design and evaluate outreach educational materials related to aquatic systems

WFA 8753 Terrestrial Biodiversity Conservation
Three hours lecture. Taxonomy, biodiversity, ecology, evolutionary biology, conservation and management matters of terrestrial biomes and application of knowledge to design and evaluate outreach educational materials related to terrestrial systems

WFA 8763 Capstone Project for Conservation Education
Three hours lecture. Preparation for final comprehensive exam and establishment of a conservation education entity partnership for development, delivery, and evaluation of a conservation education project

BIO 8053 Comprehensive Study of Animals
(Prerequisites: BIO 6023 or consent of instructor). Three hours video and online. Study of invertebrate and vertebrate animals, including reproduction, development, physiology, behavior, ecology and evolution. (Intended for K-12 science teachers. Course cannot be used to satisfy degree requirements in a non-distance degree program)

BIO 8043 Ecology and the Environment
(Prerequisite:Consent of instructor). Three hours video and online. Investigation of biodiversity, ecological hierarchies, and interactions between biota and the environment. Includes as introduction to contemporary environmental science issues. (Intended for K-12 science teachers. Course cannot be used to satisfy degree requirements in a non-distance degree program)

BIO 8063 Comprehensive Study of Plants
(Prerequisiste:BIO 6023 or consent of instructor). Three hours video and online. Study of plants from bryophytes to angiosperms, including growth, photosynthesis, respiration, nutrition, reproduction, ecology, and evolution. (Intended for K-12 science teachers. Course cannot be used to satisfy degree requirements in a non-distance degree program)

FO 6123 Forest Ecology
Three hours lecture. Natural principles governing establishment, development, and functioning of forest ecosystems. Includes ecology, genetics, physiology, tree growth, reproduction, site, stand dynamics, energetics, hydrology, nutrition, and succession

GG 6523 Coastal Environments
Three hours lecture. An introduction to world coastal environments, with emphasis upon major shoreline-shaping processes, geographical variation in coastal landforms, human impacts, and environmental concerns

GG 8203 Ocean Science
Three hours video and online. Comprehensive examination of the ocean world, focusing on the topography, physics, chemistry, and circulation of the oceans. Primarily for K-12 science teachers

GG 8233 Environmental Geoscience
Three hours video and online. Study of current environmental problems associated with the earth science realms; atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere. Primarily for K-12 science teachers

GR 6303 Principles of GIS
Two hours lecture and two hours laboratory. Spatial analysis and topological relationships of geographic data using Geographic Information Systems, with emphasis on GIS theory

GR 8633 Climate Change
Three hours lecture. In-depth examination of changes in earth’s climate through time. Focus is placed on causes, measurement, implications and complexity of climate change

Academic Advising

After gaining admission to the university, you must contact your advisor to determine the courses that are most appropriate for you to take. Approximately two months prior to the upcoming semester, your advisor will send an email to your MSU email account, making course recommendations based on your program of study.

Mississippi State University uses email as its official means of communication with all MSU students. Please check your MSU email account (NetID@msstate.edu) daily. Information on setting up your MSU email can be found at the link for student services.

Dr. Leslie Burger

Conservation Education

Associate Professor, Program Coordinator

leslie.burger@msstate.edu 662-325-6686

Dr. Leslie Burger is an Associate Extension Professor in the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture at Mississippi State University. She currently has appointments in Extension, teaching, and program coordination and advising for the online Conservation Education program. Her academic and professional backgrounds are centered on wildlife ecology and non-formal and formal conservation education.