Conservation Biology
Major offered

Coordinator: Associate Professor Barthelmess (biology)

More information on this multidisciplinary major can be found by linking directly to it from the Majors and Programs page at www.stlawu.edu

Biodiversity is the sum total of all living organisms on earth. Conservation Biology is the discipline that deals with protection of the world’s biodiversity. Biodiversity conservation requires an understanding of not only organisms and their interactions with environments (ecology), but also of how biodiversity changes through time (genetics and evolution), how people value biodiversity (philosophy and ethics), how modern economic systems influence the lifestyle and conservation choices people are willing to make (economics, sociology), and how globalization impacts the distribution of organisms through space and time as well as the transfer of knowledge, values, and cultures and how this transfer influences biodiversity (global studies). Although the biology department coordinates the Conservation Biology major, faculty from a departments across the University collaborate in offering courses for this major. The Conservation Biology major is designed for students who are interested in learning the tools and skills used to describe, understand, and protect biological diversity on our planet. This major is suitable for any undergraduate student including those who wish to teach, attend graduate school, or join the conservation workforce upon graduation. Faculty participating in the major are committed to teaching in a liberal arts environment and at the same time maintain active research programs focused on biodiversity conservation. Students pursing this major will have the opportunity to participate in these research endeavors.

Objectives of the major are that students 1) gain knowledge about fundamental principles important to the conservation of global biodiversity, 2) learn the particular methods associated with biodiversity conservation, 3) develop an appreciation for conservation needs at both local and global levels, 4) participate in a meaningful conservation-oriented research project or internship and 5) prepare for careers in conservation biology.

Note that students majoring in Conservation Biology may not also double-major or minor in Biology or in the Biology - Environmental Studies combined major. First-year students considering a Conservation Biology major should seek early advisement from a participating faculty member and should begin the introductory courses required for the major in the first year.

Honors
To graduate with honors in Conservation Biology, a student must have a minimum 3.5 GPA in all courses required for the major at the time of graduation and must satisfactorily complete a year-long honors research project, supervised by an honors committee comprised of the project advisor and two other faculty members. Students wishing to conduct and honors project should consult with potential project advisors by the end of the junior year.

Major requirements
Conservation Biology majors must complete a predetermined set of courses (outlined below) and complete a significant period of study outside of northeastern North America. This requirement may be met through study abroad, study at a biological field station, or through participation on certain courses with a travel component. Students should consult with Conservation Biology faculty in planning how to complete this requirement.

Required Courses
I. Introductory Courses
Biology 101 and 102, General Biology
Global Studies 101, Introduction to Global Studies I: Political Economy
Economics 100, Introduction to Economics
Environmental Studies 101, Introduction to Environmental Studies

II. Allied Science or Math Courses
Students take one of the following options:
A) Geology 103, Dynamic Earth, and Geology 104, Evolving Earth
B) Chemistry 103, 104 (or substitute Chemistry 105 for 103 and 104) – General Chemistry
C) Any two of the following four Math courses: 113, Applied Statistics, 213, Applied Regression Analysis, 135, Calculus I, 136, Calculus II

III. 200- and 300-level courses
Biology 221, Ecology
Biology 245/245, Genetics OR Biology 343, Evolution
Global Studies 301, Theories of Global Political Economy
Biology 340, Conservation Biology (recommended for senior year)

IV. Electives
Students completing the major must take one advanced ecology elective, two biodiversity electives (one can be on animal diversity, the other may not be animal focused), and a global perspectives elective. Approved courses are listed below. In addition, students may petition the major coordinator to have other courses fulfill these electives. This option may be particularly relevant for students traveling abroad.

V. 400-level courses
Students must enroll for at least one unit of an approved senior year experience in consultation with the conservation biology faculty.

The following courses fulfill the Advanced Ecology elective:
Biology 330, Ecology of Lakes and Rivers
Biology 357, Behavioral Ecology
Biology 360, Marine Ecology
Biology 380, Tropical Ecology
Other courses offered that fulfill this requirement are Forest Ecology, Microbial Ecology, and Landscape Ecology

The following courses fulfill the Biodiversity elective. Students must take two, only one of which can be specific to animals.
Biology 209, Vertebrate Natural History
Biology 215, Invertebrate Biology
Biology 224, Biology of Vascular Plants
Biology 227, Mammalogy
Biology 231, Microbiology
Biology 319, Plant Systematics
Biology 325, Mycology
Biology 328, Biology of non-vascular plants
Ornithology and Invertebrate Paleontology also fulfill this requirement.

The following courses fulfill the Global Perspectives Elective.
Anthropology 102, Cultural Anthropology
Anthropology 225, Environmental Perception and Indigenous Knowledge
Anthropology 210, Environmental Archaeology
Anthropology 240, Environment and Resource Use in Kenya
Economics 228, African Economies
Economics 234, Comparative Economic Institutions
Economics 236, Globalization Issues: Equity, the Environment and Economic Growth
Economics 308, Environmental Economics
Economics 336, Economic Development
Economics 384, Natural Resource Economics
Environmental Studies 261, Sustainable Agricultural Systems
Environmental Studies 263, Sustainable Development
Environmental Studies 363, Ecotourism: Panacea or Viable Sustainable Development
Government 312, Environmental Law and Politics
Government 327, Politics of Development and Underdevelopment
Global Studies 215, World Regional Geography
Global Studies 280, Culture and Ecology
Philosophy 310, Philosophy of the Environment
Philosophy 335, Environmental Ethics and Global Relations
Sociology 253, Race, Class and Environmental Justice
Sociology 375, Environmental Movements
Sociology 465, Environmental Sociology
Sociology 476, Globalization and Sustainablility