Wildlife

What is wildlife science?

Wildlife science is the study of natural habitats of wildlife, the environmental development and conservation of wildlife habitats, and threats to wildlife.

What should I look for in an online wildlife school?

The best online wildlife schools should possess either regional or national accreditation from an accrediting body that is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

In addition, you can often recognize top online wildlife schools based on:

• The school's name and status
• The school's history
• Teacher credentials
• Alumni network

In choosing the best online wildlife school for you, you should consider the following factors:

• Admission requirements
• Residency requirements
• Class and teaching style
• Testing methods used
• Course content and presentation
• Program length
• Class size
• Student-teacher interaction
• Technology use
• Tuition and financial aid
• Transferability of credits
• Availability of a dedicated administration team and resources

What levels of online wildlife programs are available?

The following levels of wildlife degree online programs are available:

• Online Wildlife Certificate Programs
• Online Associates in Wildlife
• Online Bachelor in Wildlife
• Online Masters in Wildlife
• Online PhD in Wildlife

How long does it take to get an online wildlife degree?

The amount of time it takes a student to earn an accredited online wildlife degree depends on the level of wildlife degree being pursued and the pace of the student.

Typically, the breakdown is as follows:

• Online Wildlife Certification Programs - 6 months to 1 year
• Online Wildlife Associates Degree - 2 years
• Online Wildlife Bachelor Degree - 4 years
• Online Wildlife Masters - 2 years
• Online Wildlife PhD - 2 to 5 years

What are some examples of online wildlife courses?

A top online wildlife science degree or accredited online wildlife education degree often requires hands-on experience in addition to classroom topics about environmental systems, animal species, and human-wildlife interactions. Topics in accredited online wildlife school programs include:

• Intro to Wildlife Sciences
  This overview course explores basic areas of wildlife science and introduces students to the breadth of study topics available in animal and plant sciences.
• Biological Data Collection
  This course will train students in scientific data collection methods to better study biological and ecological materials, plant and animal life, and ecosystem features.
• Wildlife Conservation and Preservation Techniques
  As a key practice area for wildlife scientists, this course reviews current problems and potential solutions in wildlife conservation.
• Urban Wildlife Management
  Urban settings have wildlife as well, and present different challenges than rural and natural settings. Students will learn principles and techniques for working with wildlife management, control, and preservation within cities and urban centers.
• Forestry Management
  This course focuses on dynamics in foresting including watershed management, erosion, soil content, reforesting needs, and forest disasters.

What areas of wildlife specialization are available?

Top online wildlife schools allow students to focus on different aspects of wildlife science such as:

• Mammalogy
• Ichthyology
• Ornithology
• Forestry
• Conservation and Preservation
• Wildlife Legal Issues

What can I do with a wildlife degree?

Wildlife biologist jobs or wildlife science jobs take many forms in urban, rural, and natural settings. Some online wildlife degree program graduates will work for more political action while others will focus on practical wildlife management and natural resource preservation activities. Popular wildlife science jobs include:

• Department of Natural Resources Scientist
• Forest Ranger
• Wildlife Science Educator
• Wildlife Biologist (Research and Development)
• Wildlife Conservation Specialist
• National Parks Wildlife Specialist
• Non-profit Political Activist
• Fish Hatchery Worker
• Zoologist
• Wildlife Museum Curator
• Field Wildlife Biologist (Sample Collection)

What is a wildlife biologist?

Wildlife biologists concentrate their scientific study on the environments, resources, and development of plant and animal life in natural wildlife settings, urban areas, or mixed territories around the world.

What does a wildlife biologist do?

A wildlife biologist in the field takes regular samples of soil and plant and animal remains to investigate health and disease issues, the effects of human-wildlife interactions, and the available natural resources of a wildlife area. Wildlife biologists may also work with environmental scientists, national or local governments, and conservation agencies to present information about wildlife needs and natural resources.

How much does a wildlife biologist earn?

Wildlife biologists earn average salaries between $33,550 and $90,850 depending on research funding, work location, and particular wildlife specialties. The median annual salary for wildlife scientists is approximately $55,000. Wildlife scientists will continue to see 13% job growth through 2018. Many of these jobs will be in natural resource conservation and research about developing wildlife diseases and health issues facing our natural habitats in the future.

How do I become a wildlife biologist?

Students interested in how to become a wildlife biologist may first wish to choose to focus either in wildlife education or wildlife science, and pursue a corresponding course of study. Additional training for wildlife biologists will require internship or hands-on laboratory experience that will have to be acquired locally alongside top online wildlife school courses. Those online wildlife school graduates who would like to do more work in research and advancement instead of fieldwork should also consider pursuing online master's or online doctoral programs in wildlife.