Division of Forestry and Natural Resources
The Wildlife and Fisheries Resources Program at WVU is dedicated to developing the next generation of young fisheries and wildlife professionals. This program offers two levels of advanced degree with a Master of Science in Wildlife and Fisheries Resources and a Ph.D. in Forest Resources available. At the M.S. or Ph.D. level, students work closely with their faculty advisor and mentor to develop a unique research program that will prepare them for a career in this field. Students typically focus on either Wildlife OR Fisheries for these advanced degrees. Course work for these degrees varies depending upon the career goals of the student, past course history, and educational needs for the intended research project. New for 2011, we will require that all graduates will have completed necessary coursework to obtain professional certification as a biologist by The Wildlife Society OR The American Fisheries Society by the time of graduation.
My experience at WVU as a grad student from 2015-2017 was very positive. I found the program fairly robust and was able to complete a graduate certificate in GIS and Spatial analysis in addition to my M.SC. A definite bonus as my undergraduate school didn't provide exposure to GIS applications for resource Management. The faculty were fair and worked with... My experience at WVU as a grad student from 2015-2017 was very positive. I found the program fairly robust and was able to complete a graduate certificate in GIS and Spatial analysis in addition to my M.SC. A definite bonus as my undergraduate school didn't provide exposure to GIS applications for resource Management.
The faculty were fair and worked with students to balance their scholastic and research commitments. My advisor Jim Anderson was hands off in a good way for me. He allowed me to pursue my project on my own and left it up to me to initiate check-ins and seek resources. He also took me on with no funding and allowed me to create my own project, helped me find funding, and placed me as a TA in a separate department to make sure I was financially supported. He also supported me to attend conferences both internationally and nationally. This mentorship worked well for me and I loved having Jim as an advisor.
My favorite thing about the program was my cohort. We had a great group dynamic and among the wildlife, fisheries, and forestry grad students. There was no competitive nature among us and we supported each other through coursework, assisted on each others' research, and spent a lot of time together socially. The school has a chapter for the Wildlife Society, American Fisheries, and Society for Conservation Biology which were open for both undergrad and graduate students alike to participate in.
Overall I felt that the courses I took supported me in my professional career and I have built a strong network through my time and experience with the WVU Wildlife and Fisheries Resources Department.
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