Undergraduate Major in Conservation Biology

The courses associated with the prospective Undergraduate Program in Conservation Biology at ESF reflect this interdisciplinary and holistic nature of Conservation Biology.

While at ESF students interested in conservation biology should seek first to understand the evolutionary and ecological forces that have generated the patterns of biodiversity around us. For this reason, general courses in organismal biology, evolutionary and systematic biology, population biology, ecology and ecosystem science are recommended, many of which are already part of training for the degree in Environmental Biology. Students also need to become familiar with the dimensions of the current biodiversity crisis and the management tools available to mitigate for it. An introductory course in Conservation Biology and one in Problem Solving in Conservation Biology are therefore integral components of the undergraduate program. These, in combination with Orientation Seminar in Conservation Biology, a Senior Synthesis and an Internship or research experience in Conservation Biology, cover the breadth of biological, social, political, and economic aspects of the biodiversity crisis.

Participating Faculty