Wildlife Management

If there ever were a subject area that demands using the great outdoors as a classroom, it is wildlife management. It should come as no surprise, then, that the Wildlife Management program at SUNY Cobleskill offers real-world, hands-on, field-based education throughout all levels of undergraduate studies.

This consistently robust and energetic approach, whether applied to coursework in ornithology, wildlife techniques, wildlife science or other disciplines, sets SUNY Cobleskill well apart from other Colleges and Universities.

The curriculum is multi-faceted, and students receive hands-on training along with the opportunity for multiple field-based courses. As an example, Wildlife Techniques is a course that uses a problem-solving approach to emphasizes the breadth of current field techniques available to answer particular wildlife problems and the tradeoffs associated with using certain techniques. Students learn through both lectures and labs. Lectures will typically focus on concepts or considerations related to various techniques. In contrast, labs will typically focus on applying specific techniques in order to gain experience with methods including radiotelemetry, GPS, literature review and technical writing, wildlife sampling, and habitat assessment.

Students graduating with a degree in Wildlife Management will be prepared for professional opportunities ranging from wildlife technicians to entry-level biologists to members of husbandry staff, with a wide variety of private, state, and federal organizations including:

• New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
• Natural Resources Conservation Service
• US Fish and Wildlife Service
• Private consulting firms

More advanced positions in the wildlife professions generally require more advanced degrees (MSc or PhD), and students with an undergraduate degree in Wildlife Management from SUNY Cobleskill will find themselves well-qualified to pursue graduate studies at other institutions.

FWES Job Board

Diverse study abroad opportunities are available annually to students in the Wildlife Management program. Recent destinations have included Peru, the Galapagos Islands, South Africa and Panama.

During their final year, students can elect a 15-credit internship option if they find a suitable position that provides both academic rigor and breadth of experiences. Students often pursue such internships with state or federal agencies, and it is not unusual for these positions to become sources of future employment.

Past internships have involved:

The Wildlife Management program at SUNY Cobleskill provides students with access to a full complement of modern technological tools and resources for studying wildlife, including:

• Radiotelemetry equipment
• Motion sensing cameras
• Binoculars and spotting scopes
• GPS units
• Forest measurement tools
• Diverse fish, bird, mammal, and reptile and amphibian teaching collections

The Fish & Wildlife Special Projects course allows students in the BT program to gain specialized research experience working under the supervision of a participating faculty member. Students conduct independent research projects, then often summarize their findings in either a poster or oral presentation.

For example, a recent research project, conducted by Sara Germain (2017), explored American woodcock ecology in Schoharie County, New York.

Students can participate in activities provided by such organizations as The Wildlife Society (TWS), Ducks Unlimited, National Wild Turkey Federation and Trout Unlimited American Fisheries Society, as well as joining the SUNY Cobleskill Bass Fishing Club & Team.

Furthermore, many of our TWS student-members enjoy attending the Northeast Section Student Wildlife Conclave, the Annual TWS Meeting, and the New York State Chapter Fall Field Meeting, where a variety of professional development workshops and friendly competitions are held.