Description

The Graduate Certificate in Conservation Biology emphasizes basic and applied conservation biology. The Department of Biology provides basic courses on campus, while scientists at Disney's Animal Kingdom offer applied courses on Disney property. This program offers an excellent opportunity for cross-discipline training that provides conservation theory in a classroom setting and valuable field work in the laboratory portions of the Biology courses. Practical experience dealing with small animal populations is provided within Disney's unique zoological setting.

Admission

Admission is open to those with a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution. An application to the graduate certificate program and official transcripts must be submitted. Applicants must also submit an essay that describes their interests and background in conservation biology. Applicants must apply online. Students need to have a 3.0 GPA in the last 60 hours of course work attempted and provide GRE scores (verbal and quantitative) taken within the last five years. For U.S. applicants GRE scores can be self reported prior to the submission deadline if the official score cannot be received in time. Admission will be conditional upon receipt of the official score.

Meeting minimum UCF admission criteria does not guarantee program admission. Final admission is based on evaluation of the applicant's abilities, past performance, recommendations, match of this program and faculty expertise to the applicant's career/academic goals, and the applicant's potential for completing the certificate.

Application Due Dates

U.S. Applicants

Program(s)	Fall Priority	Fall	Spring	Summer
Graduate Certificate in Conservation Biology		Jan 15
Note:Students applying for summer or spring admission will be considered on an ad hoc basis but must complete their applications by December 1.

 

Requirements

Requirements—12 Credit Hours Minimum

Students should take two courses from Group A, at least one course from Group B, and the course from Group C.

Group A

• EVR 5930 Seminar in Conservation Issues (1 credit hour)
• PCB 5045C Conservation Biology (4 credit hours)
• PCB 6328C Landscape Ecology (4 credit hours)
• ZOO 5520 Behavioral Ecology (3 credit hours)
• PCB 6556 Conservation Genetics (4 credit hours)
• PCB 6480C Quantitative Conservation Biology (4 credit hours)
• PCB 6048C Restoration Ecology (4 credit hours)

Group B

• ZOO 5463C Herpetology (4 credit hours)
• ZOO 5475C Ornithology (4 credit hours)
• ZOO 5486C Mammalogy (4 credit hours)
• ZOO 5456C Ichthyology (4 credit hours)
• PCB 5326C Ecosystems of Florida (5 credit hours)
• PCB 5435C Marine Ecology of Florida (4 credit hours)
• PCB 6035C Wetland Ecology (4 credit hours)
• ENY 5006C Entomology

Group C

• PAZ 5235 Zoo and Aquarium Biology and Management (3 credit hours)

Program Website

For more information regarding this program, see the program website.

Contact Info

Graham A. J. Worthy, Ph.D., Professor
Phone Number: 407-823-4701
gworthy@mail.ucf.edu