ATU's Fisheries and Wildlife program prepares students for a career in natural resource management. Our program cultivates a passion for conservation through rigorous education and hands- on experiences.
Arkansas Tech's Fisheries and Wildlife Program's primary mission mirrors the University's mission in that we seek to improve student success, access, and excellence. We prepare a diverse group of students to pursue careers as field or research biologists and provide a sound ecological foundation so they can make wise decisions and take prudent actions regarding the management, productivity, and sustainability of our fish and wildlife resources. We accomplish this through undergraduate and graduate research projects, coursework, involvement in professional activities, and hands-on field and laboratory experiences.
Our undergraduate students come primarily from Arkansas and the surrounding states, whereas many of our graduate students hail from more distant states or other countries. Our undergraduate curriculum includes a variety of courses in general subject areas of biology, physical science, and natural resources, as well as a number of courses that specifically focus on the management of game and non-game fish and wildlife. Curriculum of graduate students are individualized to the needs and career goals of each student.
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The Master of Science in Fisheries and Wildlife Science was established in the Fall of 2000 to build on Arkansas Tech University's longstanding tradition of educating fisheries and wildlife professionals. Thesis and non-thesis options are available.
Thesis students are typically accepted following recruitment by individual faculty members. Prospective thesis students are encouraged to contact an individual Fisheries or Wildlife faculty member whose research interests and background most closely match your career goals (see link below). Assistantships, when available, are advertised on the Texas A&M Job Board. In general, the most competitive applicants will have a B.S. degree in Fisheries and/or Wildlife or other Biological Science, a GPA > 3.0, and GRE scores > 50 percentile in quantitative and verbal scores.
The non-thesis option is available to all qualified students. Application procedures are listed below and guidelines for admission to the program are contained within the graduate catalog description of our program. In general, the most competitive applicants will have a B.S. degree in Fisheries and/or Wildlife or other Biological Science, a GPA > 3.0, and GRE scores > 50 percentile in quantitative and verbal scores.
The sources of financial assistance for Fisheries and Wildlife Science graduate students includes Graduate Assistantships, and scholarships including the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Conservation Scholarship. Students are encouraged to visit ATU Financial Aid office for more information on financing a graduate education.
Full-time teaching and research assistantships of $13,200 per annum with full tuition waiver are available on a regular basis for the M.S. FW - thesis option students, pending the status of funding cycles and the outcome of grant writing efforts. Recruitment of students for Graduate Assistantships is highly competitive and when available, they are advertised on the Texas A&M Job Board.
GA's can be teaching assistantships or research assistantships or a hybrid of both depending on funding sources and program needs. GA's with teaching duties typically instruct two freshman-level biological laboratories per semester, assist with an upper-division fisheries and wildlife course, participate in a tutoring lab, and work on a thesis research project. Duties of a full-time research assistantship are related to a specific research project, related to the source of funding for a grant, and may include research obligations beyond those required by the thesis project.
Both FW - thesis and non-thesis graduate students are encouraged to apply for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission's Conservation Scholarship (currently $2,000 annually renewable).
AGFC Conservation Scholarship
Graduate students can be eligible for other forms of financial aid and scholarships. For more information contact the ATU Financial Aid office and/or the ATU Scholarship Foundation.
Procedure for Starting New Graduate Assistants
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Applications can be obtained in person at the Doc Bryan Student Services Building located just west of the coliseum on the ATU campus.
TECH is an exceptionally good value for your Tuition dollars. Our in-state tuition compares very favorably with other universities in Arkansas, and costs for out-of-state students very often are similar to those they would be paying to attend a university within their home state. This makes TECH a practical choice for out-of-state students interested in beginning a career in fisheries and wildlife. More information on in-state and out-of-state tuition waivers and academic scholarships can be obtained from the Admissions Office at the contacts listed to the left.
Students are eligible to apply for unconditional admission to the Master of Science degree program in Fisheries and Wildlife Science (Thesis or Non-Thesis Options) if they have met admission requirements for the Graduate College, completed courses in fisheries management or wildlife management, ecology, and statistics with a minimum grate of "C", filed scores for the Graduate Record Examination in the Graduate College, prepared a letter of intent, and provided two letters of recommendation. Qualified students without the courses listed above may be accepted conditionally provided the deficiencies are made up without graduate credit.
Thesis and non-thesis MS options are available.
Please be aware that meeting minimum requirements for entry into the program does not guarantee admission to the thesis option. Students are only admitted to this option when a faculty member has the resources to support assistantship, tuition, and research expenses. Consequently, only a few students are accepted per year, and admission into this option is very competitive. Available positions generally are advertised on the Texas A&M job board, and/or with the American Fisheries Society, The Wildlife Society, and other media as appropriate for the position. Their web sites can be accessed via our Jobs/Graduate School web page.
Students submitting formal applications will be considered for openings, but qualified students are encouraged to correspond with faculty members whose interests most closely parallel theirs to determine if opportunities might be available and increase their chances for acceptance. Please be aware that it is not unusual to receive funding for projects at the last minute. Admission to a graduate program is a major commitment of the student, advising professor, and the program. Consequently, qualified students are encouraged to visit campus before accepting a position to help ensure that the program, research project, and relationship with the major professor fall within their expectations.
The Graduate College
1507 North Boulder Ave.
Arkansas Tech University
Russellville, AR 72801
If you need additional information on the program or potential research projects please feel free to contact any of the fisheries and wildlife faculty. Their e-mails and phone numbers can be found on their web pages under faculty, and on the F&W homepage.
Our faculty in the Fisheries and Wildlife Department represent a diverse array of expertise and backgrounds, enriching our academic community with their breadth of knowledge and experience. Engaged in cutting-edge research and dedicated to excellence in teaching, our professors offer a comprehensive range of courses tailored to the needs of our students.
ATU's Fisheries and Wildlife program preprares students for a career in natural resource management. Our program cultivates a passion for conservation through rigorous education and hands-on experiences.
Five full-time fisheries faculty members work with students in the Fisheries and Wildlife Program at Arkansas Tech University. For information on the classes they teach, their expertise, e-mail and other contact information click on a name of the faculty members listed below to go to their home page.
Various faculty in other programs collaborate on research projects, have complementary areas of expertise, and offer classes of interest to our students. Information on many of these other faculty members and their programs can be found on the Biology, Geology, and Chemistry web pages.
Dr. Tom Nupp
Director, Fisheries and Wildlife Science Program
Professor, Wildlife Science
McEver Hall 127
1701 North Boulder Ave
Russellville, AR 72801
Phone: (479)968-0313
Fax: (479)964-0837
Email: tnupp@atu.edu
