Program

Associate of Applied Science in Wildlife Sciences

The Wildlife program at Hocking College is a hands-on, experience-based curriculum.  Students actively learn and practice field skills here that they will only hear about in other more traditional wildlife management programs.  In addition, students leave our program with a strong conceptual understanding of wildlife management, ecology, and conservation, as well as botany and plant ecology and identification, and natural resources as a whole.  Skills learned include wildlife, fish and plant field and lab identification; wildlife field data collection techniques such as survey, capture, radio telemetry, habitat and population sampling; and other general field skills such as map reading, watercraft operation and natural resources equipment operation.

Your choice of majors depends on whether you intend to go on to complete a Bachelor of Science degree in a four-year program after leaving Hocking College, or whether you plan to enter the job market upon completion of your two-year degree from Hocking.

The Wildlife Resources Management degree is designed for students interested primarily in seeking employment in fish and wildlife careers after acquiring their two-year associate degree. Most positions with Ohio county and state parks, and the Ohio Division of Wildlife, require a two-year wildlife degree.

The Wildlife Sciences degree is designed for students considering going on for a four-year bachelors degree. Students in the Science program take additional hours in math, biology, and more transferable classes in Social Sciences that aid in transfer to another school. Upon completion of the Science degree, you will qualify for the same two-year degree positions as the Management degree but will be better prepared to go on to a four-year program. Most professional positions with the United States Forest Service, U.S. Park Service, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service require a four-year degree, as do most state wildlife agencies outside Ohio.

Program Outcomes

The following outcomes are skills, behaviors, and attitudes cultivated in students seeking the Associate of Applied Science in Wildlife Sciences:

• Demonstrates technical skills and techniques in wildlife management to work effectively in diverse settings;
• Applies biological knowledge and skills to manage wildlife habitat and populations;
• Collects, analyzes, interprets, and applies wildlife/fish population and habitat data;
• Communicates effectively in writing and speech with public and other natural resources professionals;
• Models ethical, leadership, and supervisory skills;
• Interprets, applies, and communicates natural resources law and policy; and,
• Demonstrates math skills for utilization in practical fields, and other wildlife  applications.

Curriculum

Hocking College reserves the right to modify curricular requirements, to change course content, and change course fees at any time.

Career Opportunities

The Wildlife Resources Management degree will qualify you for entry-level jobs such as county wildlife officer, fish or wildlife technician, park naturalist, and county soil and water conservation district wildlife specialist positions in Ohio, plus some technician and assistant jobs with other state and federal agencies.

The Wildlife Sciences degree will qualify you for the same type of positions as the Management Major but upon completion of your two-year degree you will also be eligible for all types of entry-level positions with federal and state agencies throughout the United States.

Occupation Profile

Hocking College Career Services