Bachelor of Wildlife and Fisheries Science at Pennsylvania State University
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    Bachelor of Wildlife and Fisheries Science at Pennsylvania State University

    Pennsylvania State University
    Pennsylvania State University
    United States of America
    United States of America, University Park
    University Rank:#82
    Bachelor of Wildlife and Fisheries Science at Pennsylvania State University

    The Wildlife and Fisheries Science at Pennsylvania State University is a Bachelor program designed for students who want to build the knowledge and skills required for careers in this field. Delivered on campus across its Main Site, Any Penn State Campus, and University Park campuses in United States of America, the program is taught in English and takes 4 years to complete. Students study in a Full Time environment while preparing for future professional opportunities. The next intake starts on June 1, 2027.

    About Bachelor of Wildlife and Fisheries Science

    Wildlife and Fisheries Science includes study of the conservation, management, ecology, behavior, and identification of wildlife and fish species; the terrestrial and aquatic habitats where they live; and application of that knowledge to conserve and manage biodiversity and ecosystems. The program includes applied outdoor lab experiences that complement course work, and bird, mammal, reptile, and amphibian collections facilitate hands-on learning and species identification.

    MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES SCIENCE

    You Might Like this Program If...

    • You are concerned about society's impact on biodiversity and ecosystems.
    • You are interested in conservation and management of wildlife and fish species.
    • You want a career that combines indoor and outdoor activities with the opportunity to work in settings such as state or federal natural resource agencies, nonprofits, zoos and aquaria, or consulting firms.

    The purpose of the Wildlife and Fisheries Science major is to develop the knowledge, skills, and professional ethics of undergraduates interested in the conservation and management of fish and wildlife and their environments. The curriculum is designed to provide a broad-based science background that incorporates natural resource management principles that prepare our students for a diverse array of opportunities such as graduate school, natural resource management agencies, consulting firms, non-profits, etc. Students can choose from two options:

    1. Wildlife Option
    2. Fisheries Option

    Each option enables students to gain greater depth of knowledge in one area of the discipline. Coursework required for the Wildlife option meets The Wildlife Society's requirements for professional certification, and coursework required for the Fisheries option meets the American Fisheries Society's requirements for professional certification.

    • Students will be able to evaluate the potential population level effect of alternative management actions based on development of appropriate population dynamics models; for example, students might explore the effect of supplementing an endangered species or the effect of different harvest regulations on a game species.
    • Students will be able to identify wildlife and fish species and quantify relevant attributes of their life history and critical habitat.
    • Students will have the ability to select and use appropriate techniques for a given purpose such as selection of field samples, observation of biota in the field or lab, measurement of habitat attributes, and analysis of data.

    Disciplines

    Agricultural Sciences

    Requirements and Admission Criteria for Bachelor of Wildlife and Fisheries Science at Pennsylvania State University

    Entry Requirements

    Penn State requires the submission of specific academic credentials to complete your application. Review the secondary and post-secondary requirements for your country below.

    If you are a first year student applying to Penn State:

    Click Apply to start your Penn State application. Before starting, you can also review the Applying Online Worksheet for more details and helpful hints about the application.

    Your application work can be saved at each step of the process by clicking the Save and Continue button at the bottom of the page. This feature will allow you to move back and forth within the application or log off and return to complete your application at a later time.

    After completing your Academic History, you will need to provide your Self-Reported Academic Record (SRAR). As you begin the SRAR process, a new window will open allowing you to complete your SRAR. SRAR will focus on your high school coursework. It is important that this step is a complete and accurate representation of your school record. Therefore, have a copy of your secondary school records available as you complete your SRAR. You will need to enter every class and every grade earned for the last three years, as well as those classes in progress.

    After completing your SRAR, you will be directed back to the Penn State application in order to complete the Program of Study portion of the application. Here, you will indicate your desired starting semester, your intended program of study, and your starting and ending campus. For further details on how to complete this portion based on your applicant type, please see the steps to apply for first-year students.

    After completing this section of the application, you will provide some additional information, an activities resume, and a personal statement. You will be able to paste in this information from other sources, but note that the formatting may not always paste in as intended.

    If you are a transfer student applying to Penn State:

    All international transfer students will be required to submit official high school transcripts in order to complete the application. International transfer students will not complete the Self-Reported Academic Record (SRAR) for either their high school or college coursework.

    If you have accepted your offer of admission to Penn State:

    If you completed SRAR and are accepted to Penn State, please provide the following for grade verification:

    • Official transcript from years 9, 10, 11, and 12. If the transcript is issued in a language other than English, it must be accompanied by a separate line-by-line English translation.
    • Official copy of the Tawjihi, accompanied by a separate line-by-line English translation.

    English Requirements

    • IELTSMin 6.5
    • TOEFLMin 80

    Career Opportunities after Completing Bachelor of Wildlife and Fisheries Science

    Employment in the wildlife and fisheries professions is highly competitive. Related work experience is often required for post-graduation employment. Students get that experience from summer jobs, internships, or independent study projects. Flexibility in job location and willingness to accept seasonal or part-time work can increase employment prospects. Our curriculum can provide a firm base for graduate study, as well as the opportunity to meet certification standards established by The Wildlife Society and the American Fisheries Society, and the academic requirements set by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management for federal employment as a wildlife or fisheries biologist.

    Wildlife/fisheries technician or biologist, ecologist, conservation officer, environmental educator, habitat manager, and zookeeper are just some of the opportunities pursued by Wildlife and Fisheries Science graduates. Employers include the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park Service, the USDA Wildlife Service, the Pennsylvania Game Commission, and conservation districts, as well as nongovernmental organizations and private industry.

    MORE INFORMATION ABOUT POTENTIAL CAREER OPTIONS FOR GRADUATES OF THE WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES SCIENCE PROGRAM

    MORE INFORMATION ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES FOR GRADUATE STUDIES

    Professional Resources

    • American Fisheries Society
    • The Wildlife Society 

    Tuition and Fee Information for Bachelor of Wildlife and Fisheries Science at Pennsylvania State University

    Application Fee 75

    How to Apply for Bachelor of Wildlife and Fisheries Science at Pennsylvania State University

    Step 1: Choose Your Application Method

    Apply through MyPennState

    The first step of the application process is to create a Penn State account, if you do not have one already. MyPennState is where future students can access the online application.

    If you are new to MyPennState, you will need to establish a Penn State User ID and password, which you will access during the MyPennState profile creation process. Once you have your log in information, you can sign in to begin work on your application.

    When creating the profile, please use the name that is on your passport. Because materials are filed alphabetically under the family name on the application, it is important that all correspondence and records consistently use the same name (family and given) and spelling. If this name does not match your academic records, please notify us of the difference. Please note: In the U.S., the family name is usually referred to as the last name, and the given name is referred to as the first name.

    Additionally, Penn State requires a current, valid email address, as that is our primary means of communication with international students. To ensure deliverability, please make Penn State (psu.edu) an eligible sender to the account.

    Applying through the Common App

    Applying to Penn State via the Common App is available to first-year (freshman) international students. If applying through the Common App, Penn State will create a MyPennState profile when the application is submitted and you will receive instructions on how to access your profile. If you intend to apply with the Common App, you do not need create a MyPennState profile prior to submitting your application.

    Step 2: Access the Application and Review Important Dates

    While you can create a MyPennState profile at any time, the application for admission becomes available on the following dates:

    Fall/Summer Admission: August 1

    Spring Admission: June 1

    The application submission dates vary by applicant type and intended program of study. Some programs have specific deadlines or admissions requirements. Please refer to our Dates & Deadlines for more information about application deadlines, as well as our Admissions Requirements to review information about any additional materials required for your intended program of study.

    Step 3: Start Your Penn State Application

    If applying through MyPennState:

    Click Apply Online to start your Penn State application. 

    Your application work can be saved at each step of the process by clicking the "Save and Continue" button at the bottom of the page. This feature will allow you to move back and forth within the application or log off and return to complete your application at a later time.

    After completing your Academic History, you will need to provide your Self-Reported Academic Record (SRAR), unless otherwise directed. You will be directed to enter information about your secondary school coursework. Please have a copy of your secondary school records as you complete SRAR. It is important that this step is a complete and accurate representation of your school record. You will need to enter every grade for every course you have taken in the last three years, as well as your current schedule of classes.

    Students educated in South Korea will not complete SRAR. The document requirements for South Korea can be found by reviewing our International Credential Requirements.

    After this section, you will be directed back to the Penn State application to complete the Program of Study portion. Here, you will indicate your desired starting semester, your intended program of study, and your starting and ending campus. For further details on how to complete this portion based on your applicant type, please see the steps to apply for either first-year students or transfer students.

    After this portion, you will provide some additional application information, an activities resume, and a personal statement. You will be able to paste in this information from other sources, but note that the formatting may not always paste in as intended.

    If applying through the Common App:

    Complete the Common App, which will then direct you to MyPennState to complete SRAR. Applicants using the Common App may feel that they provided their high school record via the Common App, but Penn State requires the completion of SRAR via MyPennState. We strongly encourage you to obtain an official copy of your high school transcript to ensure accurate entry of your coursework completed and grades earned. The SRAR will include all of your high school coursework from your last three years of work and your current year schedule. If your final year grades are available when you enter SRAR, you can enter them at that time.

    Step 4: Submit Your Application

    The application requires a nonrefundable application fee of $75 for international students. Be sure to complete the last step after Summary and Review, which finalizes payment of your fee, and be certain it is successfully submitted. Once the application is submitted, you can verify its completion by accessing your MyPennState profile.

    Step 5: Submit Required Application Materials

    In order to complete your Penn State application, we need the following materials:

    • Application
    • Secondary school record
    • Post-secondary school records (if applicable)
    • First-year applicants only: Official test scores: SAT (code #2660) or ACT (code #3656)

      Writing Component and Subject Tests

      Please note: The writing component of standardized tests (SAT or ACT) is not required. The writing component will not be used as part of our evaluation. If your test scores include the writing component, by all means, have those scores sent to Penn State. Additionally, we do not require SAT Subject Tests.

    • English language proficiency, if your native language is not English

    Please see the admissions requirements for international students to review the details about the required application materials. Some programs require additional items to complete your application. Please review our Admissions Requirements for those details.

    Penn State does not require letters of recommendation, nor are they used in a student’s evaluation (unless required for a specific program).

    Step 6: Check Your Application Status in MyPennState

    You can always check the status of your application in MyPennState. We will communicate with you via MyPennState and through a series of emails regarding the missing items for your application. When everything has arrived, you will see a status in MyPennState confirming the completion of your application.

    Please note: It is your responsibility to check on the status of your application and send us any missing materials.

    Step 7: Receive Your Admission Decision

    Once we have reached a decision regarding your application, we will update your status in MyPennState and provide a printable PDF of your decision letter. Review our Dates & Deadlines to see when you should expect your decision.

    If accepted, you can accept your offer of admission in MyPennState to begin the process of becoming a Penn State student. Visit our Accepted Students section to review the next steps in this process. Once you accept your offer of admission to Penn State, those students completing SRAR will submit their official records for validation purposes as soon as possible.

    Bachelor of Wildlife and Fisheries Science at Pennsylvania State University
    Pennsylvania State University
    Pennsylvania State University
    United States of America

    United States of America, University Park

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