2024-25 Academic Catalog

Wildlife, Fisheries, and Aquaculture

Department Head: Dr. Andrew J. Kouba
Co-Graduate Coordinators (WFA Master's and Doctorate): Dr. Kevin M. Hunt and Dr. Ray Iglay
Graduate Coordinator (Master's in Conservation Education): Dr. Leslie Burger
Forest Products Bldg. Room 1203
Box 9690
Mississippi State, MS 39762-9690
Telephone: (662) 325-0870
E-mail: ray.iglay@msstate.edu

The Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture Department offers graduate education leading to the Master of Science in Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture with emphases in wildlife ecology and management, fisheries ecology and management, and aquaculture.

A Ph.D. degree is offered in Forest Resources with a concentration in Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture. A limited number of graduate research assistantships and fellowships are available. For additional information please contact the Graduate Coordinator.

Admission Criteria

The applicant for a master’s degree must hold a bachelor’s degree and must be sponsored by an extramurally funded research project. The applicant for the Ph.D. degree must hold a master’s degree and also is usually sponsored by an extramurally funded research project. It is strongly encouraged for the applicant to personally contact a professor within the department to discuss potential research opportunities. An applicant cannot be admitted to the department until a faculty member agrees to serve as a major professor. The applicant for the master’s program must have taken the general Graduate Record Examination (GRE), and a) have a minimum GPA of 3.00 out of 4.00 for the last 60 semester hours of undergraduate academic work, or b) have an overall undergraduate GPA above 3.00 and achieved a GPA greater than 2.75 out of 4.00 for the last 60 semesters hours of undergraduate academic work. An applicant for the Ph.D. program must have an M.S. degree, a minimum GPA of 3.20 out of 4.00 on all prior graduate studies (excluding research or thesis credits), and must have taken the general GRE. Official transcripts of undergraduate and graduate work, GRE, and TOEFL or IELTS scores (if appropriate) should be sent to the Graduate School. 

Provisional Admission

An applicant who has not fully met the GPA requirement stipulated by the University may be admitted on a provisional basis. A student entering on a provisional basis (available only for master’s students) is required to take three graduate courses (minimum of 9 hours) in the first regular fall or spring semester and make a grade of B or higher in each of these courses. These courses will be selected by the departmental Graduate Program Advisory Committee (GPAC) and will include ST 8114 or equivalent, but may not include special problem courses, directed individual study courses, or thesis research hours. No provisional probation courses can be scheduled with the student's major professor. Failure to meet the grade requirement will result in dismissal and loss of eligibility for readmission to this department’s graduate program. Students on provisional probation are not eligible for an assistantship and must cover their own tuition but may be paid wages equivalent to a base stipend..

Academic Performance

Students must maintain a cumulative 3.00 GPA on all courses after admission to the graduate program. If a master’s student falls below a 3.00 cumulative GPA, they will be placed on probation for the next fall or spring semester. Probation courses will be selected by the GPAC and will include two 8000-level courses and one 6000 course if available. No special topics courses, directed individual study courses, or thesis research hours can be used toward probation. No probation courses can be scheduled with the student's major professor. A master’s student admitted under normal circumstances (not provisional) will be allowed only one probationary semester. If a student is admitted on a provisional basis, they will be allowed one probationary semester beyond that point. If grades do not meet the required B or better in each course taken, the student will be dismissed from the program. The department has an appeal process in the event the student wishes to file an appeal. A doctoral student falling below a 3.00 cumulative average after admission to the program will be immediately dismissed from the program unless the student’s committee justifies an exception which is reviewed by the departmental GPAC and then approved by the department head.

Unsatisfactory Performance

All graduate students are expected to know and comply with University, departmental, and subject-area requirements. Failure to comply satisfactorily with all requirements may seriously affect the student and, in some cases, may lead to termination of assistantships or dismissal from the graduate program in this department.