Ecology

Ecology

IN THIS SECTION

Understand fundamental ecological processes.

The Ecology minor will provide you with a broad understanding of the fundamental ecological processes that shape the diversity, distribution, and abundance of organisms across the planet. Through a combination of classroom learning, fieldwork, and laboratory experiments, this minor will provide you with the practical and quantitative skills to collect, analyze, and interpret ecological data. The minor emphasizes critical thinking, problem solving, and communication skills that will prepare you well for a diversity of career paths, including environmental science, natural resource management, and conservation.

Check out the different ecology courses waiting for you at Worcester State!
BI-140 Introduction to Organismal Biology
Evolution, ecology, anatomy, physiology and diversity of organisms. Three hours lecture and three hours lab each week. Intended for STEM majors.
4 credits
BI-202 Principles of Ecology
Basic ecological theory relating to organism-environment interactions; population dynamics, and ecosystems. Three hours of lecture and a three-hour laboratory per week.
4 credits
MA-150 Statistics I
Descriptive techniques, elementary probability, distribution of the sample mean, confidence intervals, hypothesis testing of the means of one and two samples, linear regression and correlation.
3 credits
MA-302 Probability and Statistics
Descriptive statistics, probability theory, combinatorics, correlation, regression and inference techniques.
3 credits
GS-165 Geographic Information Systems I
Introduction to the use of geospatial technologies including geographic information systems and GPS.
4 credits
CS-135 Programming for Non-CS Majors
Introduction to programming. Emphasis on practical skills, working with data sets, doing analysis and visualization. No prior programming experience required.
3 credits
BI-301 Topics in Invertebrate Zoology
Considers anatomy, taxonomy (including selected articles of the international code of zoological nomenclature), natural history, and evolutionary relationships of selected invertebrate phyla. Three hours of lecture and a three-hour laboratory per week.
4 credits
BI-304 Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy
Considers prochordate and chordate taxonomy and phylogeny; systematic morphological comparison of representative chordates to establish homology, analogy, and evolution. Three lecture hours and a three-hour laboratory per week.
4 credits
BI-331 Marine Biology
Considers the marine environment, its flora and fauna, distribution and production of plankton-nekton-benthos, zoogeography, bioeconomic factors and potential. Three lecture hours and a three-hour laboratory per week.
4 credits
BI-333 Topics in Vertebrate Zoology
Life histories, adaptations, distribution, systematics, and economic importance of selected vertebrates taxa. Each semester will focus on a particular taxon. Three hours of lecture and a three-hour laboratory per week.
4 credits
BI-334 Wildlife Biology
Theory and practice of wildlife management. Considers procedures for collection and analysis of field and laboratory data on vertebrate game populations useful to wildlife biologists. Three hours of lecture and a three-hour laboratory per week.
4 credits
BI-340 Plant Sciences
Morphology, anatomy, physiology of flowering plants with studies on life cycles, ecological relationships, biochemical processes and evolution of plant diversity. Three lecture hours and three laboratory hours per week.
4 credits
BI-360 Animal Behavior
Survey of ethology and behavioral ecology from an historical and evolutionary perspective. Laboratory involves observation, recording and analysis of animal behavior. Three lecture hours and three laboratory hours per week.
4 credits
BI-380 Biodiversity and Conservation Biology
A theoretical and quantitative approach to species, genetic, ecosystem and community diversity in the context of modern conservation biology principles. Three lecture hours and three laboratory hours per week.
4 credits

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