Integrative Conservation (BS in Interdisciplinary Studies)
The Institute for Integrative Conservation
A changing and complex global context and the narrow focus of many previous conservation efforts means that we need to take integrative approaches that balance the conservation and preservation of wildlife and their ecosystems with human wellbeing and in co-design with local communities. By wellbeing we refer to the health, social, environmental, and economic opportunities of peoples who are directly and indirectly connected to conservation action. Our approach to co-design with communities helps to preserve human cultural diversity while also addressing the needs of local peoples and helps to incorporate their ways of knowing and learning into the conception, design, and implementation of conservation projects.
The major and minor in integrative conservation provides students with the interdisciplinary training they need to engage a diversity of perspectives and solutions when addressing complex global conservation challenges. In the major, the application of this knowledge is reinforced by requiring students to complete coursework in innovation and entrepreneurship and a capstone project with an external conservation partner. These collaborative projects are coordinated and organized by the Institute for Integrative Conservation (IIC). Students will apply for and be matched to these opportunities by the IIC. This major and minor is designed for students who would like to explore career opportunities related to biodiversity conservation and the maintenance of social-ecological systems in the face of global environmental threats.
Required Credits: 37
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction to Integrative Conservation | ||
| CONS 201 | Introduction to Integrative Conservation | 3 |
| Methods in Integrative Conservation | ||
| Students must complete three credits from Category 1 (Geospatial Methods) and a further three credits from another Category of methods courses. The Geospatial course meets the major computing requirment. | 6 | |
| Category 1: Geospatial Methods: | ||
| Introduction to Conservation GIS | ||
or other approved course | ||
| Category 2: Quantitative Methods: | ||
| Quantitative Methods in Conservation | ||
or other approved course | ||
| Category 3: Qualitative and Mixed Methods: | ||
| Issues in Anthropology | ||
| Research Methods | ||
or other approved course | ||
| Biodiversity: | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Conservation Biology | ||
| Marine Ecology and Conservation | ||
| Advanced Topics in Conservation (with topic Disease Ecology) | ||
| Conservation Behavior | ||
| Biodiversity Conservation | ||
or other approved course | ||
| Communities, Voices, and Conservation: | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Environmental Justice | ||
| Conservation Ethics | ||
| Indigenous Knowledges & Conservation | ||
or other approved course | ||
| Human Wellbeing and Nature | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Political Ecology of Conservation | ||
| Sustainable Livelihoods | ||
| Advanced Topics in Conservation (with topics Economics of Conservation, One Health or Sustainable Food Systems) | ||
or other approved course | ||
| Applied Integrative Conservation | ||
| 3 | ||
| People-Centered Conservation & Climate Solutions | ||
| Introduction to Conservation Planning | ||
| Advanced Topics in Conservation (with topic Design Science Research for Conservation) | ||
or other approved course | ||
| Capstone Integrative Conservation Project | ||
| Select four credits from the following: 1 | 4 | |
| Conservation Practicum | ||
| International Conservation Practicum | ||
| Capstone Conservation Practicum | ||
| Honors | ||
| Honors | ||
Or other approved research or independent study course on an applied conservation topic that is in collaboration with an external conservation partner organization. | ||
| Electives | ||
| Select the remaining 12 credits to be taken from any of the 300 or 400-level courses listed above, any other CONS prefix course, and/or a relevant selection from the courses listed below that are offered by other departments and programs. We prefer students to take as many CONS prefix courses as possible. Choice of electives should be discussed with an academic advisor from the IICIIC, and we encourage students to use their elective courses to develop a specialization or focus within areas of integrative conservation. For example, the choice of electives could be a short series of GIS or data science courses, a series of ecology-focused courses, a series of environmental economics or business-related courses, or a series of courses that help students deepen their understanding of how people and communities connect with nature. 2 | 12 | |
| Introduction to Native Studies | ||
| Native People of the American Southwest | ||
| Native People of the Great Plains | ||
| Native Cultures of South America | ||
| People, Cultures, and the Environment of Polynesia | ||
| Seminar Topics in Art History | ||
| Advanced Topics in Conservation | ||
| Ecology | ||
| Animal Behavior | ||
| Ecology Lab | ||
| Plant Diversity and Identification | ||
| Plant Diversity and Identification Laboratory | ||
| Intro to Ornithology | ||
| Population and Community Ecology | ||
| Aquatic Ecology | ||
| GIS for Biologists | ||
| Conservation Biology Laboratory | ||
| Introduction to Innovation and Entrepreneurship | ||
| Customer Insights for Innovation | ||
| Sustainability Inspired Innovation and Design | ||
| Applied Machine Learning | ||
| Designing AI Agents | ||
| Environmental and Natural Resource Economics | ||
| Geovisualization & Cartographic Design | ||
| Introduction to Remotely Sensed Imagery and Analysis | ||
| Advanced GIS Analysis & Programming | ||
| Global Environmental Politics | ||
| American West, 1890- | ||
| Native American History since 1763 | ||
| People, Society, and the Coast | ||
| Marine Biology | ||
MSCI 401F | ||
| Issues in Environmental Ethics | ||
| Quant Research Methods | ||
| Political Ecology of Health & Disease | ||
or other approved course | ||
| Total Hours | 37 | |
- 1
As part of these research courses, students attend a weekly 1-hour meeting where they develop their conservation leadership skills in areas such as: communications, conflict resolution, diplomacy, fundraising, stakeholder engagement, team building, how to run a meeting, how to construct and manage a team and a budget, theories of change. These courses will meet the major writing requirement.
- 2
Choice of electives should be discussed with an academic advisor from the IIC and we encourage students to use their elective courses to develop a specialization or focus within areas of integrative conservation.
Recommended Sequence of Courses
Recommended sequence for students. Note that prereqs could be met with transfer (or equivalent) credit earned outside of W&M and that prereq recommendations vary according to which advanced and elective courses students intend to enroll in. Please talk to the Faculty Director of the Institute for Integrative Conservation if you would like to transfer courses from a study abroad program to be considered as electives for the Integrative Conservation major.
| First Year | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| CONS 201 | Introduction to Integrative Conservation | 3 |
| BIOL 204 & 204L |
Introduction to Organisms, Ecology, Evolution and Introduction to Organisms, Ecology, Evolution Laboratory (important pre-req) |
4 |
| Methods in Conservation course | 3 | |
| Hours | 10 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Communities, Voices, and Conservation course | 3 | |
| Methods in Conservation course | 3 | |
| Human Wellbeing and Nature course | 3 | |
| ECON 101 | Principles: Microeconomics (optional prereq) | 3 |
| Research course possible | 1-3 | |
| Hours | 13-15 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Biodiversity course | 3 | |
| Elective courses | 6 | |
| Research course possible | 1-6 | |
| Hours | 10-15 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Elective courses | 6 | |
| Research course or Honors possible | 1-6 | |
| Hours | 7-12 | |
| Total Hours | 40-52 | |