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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)
FIRST YEAR & TRANSFER UNDERGRADUATES STUDENTS: What is the undergraduate enrollment in Fisheries and Wildlife?
What percentage of students find work after graduation? How much money do they make? Who do they work for? Are they permanent or temporary jobs? Find the answers to these and other questions in our Survey of Fisheries and Wildlife Graduates. How do I find out how my courses transfer? Click to see the transfer student information page. How do my Biology classes transfer? Current or admitted students may petition their biology courses by filling out the: Biology Course/Series Equivalency Petition Compare tuition rates for on-campus vs. Ecampus, resident vs. non resident, and summer session: Summer Session - Summer doesn’t have a plateau but is a bit cheaper and all tuition is in-state. Still wondering if this is the degree for you? Check out the differences between the Natural Resources, Environmental Sciences and Fisheries and Wildlife Majors.
How long would it take to earn a second Bachelors degree? One to three years, depending on the background of classes you have taken. A minimum of 45 credits are required (32 if you are an OSU graduate) for a second Bachelors. Use the Admission Requirements and our Post Bac Curriculum to determine how long it will take you to graduate. How do my Biology classes transfer? Current or admitted students may petition their biology courses by filling out the: Biology Course/Series Equivalency Petition Still wondering if this is the degree for you? Check out the differences between the Natural Resources, Environmental Sciences and Fisheries and Wildlife Majors. Post bacc degree seeking students pay tuition based upon their admission status which is undergraduate. Any course they sign up for, including graduate level courses, are charged the undergraduate tuition rate. Post bacc students may reserve up to 6 graduate credits per term to use towards a potential graduate program. Post bacc students can transfer up to 15 hours of graduate credit into a graduate program. Non-degree seeking post bacc students pay according to the course level and all summer courses are charged according to the course level. Summer Session Tuition -Summer doesn’t have a plateau but is a bit cheaper and all tuition is in-state.
GRADUATE STUDENTS:
How many graduate students are enrolled in Fisheries and Wildlife? Spring 2013 we have 150 graduate students enrolled: PhD - 49 students Wildlife: 25 Fisheries: 24 Wildlife: 33 Fisheries: 26 Graduate Certificate in Fisheries Management: 38 Professional Science Masters in FW Administration: 4
Graduate Certificate in Fisheries Management: When are the deadlines to apply to the Certificate program? You may apply for admission in any term. OSU operates on the quarter system, so new terms begin in summer, fall, winter and spring. All application materials (online application, CV or resume, statement of interest, three letters of reference and transcripts) need to be received at least 60 days prior to the start of the term you wish to be admitted. Are GRE scores required to apply to the Graduate Certificate in Fisheries Management program? No. The application process requires you to complete the online OSU application and send transcripts from your undergraduate institution(s) to the OSU Graduate School. In addition, you will need to submit three letters of reference, a statement of interest and your resume to the OSU Department of Fisheries and Wildlife. Are TOEFL scores required? TOEFL scores are required for international students who do not have a degree from a regionally accredited institution in the U.S. or other English speaking country. (See http://oregonstate.edu/admissions/admission-requirements-graduate#eli_grad for more information on international student admissions.) How is the Certificate different from a Master’s degree? The Graduate Certificate in Fisheries Management program is an 18-credit program of study. While completion of the Certificate will show on your OSU transcript as a “Degree Awarded”, it is not technically a degree. However, the coursework required to complete Graduate Certificate in Fisheries Management does satisfy a portion of the credits required to obtain several of OSU’s Master’s degrees, including the Master’s of Natural Resources (MNR) and the Professional Science Master’s in Fisheries and Wildlife Administration (PSMFWA). For more information on the benefits of a Certificate and how you can continue your graduate education, please contact fisheries.certificate@oregonstate.edu Do Certificate students qualify for financial aid? Yes, students enrolled in Certificate programs may be eligible for federal and state financial aid through OSU. Graduate degree/certificate students need 5 or more credits per term to qualify. If you wish to seek financial aid, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form and list Oregon State University as your school choice. You may complete the FAFSA online. Please direct your questions to the OSU Financial Aid Office at 541-737-2241 Can I get a Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA) position as a Certificate student? Certificate students are eligible for GTA positions. However, you must be enrolled for a minimum of 12 credits to qualify. In general, Certificate students should not rely on funding their program of study through GTA employment. Please contact fisheries.certificate@oregonstate.edu for more information. Are there scholarships available for the Graduate Certificate in Fisheries Management program? Need-based scholarships are awarded to Ecampus students according to their financial need as determined by FAFSA. For more information on financial aid for Ecampus students, please visit http://ecampus.oregonstate.edu/services/tuition/financial-aid.htm. Students enrolled on campus at OSU should review the Graduate School’s financial aid page for a list of funding options for resident students: http://oregonstate.edu/dept/grad_school/financing.php. Can I use the credits I earn for the Fisheries Certificate toward a Master’s degree? Yes, as long as your courses are a part of the curriculum for the Master’s program you’re interested in pursuing. OSU offers two online Master’s degree programs that incorporate any the courses in the Fisheries Certificate curriculum to satisfy a portion of their Master’s program requirements: the Professional Science Master’s in Fisheries and Wildlife Administration (PSMFWA) and the Master’s of Natural Resources (MNR). Fisheries Certificate courses are full graduate-level courses and may also be used for other graduate degree programs at OSU and other institutions. Can I transfer credits that I have taken for another program or as a non-degree student to the Certificate? Up to 6 credits of approved coursework can be transferred. What should I do if I don’t have the prerequisites I need for some of the courses in the Fisheries Certificate program? For graduate level courses, OSU does not enforce prerequisites. This means that you will be allowed to register for a course with prerequisites without a check of your previous coursework. However, you should use the listed prerequisites to determine whether you have the necessary background to succeed in the course. If you feel that you need a prerequisite course to prepare you for the graduate level class, you may enroll in the preparatory course as a part of your Fisheries Certificate program of study. You will not be able to count the preparatory course toward your 18 credit Fisheries Certificate requirements, but you may count it toward your minimum enrollment requirements for financial aid. For example, if you take one graduate level course and one “background” undergraduate course in a term, you will qualify as a ½ time student for financial aid purposes, even though only one of the courses is a part of the Fisheries Certificate curriculum. Are there specific class times for the Fisheries Certificate Ecampus courses? The online courses offered for the Fisheries Certificate are taught through OSU’s Blackboard system. Most courses are based on readings and assignments posted on Blackboard, and student deliverables are generally due within a given timeframe. There is usually a discussion board where students engage on course topics, and these discussions are often a part of the course grading. Some instructors offer real-time or recorded lectures or other multimedia components, but these are structured so that students who are not able to attend in real time are not disadvantaged. In the future, OSU may offer “hybrid” courses that combine some onsite course components with online coursework. Both OSU’s Corvallis campus and Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport, Oregon are involved in efforts to expand hands-on opportunities for our Ecampus students. Courses with an onsite component will be clearly indicated in the course catalog. How many courses do I have to take each term? To meet the University’s minimum enrollment requirement, you must take at least 3 credits each term (except summer). If you find that you need to take a term off, you can file a Leave of Absence Request form. The Leave Request form should be filed at least two weeks prior to the start of the term for which you are requesting leave. You may only file one leave request per academic year (for up to 3 terms of leave), and there is a limit of 3 terms of leave (in total) allowed during your program of study. Is there flexibility in the courses I take for the Certificate? We have chosen courses for the Certificate that meet our desired learner outcomes, and have provided a list of several course options for each component of the Certificate (Fisheries Science and Ecology and Human Dimensions). However, new courses are added to OSU’s curriculum every year, and there may be a course that meets our requirements for the Certificate but is not on the list. Such a course may not be eligible for financial aid. You should check with the Program Director before taking an unlisted course to petition for inclusion in your Certificate Program. Will I have a faculty advisor? Students in the Certificate program do not have a faculty advisor. Capstone projects are guided by a mentor that you identify from a local agency, college, or other organization, and are overseen by the Certificate Program Director. If you are not able to find a local mentor, our program advisor will help identify an agency or University-affiliated scientist to provide you with feedback for your project.
Professional Science Masters in Fisheries and Wildlife Administration When are the deadlines to apply to the PSMFWA program? Applicants are accepted to the Professional Science Master's in Fisheries and Wildlife Administration (PSMFWA) program in spring and fall term each year. The application deadline for spring term is Dec. 31 and for fall term is June 1. Can I complete the PSMFWA program entirely online? All required coursework for the PSMFWA is available through OSU’s online Ecampus program. However, students are encouraged (but not required) to attend the one week PSM Program orientation held during the 3rd week of September of their cohort year. Students may also take credits in-residence at OSU or at the Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport, Oregon. Is an employer letter of support a requirement for application? We encourage students applying to the PSMFWA program to obtain a letter of support from their current employer. This provides us with insight into the resources you may be able to access while pursuing your degree – these may include time off, internship support, tuition assistance or other means of augmenting your ability to succeed as a student. While the employer letter of support is not required to apply to the PSMFWA, it will be taken into consideration in evaluating your application and may improve your potential for admission. Are GRE scores required to apply to the PSMFWA program? Yes, GRE (Graduate Record Exam) scores are required to apply. We recommend a minimum combined score of 1,100 in verbal and quantitative, and a minimum score of a 4.5 in analytical writing. However, applications are evaluated for overall merit, and students who do not meet the standards of one criterion may be admitted based on superior performance in another. GRE scores should be less than 5 years old; the institution code for OSU is 4586. What level of professional experience is required for acceptance to the PSMFWA? All applicants must have at least 5 or more years of experience working in a natural resource field to be considered. A current CV is required in the application materials. Professional experience must demonstrate the application of current biological knowledge to problems and programs dealing directly with the fish or wildlife resources (administration, education, research, or management) as a significant portion of job responsibilities. Professional experience provides demonstrated expertise in making decisions in the application of ecology to stewardship and management of fish and wildlife resources and the environment. Technician-level work, such as data collection, surveys, and habitat manipulation conducted under existing protocol or under the specific direction of another, may not considered professional-level experience. Do I need a faculty advisor before I can be accepted to the program? The Fisheries and Wildlife Graduate Admissions Review Committee evaluates applications based on academic and professional merit. Candidates whose qualifications meet the requirements of the review committee will pass the preliminary acceptance phase. Final acceptance is contingent upon the student being accepted by a program adviser. For more information on connecting with an advisor, please visit http://psm.science.oregonstate.edu/connecting-advisor. If students in the PSMFWA program are currently employed within the field, are they still expected to complete an internship program? Or can current employment count toward the internship requirement? Internship is a required component of Professional Science Masters degrees. We are flexible about working with students to develop a useful project that fits their work schedule and needs. While previous work and “typical” daily activity at your current job cannot count toward internship, a “special project” within your agency, a joint project with another agency, or a temporary change of duties or location could serve as your internship. Internship credits can be spread over several terms - you do not have to complete your internship requirement in a single term. Is in-person attendance required at the cohort workshop? Or are there distance-learning options for the various workshops/sessions? The cohort workshop is one week, intensive. We strongly suggest attending, but do not absolutely require it.
Master of Science & Doctor of Philosophy Are GRE's required? How long are the results good for? Yes, GRE's for the general test are required. The scores are good for five years. The subject exam is not required. Check the website below for important changes to the test GRE General Test Changes, August 2011 http://www.ets.org/gre. What is the required TOEFL score? The Test Of English as a Foreign Language score required is 550 on the paper-based test or 213 on the computer-based test or 80 on the internet (iBT) with a minimum score of 18 on each section. A minimum score of 6.5 on the IELTS may be used as an alternative to the TOEFL test. When are the application deadlines for each quarter? Master of Science and doctoral program deadlines are as follows: Summer - Mar 1 Do I need a faculty sponsor to be accepted into the program? Yes, in most cases only students who have contacted graduate faculty members and have an agreement to be hired by them are accepted. When contacting faculty members by email it's often a good idea to attach (or include information on) your transcripts, GRE scores, a resume, and a statement of objectives. If your application package has been submitted then make sure to let them know. What are the departmental guidelines for screening graduate applications? Minimum GPA of 3.0 An MS degree is required to apply for the PhD program* *The faculty believes that the training in research and writing skills associated with an M.S. thesis improve the likelihood of success at the Ph.D. level. Therefore, we typically require that students wishing to pursue a Ph.D. first complete a Master's program that included a thesis. However, we recognize that some exceptional students with extensive experience may be qualified to enroll in our Ph.D. program without first earning a Master's degree. Such students should work with their potential advisor to draft a petition (no more than 2 pages) summarizing qualifications. Examples of relevant experiences that should be described, or included with, the petition include detailed accounts of the student's role in previous research activities, peer-reviewed publications, lists of relevant awards (e.g., NSF or other comparable graduate fellowships), or demonstration of other scholarship activities equivalent to those associated with an advanced degree (e.g., undergraduate honor's thesis and other comparable experiences equivalent to a master's thesis of our department). The petition, along with a curriculum vita, should be sent in electronic form to the Graduate Committee. The Graduate Committee will evaluate the materials and notify the department head, advisor and student whether enrollment in our Ph.D. program prior to completion of a Master's degree is recommended. Can students who don't meet the departmental guidelines still be accepted? Yes, students can be admitted provisionally by the department with support from their faculty sponsor and approval of the graduate committee. What can students do to be more competitive? Students who do not have a biological background or have a low GPA should consider taking courses as a post baccalaureate student. Courses to focus on would be statistics, ecology, general biology, chemistry, and math. A second bachelors degree isn't always needed but could be a good option if you don't have any experience in this field. If your GRE scores are low in two or more areas you should probably study and retake them. You should also consult with faculty you want to work with and see what they recommend. Check out this link to a book recently recommended by one of our faculty members: Getting What You Came For: The Smart Student's Guide to Earning an M.A. or a Ph.D. How do I change the term for my graduate school application? If you have already applied for admission but have not registered for any classes, you may use the Change of Term form to submit a change of term. One term change within the academic year is allowed. (Example: An application originally submitted for fall 2010 can be changed to winter 2011 or spring 2011. Summer begins the new academic year.) Requesting more than one term change or term changes to new academic years requires a new application and fee.
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