Identity area
Type of entity
Authorized form of name
Parallel form(s) of name
South Dakota State University. Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
History
In 1938, South Dakota State University offered its first Conservation of Natural Resources course through the Entomology and Zoology Department. By 1939, the college catalog included conservation and wildlife management as a formal area of study. The program expanded over the years, and by 1950, students could pursue a BS in agriculture or a BS in wildlife techniques and conservation. Graduate courses were introduced in 1957, eventually leading to a Master of Science degree in both areas. In 1963, these developments culminated in the creation of a separate Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences.
The department continued to grow, with a wildlife extension agent added in 1970 and increasing faculty numbers. Although the wildlife techniques major was later discontinued, new areas of study were introduced. Today, the department—now known as the Department of Natural Resource Management—offers BS, MS, and PhD degrees designed to prepare students for careers with government agencies and private organizations.
The department’s mission is to conduct research, educate students at all levels, and provide outreach benefiting South Dakota and society at large. Its work focuses on ecology and environmental science, rangeland ecology and management, and wildlife and fisheries sciences.