Course Syllabus

Spring 2026 | BIO-1250-VR01 - Wildlife Ecology

In Person Class

Standard courses meet in person at CCV centers, typically once each week for the duration of the semester.

Faculty

Mic Metz
View Faculty Credentials
View Faculty Statement
Hiring Coordinator for this course: Danielle Lafleur Brooks

General Education Requirements

Natural Science

Note

Many degree programs have specific general education recommendations. In order to avoid taking unnecessary classes, please consult with additional resources like your program evaluation, your academic program catalog year page, and your academic advisor.

Courses may only be used to meet one General Education Requirement.

Course Description

Through field trips and/or individual field work, students examine the ecology and life histories of common animal species and their habitats. The underlying scientific and technical principles are examined as they relate to wildlife conservation efforts by federal, state, and private agencies. This course places special emphasis on Vermont's wildlife.

Essential Objectives

1. Demonstrate understanding of the methods of scientific investigation in wildlife ecology including observation, and hypothesis testing.
2. Analyze wildlife population dynamics as expressed both by population growth equations and by basic quantitative population measures including sex ratio, birth rate, recruitment, survivorship, and mortality.
3. Analyze the effects of genetic diversity and environment on wildlife behaviors including predation, competition, territoriality, mating systems, and reproductive strategies.
4. Explain basic population sampling theory and modeling, as well as techniques including census, estimate, and index.
5. Analyze the integral relationships within and between wildlife and their habitats including selection, adaptation, and preferences.
6. Examine the life histories of common mammals, fish, waterfowl, reptiles, and amphibians.
7. Demonstrate proficiency in making field observations by following scientific protocols, keeping accurate records, and writing detailed reports.
8. Examine the impact of human behavior on wildlife populations including, but not limited to, species extinction, habitat loss, and climate change.
9. Examine wildlife management practices and policies at private, state, tribal, and federal levels, and their impacts on wildlife populations and human societies.
10. Discuss laws and politics related to wildlife ecology including the Endangered Species Act, US and VT Fish and Wildlife Service, and Conservation Commissions.
11. Demonstrate proficiency in understanding, interpreting, applying, and evaluating the accuracy of data and information sources.
12. Explain how knowledge created in the natural sciences has contributed to the creation, maintenance, and dismantling of social inequalities and discuss the impacts of diversity and inclusion on scientific research and practice.

Required Technology

More information on general computer and internet recommendations is available on the CCV computer recommendations Support page.

Please see CCV's Digital Equity Statement (pg. 45) to learn more about CCV's commitment to supporting all students access the technology they need to successfully finish their courses.

Required Textbooks and Resources

*** This is a no cost textbook or resource class. ***

This course uses one or more textbooks/books/simulations, along with free Open Educational Resources (OER) and/or library materials.

Spring 2026 textbook/book details will be available on 2025-12-01. On that date a link will be available below that will take you to eCampus, CCV's bookstore. The information provided there will be specific to this class. Please see this page for more information regarding the purchase of textbooks/books.

BIO-1250-VR01 Link to Textbooks for this course in eCampus.

For Open Educational Resources (OER) and/or library materials details, see the Canvas Site for this class.

The last day to use a Financial Aid Advance to purchase textbooks/books is the 3rd Tuesday of the semester. See your financial aid counselor at your academic center if you have any questions.

Artificial Intelligence(AI) Policy Statement

CCV recognizes that artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI tools are widely available and becoming embedded in many online writing and creative applications.

Allowed: This course's generative AI policy acknowledges technology, including generative AI, plays a supportive role in learning and feedback. During our class, we may use AI writing tools such as ChatGPT in certain specific cases. You will be informed as to when, where, and how these tools are permitted to be used, along with guidance for attribution. Any use outside of these specific cases constitutes a violation of CCV's Academic Integrity Policy.

I believe the use of AI to generate a report about your specific study area and wildlife species would be woefully inaccurate. So rather than prohibiting the use of AI, I would caution you against its use beyond spellcheck, grammar, and GPS or mapping tools ( all of which you should DEFINITELY use).

I think Chat GPT would have a near impossible time generating a Vermont site specific scientific report that wasn't obviously vague and/or imprecise. If you think you can us AI in this way, I welcome you to try, but with this caveat: you must disclose what data you inputted and what parts of your final project are Chat GPT generated (source citiation). I don't think AI can properly do the job, but if you can get it to do so, you need to cite which portions of your Final Report were AI generated.

Methods

Classes begin promptly at 6:00 PM on Monday, usually with our weekly quiz, and last until 8:45 PM, with breaks incorporated. Class will consist of lectures based on the week’s reading, videos, guest speakers, and classroom discussions. Optional field trips will involve applying our classroom knowledge and may include some vigorous hiking through natural forest and wetland habitats.

Evaluation Criteria

Your grade will be calculated as follows:
20% Quizzes (weekly)
20% Attendance and Participation
20% Homework (weekly)
20% Final Project (Wildlife Study and Report)
20% Final Exam

Homework assignments will consist of selected portions of your Final Project and will be due throughout the course. A comprehensive Final Project will be due on our penultimate classroom meeting on April 27 and we will take a Final Exam on May 4.

Grading Criteria

CCV Letter Grades as outlined in the Evaluation System Policy are assigned according to the following chart:

	High	Low
A+	100	98
A	Less than 98	93
A-	Less than 93	90
B+	Less than 90	88
B	Less than 88	83
B-	Less than 83	80
C+	Less than 80	78
C	Less than 78	73
C-	Less than 73	70
D+	Less than 70	68
D	Less than 68	63
D-	Less than 63	60
F	Less than 60
P	100	60
NP	Less than 60	0

Weekly Schedule

Attendance Policy

Regular attendance and participation in classes are essential for success in and are completion requirements for courses at CCV. A student's failure to meet attendance requirements as specified in course descriptions will normally result in a non-satisfactory grade.

• In general, missing more than 20% of a course due to absences, lateness or early departures may jeopardize a student's ability to earn a satisfactory final grade.
• Attending an on-ground or synchronous course means a student appeared in the live classroom for at least a meaningful portion of a given class meeting. Attending an online course means a student posted a discussion forum response, completed a quiz or attempted some other academically required activity. Simply viewing a course item or module does not count as attendance.
• Meeting the minimum attendance requirement for a course does not mean a student has satisfied the academic requirements for participation, which require students to go above and beyond simply attending a portion of the class. Faculty members will individually determine what constitutes participation in each course they teach and explain in their course descriptions how participation factors into a student's final grade.

Participation Expectations

Three or more unexcused absences will result in a failing grade for this course. If you must miss a class meeting, you are required to contact me PRIOR to missing class in writing via email or the absence will be recorded as unexcused. Attendance and participation will be twenty percent of your overall grade. Attending the entire class or field trip will result in a grade of 10, excused absences receive partial credit (5), and unexcused absences are recorded as a zero.

Missing & Late Work Policy

Students will need to submit homework assignments either electronically or as a hard copy on the date they are due (no late homework will be accepted). Homework assignments will be graded and returned to the students with the expectation that edits and suggestions will be incorporated into the Final Project.

Experiential Learning Expectations

Hours: 6-10

You will be required to observe wildlife within its natural habitat as part of your Final Project. Optional Field Trips will also be scheduled. Students will be required to wear appropriate clothing (long sleeves, long pants, closed toe footwear) for field trips.

Accessibility Services for Students with Disabilities:

1. Provide disability documentation to the Accessibility Coordinator at your academic center. https://ccv.edu/discover-resources/students-with-disabilities/
2. Request an appointment to meet with accessibility coordinator to discuss your request and create an accommodation plan.
3. Once created, students will share the accommodation plan with faculty. Please note, faculty cannot make disability accommodations outside of this process.

Academic Integrity

Apply Now for this semester.