Ecology MS, PhD

Ecology is the scientific discipline concerned with the relationships between organisms and their past, present, and future environments. The Ecology Center at USU has had a string of directors known nationally and worldwide as premier scientists in the field of ecology, and students graduating with a degree in ecology are able to make contacts with influential faculty that can help them as they pursue prestigious post-doctoral programs and faculty positions at universities around the world. Additionally, the Ecology Center hosts a seminar series that brings famous scientists from all over the world to speak at USU.

All ecology students are required to take coursework within various designated areas, and the remainder of coursework and research will be completed in one of the following departments:

• Biology: Students who study ecology in the Biology Department focus on theoretical ecology and how it applies to evolution and other disciplines within biology.

• Environment and Society: This department is concerned with human ecology and the relationships between humans and natural ecosystems.

• Plants, Soils, and Climate: Students in this department study the ecology of plants, soils, and climate and issues that tie them to ecology.

• Watershed Science: Ecology students in this department focus on the science and conservation of aquatic ecosystems.

• Wildland Resources: Students in this department are concerned with terrestrial ecology and ecosystems.

Our college is unique. We have a diverse range of academic offerings and are able to honestly say, we have something for everyone.

If you want to be a doctor, an aviator, a farmer, a researcher, a writer, a businessperson, a designer, a dietitian, an economist or any other type of professional, CAAS is the perfect place for you.

We in CAAS know more than your name; we know who you are. Our faculty pride themselves on understanding your personal and scholarly ambitions and then helping you reach those goals. From research opportunities to one-on-one mentorship, your professors work to help you succeed.

In 1888 The Agricultural College of Utah is founded. Two years later, Vendla Berntson enrolls as the college's first student.

In 2001 The College of Agriculture absorbed parts of the former College of Family Life including family and consumer science education program, and the Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences.

In 2012 The new Agricultural Sciences building opens on February 29. This new building houses the Student Services Center, labs, classrooms and much of the college's administration.

Four years after the program’s first classes, 27 newly minted doctors of veterinary medicine celebrate their graduation from the USU/WSU program in veterinary medicine.

In 2018 The Aggie Chocolate Factory opens its doors as a specialized food science laboratory. It is the first chocolate factory at a university in the western United States and produces its confections from bean to bar.

In 2019 USU expands its aviation technology and aviation maintenance management programs to the Price campus. USU Eastern’s program will admit between 25-100 students, and students can receive FAA certification upon completion.