The University of the Philippines Los Baños is the only Constituent Unit (CU) that offers the Master of Science Wildlife Studies, the only graduate program of wildlife studies in the Philippines. This unique graduate program is instrumental in the professional advancement of conservation scientists, educators, environment and protected area managers and researchers in the academe, the government and conservation organizations. It continues to fill up the dearth of vertebrate wildlife specialists in the country. With advances in technology and dynamic human resource development, the UPLB GS offers a revitalized MS Wildlife Science program curriculum. The revised program strengthens the scientific approaches to support conservation and management as it keeps abreast with global conservation dynamics and development in biology, conservation and management of vertebrate wildlife.

This graduate program adheres to the original “Wildlife” definition used since its inception, particularly on non-domesticated, terrestrial vertebrates or tetrapods (amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals) found in the wild and in their natural habitat. Nonetheless, the program recognizes a wider scope of wildlife, referring to all wild fauna and flora, including micro-organisms, and comprising the component biological diversity in natural environments. Focus on higher vertebrates facilitates an integrative approach with organisms related to wildlife (ex. parasites, arthropod prey, plant food etc.). The corresponding management and conservation approaches in wildlife research also emphasizes the interconnection with allied fields of science (ex. forestry, environmental sciences, medicine, anthropology, biotechnology and others). Graduates of this revised program possess the following competencies: (i) specialists in vertebrate wildlife biology, management and conservation; (ii) researchers who can develop and conduct programs for vertebrate wildlife; (iii) policy and decision makers for the implementation, assessment and monitoring of sustainable vertebrate Wildlife Management and Conservation programs; and (iv) educators of stakeholders and communities for effective conservation of vertebrate wildlife.

Visit https://abdibsuplb.wordpress.com/graduate/ for more information about the program.