Smithsonian-Mason Semester for Conservation Studies
Exploring the conservation world beyond classrooms and books
Programs offered by the Smithsonian-Mason Semester for Conservation Studies answer the emerging imperative to create undergraduate curricula that covers conservation biology within the social, economic, and political context with emphasis on problem solving, critical thinking and hands-on learning.
Each of the 16 credit semester programs, Applied Conservation Strategies and Ecology for Effective Conservation Practices, offers a set of five integrated courses that include a practicum experience as well as classes focusing on conservation theory and applications. Applied Conservation Strategies focuses on the root causes of conservation issues and how science informs management and policy. Ecology for Effective Conservation Practices addresses how ecological theory can be applied to the study of and communication about threats to species.
These unique programs are open to upper-level students from any college or university, who have a demonstrated commitment to the study of conservation biology and related disciplines. Like a "study abroad" program, students live in residence at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) in Front Royal, Virginia adjacent to Shenandoah National Park and learn from prominent research scientists, wildlife biologists, educators, and other leading conservation professionals. Through academically intense, hand-on-curricula, students will emerge from their Semester experience prepared for conservation related internships, graduate study or professions.
"We were challenged this semester to think of conservation in ways that we would never think of it before." -- Carol Cogliano
"Basically, I loved this whole semester because of the hands-on experience that we had. In college, we learn about everything (and we do that here), but in college you don't get to actually go out and do - go out and wrestle deer or feed the animals that you're caring for." -- Daniel Schuldenfrei