Summer 2026

BIOE 408 : Rocky Mountain Vegetation (3cr.)

Instructor: Anthony Slominski

Session: July 4x4

Date/Time: Lecture, TR 9:00am - 12:00pm ; Lab, M 1:30 - 5:00pm

Description: PREREQUISITE: BIOE 370 and in Biological Sciences major, or consent of instructor, recommended senior class standing. Rocky Mountain Vegetation is an integrative, place-based course in vegetation ecology. Topics include: Geographic distribution and geological characteristics of the component ranges of the Rockies, interaction of geology and soils with climate to produce the extreme environmental gradients typical of the Rockies, the basic autecology of dominant and widespread species that characterize the vegetation of the Rockies, the principles of disturbance and succession and how the vegetation of the Rockies exhibits those principles, the distribution and dynamics of the common plant communities of the Rockies in response to the variable environment. The summer version of this course requires field trips on 7/24, 7/25, 7/31, 8/1. Please reach out to the instructor for more information about the field requirements for this course. 

 

Please note that BIOE 408: Rocky Mountain Vegetation will also be offered in the Fall 2026 semester.

Returning courses for Summer 2026 are listed in MyMSU's Schedule of Classes

Fall 2026

WILD 473: Fish & Wildlife Field Techniques (3cr.)

Instructors: Justine Becker and Tim Cline

Date/Time: Lecture, R 12:15 - 1:30pm; Lab Section 001: F, 9:00 - 11:50am, Lab Section 002: F 1:10 - 4:00pm

Description: PREREQUISITE: BIOE 370 and STAT 216Q or BIOB 318.  Overview of the ecological concepts and practical implementation of field methods, data collection, and analytical techniques commonly employed in the fish and wildlife profession, with emphasis on hands-on application of methods using regional case studies. This course is not yet listed in the Schedule of Classes, but should be available in CatCourse by Monday, March 23rd. If you have any questions about this course, please reach out to ecology@montana.edu. 

 

BIOE 491-009: Data Analysis in Ecology & Management (3cr.)

Instructor: Sarah Bassing

Date/Time: Lecture, MW 1:10 - 2:00pm and F 1:10 - 3:00pm

Description: PREREQUISITE: STAT 216Q or BIOB 318. Application of quantitative methods to ecological problems. Students explore and apply quantitative methods fundamental to the study of fish and wildlife ecology, focusing on how and why they are applied to study design, data collection, data analysis, and interpretation of results. This course is not yet listed in the Schedule of Classes, but should be available in CatCourse by Monday, March 23rd. If you have any questions about this course, please reach out to ecology@montana.edu. 

 

BIOE 424: Ecology of Fungi (4cr.)

Instructor: Chance Noffsinger

Date/Time: Lecture, MW 1:10 - 2:00pm; Lab, MW 2:10 - 4:00pm

Description: PREREQUISITE: BIOB 170IN, BIOB 256, a comparable course in introductory biology, or consent of instructor. COREQUISITE: None, but an upper division biology course is recommended. This course emphasizes the important and varied roles of the higher fleshy fungi in natural and managed systems, focusing on forest habitats. Fungi are the ecological backbone of many terrestrial systems, yet their ecological roles as saprophytes, symbionts, and mycorrhizal mutualists are often minimized . Both traditional techniques and more recent molecular methods will be presented at the individual, population, community, landscape, and biome levels, along with topics on fungal conservation and global change. This course consists of twice weekly sessions of two hours each for lecture, discussions, and demonstrations. One or two afternoon or morning field trips to nearby forests are required to initiate a final project. This course is offered in the Plant Sciences department. Please direct any questions to the course instructor. 

BIOO 475: Mammalogy and BIOO 470: Ornithology will now be offered in both the Fall and Spring semesters. 

BIOE 591-010: Introduction to Structured Decision Making (3cr.)

Instructor: Sarah Bassing

Date/Time: Lecture, M 11:00 -11:50am and W 10:00am - 11:50am

Description: An introduction to the philosophy and process of making complex decisions in natural resource management using Structured Decision Making. This course will cover topics of value-orientated thinking, the PROACT method, and decision-support tools using case studies and current conservation challenges. 

 

BIOE 591 - 009: Analysis of Animal Movement Data (3cr.)

Instructor: Justine Becker

Date/Time: Lecture, W 1:10 - 2:00pm and R 9:25am - 12:05pm

Description: This is an intensive course for graduate students who are interested in a thorough exposure to, and understanding of, the useful methods available for analyzing animal movement data. It is strongly recommended that students take WILD 504 prior to this course. 

 

BIOO 591-001: Animal Physiology in the Anthropocene (3cr.)

Instructor: Christine Verhille

Date/Time: Lecture, MW 2:30 - 4:00pm

Description: Animal populations respond to environmental fluctuations through effects of the environment on physiological processes within individual animals. This course aims to provide the animal physiology background required for ecology researchers to understand animal responses to anthropogenic effects on their environment, with focus on the specific research systems of individual students, while introducing skills for basic literature review, data analysis, and R coding.

Returning courses for Fall 2026 are listed in MyMSU's Schedule of Classes

Are you an undergrad hoping to take a 5xx course?

Undergraduate students with senior or post-baccalaureate standing and a GPA of greater than 3.25 may be eligible to take a graduate level (5xx) course with instructor permission. Please reach out to the department's Academic Services Coordinator for more information.