Natural Resource Conservation:
Law Enforcement

The Degree

Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.)

The Outlook

Increasing concern with the health of the global environment has resulted in the enactment of numerous laws to regulate solid and hazardous waste disposal and the use of wildlife, plant, land, air, and water resources. Careers as environmental conservation law enforcement officers, marine recreational vehicle officers, fish and wildlife agents, park rangers, park police, and police officers address the needs of protecting our natural assets. The program at Finger Lakes Community College brings the relationship between conservation and law enforcement into focus.

The Program

The Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree in Natural Resource Conservation: Law Enforcement at FLCC integrates conservation law courses and environmental conservation courses such as terrestrial and aquatic ecology, fish and wildlife management, and environmental chemistry with courses in criminal justice.

Field Work: The program includes an extensive field study component through which students learn about the natural resources that they wish to protect. Students have the opportunity to use industry-standard research technology such as electro-fishing equipment, water quality probes, GIS computer software, and wildlife tracking radio-telemetry devices. Field experiences include classes at Muller Conservation Field Station, a week-long Conservation Field Camp, and day trips to landfills, petroleum storage facilities, and lawn and garden centers to monitor their compliance with environmental laws.

Honors Courses: In addition, the College offers honors courses that provide enhanced educational experiences for students who have demonstrated outstanding academic ability. Enrollment in honors courses is open to qualified students in this degree program, as well as all other qualified FLCC students. Successful completion of honors courses or an Honors Certificate may increase student transfer options to four-year institutions.

The Experience

Internships: Internships are an important dimension of our program and include opportunities to work along with professionals in agencies such as the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, the New York State Park Police, the National Forest Service, and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Internships with various county Sheriff departments, the Nature Conservancy, and the Boy Scouts are also available. `

Clubs: Your participation in the FLCC Conservation Club and our student chapter of The Wildlife Society will bring meaningful perspective to your semesters at Finger Lakes.

The Graduates

Graduates of the program have become environmental conservation officers with federal and state agencies in and out of New York State, park police for public and private organizations, corrections officers, rangers, customs officers, and marine-recreational vehicle officers, to name a few.

Some graduates transfer to programs such as criminal justice and environmental law at four-year colleges and universities like the Rochester Institute of Technology, SUNY University at Buffalo, and SUNY Colleges at Brockport and Fredonia.*

* This is a sampling of some of the four-year colleges and universities to which our students have transferred. Please consult your advisor or the Center for Advisement and Personal Development for a complete listing of transfer agreements between FLCC and four-year institutions.

The Scholarships

Scholarships are awarded to FLCC students meeting the specific criteria by the New York State Conservation Officers Association and by the College as the Outstanding Conservation Achievement Award. For more details on these scholarships, contact a member of the Conservation Department or the Financial Aid Office.

The Faculty

Students earning the Natural Resource Conservation: Law Enforcement degree take three courses within the Criminal Justice area and numerous courses within the Conservation Department. Our instructors for the Conservation Law classes are a mixture of both former law enforcement officers and resource professionals. In addition, students take a variety of required and elective courses from Conservation faculty with diverse professional and academic backgrounds. We have full-time faculty with advanced degrees in fisheries, wildlife, forestry and ecology.

Natural Resource Conservation:
Law Enforcement

Students are required to complete a minimum of 72 credit hours with a grade point average of not less than C (2.0). The Conservation Field Camp course (CON 190) is designed to provide one week of intense field experiences in conservation and recreation. The camp is held in May immediately after the spring semester and runs for one week. This course is required and should be taken as early as possible.

All associate degree programs require English 101 Freshman English and English 102 Introduction to Literature. Students must pass skills assessment for entrance into these courses. Students who are well prepared may substitute ENG 104 English I Honors and ENG 105 English II Honors for ENG101 and ENG102. Students who are considering the English Honors sequence should consult the Director of Honors.

Students must successfully complete:

Humanities

  • ENG101 Freshman English and ENG 102 Introduction to Literature
    or
    ENG104 English I Honors and ENG105 English II Honors

Social Science

  • 6 credit hours of social science electives

Natural Science and Mathematics

  • BIO 121 General Biology I
  • BIO 122 General Biology II
  • CON 202 Principles of Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology
  • 3 credit hours of Mathematics elective

Natural Resources Conservation

  • CON 100 Introduction Environmental Conservation
  • CON 102 Introduction to Fish and Wildlife
  • CON 103 Environmental Chemistry Testing and Analysis
  • CON 190 Conservation Field Camp
  • CON 201 Conservation Recreation/Practicum Internship
  • CON 203 Seminar in Environmental Conservation
  • CON/CJC 231 Environmental Conservation Outdoor Recreation Law I
  • CON/CJC 232 Environmental Conservation Outdoor Recreation Law I
  • 6 credit hours of conservation electives

Criminal Justice

  • CJC 105 Criminal Law I
  • CJC 110 Criminal Law II
  • CJC 115 Law of Evidence

Health/Physical Education

  • 4 credit hours of electives

Electives

  • 3 credit hours of general electives

Natural Resource Conservation:
Law Enforcement

Sample Schedule

The schedule shows how the requirements for the A.A.S. Natural Resource Conservation: Law Enforcement degree may be met in four semesters. It is an example of one of many possible schedules. It is included only as an illustration of the type of schedule that might be followed by a full-time student. Many students attending Finger Lakes Community College who have work and/or family obligations choose a different sequence of courses and take more than four semesters to fulfill the requirements for the A.A.S. Natural Resource Conservation: Law Enforcement degree. All students should consult their advisor when they plan their schedule.

CON 190 Conservation Field Camp is held in May immediately after the spring semester and runs for one week. This course is required and should be taken as early as possible.

First semester (17 Credit hours)

  • ENG 101 Freshman English (3)
  • BIO 121 General Biology I (4)
  • CON 100 Introduction to Environmental Conservation (3)
  • CJC 105 Criminal Law I (3)
  • Social Science Elective (3)
  • PE 150 Beginning Camping (1)

Second Semester (17 Credit hours)

  • ENG 102 Introduction to Literature (3)
  • BIO 122 General Biology II (4)
  • CJC 110 Criminal Law II (3)
  • CON 103 Environmental Chemistry: Testing and Analysis (3)
  • CON 102 Introduction to Fish and Wildlife (3)
  • PE 250 Wilderness Camping (1)

Summer Session (3 Credit hours)

  • CON 190 Conservation Field Camp (3)

Third semester (18 Credit hours)

  • CON 202 Principles of Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology (3)
  • CON/CJC 231 Environmental Conservation Outdoor Recreation Law I (3)
  • Conservation Elective (3)
  • Social Science Elective (3)
  • Mathematics Elective (3)
  • General Elective (3)

Fourth semester (17 Credit hours)

  • CON 203 Seminar in Environmental Conservation (3)
  • CJC 115 Law of Evidence (3)
  • CON 201 Conservation Recreation Practicum/Internship (3)
  • CON/CJC 232 Environmental Conservation-Outdoor Recreation Law II (3)
  • Conservation Elective (3)
  • Health/Physical Education Elective (2)