Husson University's new comprehensive four-year degree program in conservation law. This will provide students with the education they need to become state game wardens, park rangers, forest rangers, members of the Maine Marine Patrol, Maine Forest Service, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service.
Husson University has already seen considerable interest in this career field. Classes for its one-year-old Conservation Law Enforcement Certificate program have had solid enrollments from both traditional students and working professionals. This new degree will be one of only a few in this career field available at colleges and universities in New England. Husson University’s degree in Conservation Law will be the most comprehensive program of its kind.
Helping students understand how to enforce the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 would be an example of how experiential learning would be put into practice. As part of a class, students would be taken out into the field and asked to walk through an environment and identify possible violations that would be worthy of citation. Exercises like this provide a real-world context to classroom knowledge and help students understand how regulations are enforced and why they were put in place.
Students who earn a Bachelor of Science in Conservation Law can also apply to attend the Maine Criminal Justice Academy (MCJA) as a tuition student while attending Husson University. Completing MCJA training is beneficial for graduates interested in employment opportunities with the Maine State Warden Service or other law enforcement agencies.