Oct 22, 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Connor Tetzlaff, Assistant Director of University Marketing, [email protected]
SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. – Lake Superior State University (LSSU) announces the launch of an accelerated 4+1 Master of Science (MS) program in Fisheries and Wildlife Management, enabling students to earn both a Bachelor of Science and MS degree in just five years.
“This program offers a rare, streamlined pathway for students to earn a master’s degree, which is the most marketable degree in the fisheries and wildlife field,” said Dr. Kevin Kapuscinski, a professor in LSSU’s School of Natural Resources.
The new offering builds on LSSU’s strengths in hands-on learning and professional preparation. Located within the Great Lakes basin, one of the most ecologically significant regions in North America, students have direct access to diverse ecosystems for research, conservation, and fieldwork.
“LSSU is uniquely positioned to provide a strong and applied experience in natural resource management,” said Dr. Ashley Moerke, Dean of the College of Great Lakes Ecology and Education. “Our campus is surrounded by the Great Lakes, state and national forests, and hundreds of miles of streams and rivers. The new MS program takes full advantage of our natural setting and our partnerships with tribal, state, and federal resource agencies to give students a seamless path from undergraduate training into advanced graduate opportunities.”
The program also leverages LSSU’s Center for Freshwater Research and Education (CFRE), where students collaborate with faculty and partners from agencies and organization across the U.S. and Canada.
“CFRE’s mission is to advance freshwater science and inspire the next generation to tackle real-world conservation challenges right here in the Great Lakes region, and this new MS degree program will allow CFRE to have an even greater impact,” Moerke added.
Students will complete graduate coursework during their senior year and transition directly into the master’s program. This initiative reflects LSSU’s commitment to program growth and workforce readiness in natural resources. Recent expansions in the Fisheries and Wildlife Management program include additional faculty, upgraded equipment, and expanded partnerships with regional, tribal, and federal agencies.
The new MS program will begin accepting applications later this fall.