zoo and aquarium leadership

The Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies concentration in Zoo and Aquarium Leadership prepares students for advanced careers in modern, professional zoos and aquariums. The curriculum is designed to enhance advancement opportunities for those associated with an accredited zoo or aquarium. The program, designed in response to the AZA Board of Regents training surveys, addresses the needs of the greater Zoo and Aquarium Community. The courses focus on leadership, administrative and personnel management, collection management and education skills necessary for careerdevelopment in the industry.

This Master of Arts degree offers three specializations within the concentration:

• Leadership in Zoo/Aquarium Collections Management
• Leadership in Zoo/Aquarium Administration
• Leadership in Zoo/Aquarium Conservation Education

Collections Management
The CM specialization addresses modern approaches to ex situ conservation as practiced by modern zoos and aquariums. Curriculum will include collaborative approaches to national and international population management, and efforts to re-establish populations in the wild.

Administration
The AD specialization addresses diverse theoretical approaches and practical applications for emerging leaders in zoos and aquariums. Curriculum includes management and leadership at many levels from institutional CEO through entry-level supervisors.

Conservation Education
The CE specialization addresses zoo and aquarium messaging and its impact on the public's knowledge, attitudes and behaviors related to conserving nature. Curriculum includes effective practices in school programming and partnerships, exhibit techniques and community action.

admission requirements

Appplications are ONLY being accepted for admission to FALL semesters.  Spring applications are NOT being accepted.

In addition to fulfilling GMU admission requirements for graduate study, applicants must have a Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent degree) in the knowledge area or a closely related knowledge area. While affiliation with an AZA accredited zoo or aquarium is not a requirement for admission to the program, a sustained relationship with an AZA institution does enhance an application as it facilitates opportunities to attend courses taught through AZA professional training schools and provides the necessary mentoring environment for the final thesis or project required for the degree.

Applicants for admission must submit the following:

• goals statement
• three letters of reference
• resume
• all undergraduate and relative graduate transcripts

To apply: complete the graduate application form, available online (in pdf format) at GMU graduate admissions. For program information, the degree code is MAIS; major code is ISIN-ZAL; specialization specification (CM, AD, or CE) should also be included.

*Note: GRE is not required.

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degree requirements

• Virginia residency is not required to complete this program. Attendance at traveling AZA courses offered periodically around the country is required (these are courses with the "NCLC" prefix). Due to the fact that these courses are offered on a rotating basis, completion of this degree will take three to six years for most students.
• This program also relies on computer access for George Mason University courses in Public Administration and Education (PUAD, EDIT, and PRLS).
• In addition, with permission of your GMU advisor, up to 15 credit hours can be earned at a local accredited university. See course information below for registration information.
  

In addition to meeting all graduate study requirements listed in the GMU catalog, candidates for the MAIS Zoo and Aquarium Leadership degree must successfully complete 36 credits of graduate course work, including the following:

• a set of core courses (12 credits) for all concentrations
• cognate courses determined by concentration (9 credits)
• elective courses (9-12 credits)
• proposal writing (1 credit)
• a final project (2-5 credits) or thesis (5 credits)
• for a copy of the ZAL Curriculum contract go to: Download Concentration Contract (pdf)

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contact information

Please direct questions to:

zal@gmu.edu

Program Contacts:

German Perilla

Program Administrator

Zoo & Aquarium Leadership

gperilla@gmu.edu

703.993.1374

Dr. Thomas C. Wood
Assistant Professor
New Century College
twood@gmu.edu
703.993.3167

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course information

• Courses with the NCLC prefix are taught at AZA conferences at various locations throughout the year; registration is conducted through the AZA Professional Training Program.
  
• Public Administration courses (PUAD), and PRLS courses are offered periodically to ZAL students as online, distance-learning classes through George Mason University. Registration procedures are included in course announcements.
  
• Education/Instructional Technology courses (EDIT) are offered online through GMU's Integration of Technology Certificate Program. These courses  are self-paced and available to ZAL students continuously. An overview of the courses is available at the http://it.gse.gmu.edu/courses website. To register for these courses, contact Priscilla Norton at pnorton@gmu.edu.
  

Required Core Courses (12 credit hours) for all concentrations:

• PUAD 505: Introduction to Management of Nonprofits
• NCLC 520: Conservation Education
• NCLC 510: Institutional Record Keeping
• NCLC 511: Managing for Success-Career Development

3 Concentration Courses (9 credits):

Collections Management Specialization:

• NCLC 513: Population Management I
• NCLC 514: Population Management II
• NCLC 512: Managing for Success-Organizational Dev.

Conservation Education Specialization:

• NCLC 521: Creating Successful Exhibits
• PUAD 654: The Community, Marketing, and Public Relations
• three credits selected from cognate course list below

Administration Specialization:

• NCLC 512: Managing for Success – Organizational Dev
• PUAD 660: Public and Nonprofit Accounting and Finance
• three credits selected from cognate course list below

Cognate course list (primarily internet-based):

• PUAD 654: The Community, Marketing, and Public Relations
• PUAD 655: Philanthropy and Fund Raising
• PUAD 660: Public and Nonprofit Accounting and Finance
• IT 557: Intro to Network Science
• PRLS 560: Liability and Risk Management
• PRLS 535: Evaluating Recreation Outcomes
• EDIT 565: Teaching with Educational Software
• EDIT 716: Principles of Integration

Elective Courses:

Each student will take 9-12 credits of electives approved by the advisory committee and selected in consultation with the faculty advisor. Admitted students who wish to take a course at another accredited institution must receive prior approval from an advisor, MAIS program director, and dean.

To take a course elsewhere while enrolled in the MAIS/ZAL graduate program, find the proper paperwork at:

http://registrar.gmu.edu/forms/SE.pdf

To transfer in credits taken prior to admission to the MAIS/ZAL program, find the proper paperwork at: http://lahs.gmu.edu/grad/documents/GradTransfer_000.pdf

To re-enroll as a graduate student after missing 2 consecutive semesters, find the paperwork at: http://registrar.gmu.edu/forms/GRNDGRE.pdf

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