Guidelines & Requirements
Goal and Function
The goal of certification is to foster the incorporation of ecological principles in the decision-making process of the Society. To meet this goal, the Ecological Society of America recognizes individuals whose education, training, and experience meet the established standards of the Society.
Guidelines & Requirements
The ESA certification program provides ready access to professional ecologists for advice and technical guidance on public policy and regulatory issues facing society.
Though certification does not guarantee the competence of individuals to address specific matters, the Society attests that certified members have met minimum education and experience requirement for various certification levels. Each certified member also acknowledges adherence to the ESA Code of Ethics.
Objectives
To serve the needs of ecologists who wish to establish and validate their professional credentials.
- To guide biologists, government agencies, courts, and the public in defining
minimum standards of education and experience for professional ecologists, and
to encourage all practicing ecologists to meet such standards.
- To create and maintain public confidence in the advice and opinions of
Certified Ecologists as well as educated and experienced professionals who have
pledged to uphold the Code of Ethics of the Ecological Society of America and
to act in the best interest of the public.
- To assist the public in identifying ecologists by establishing a procedure
for critical peer evaluation based upon defined minimum education, experience,
and ethical requirements.
Requirements for Eligibility: Education and Experience
Candidates must hold a bachelor's degree which includes the equivalent of at least 30 semester hours of biological science with at least 9 semester hours of ecology, and at least 12 semester hours of physical and mathematical science. Undergraduate requirements may be met in graduate programs but should be documented. Graduate degrees must include an introduction to three major areas of ecological inquiry: populations, communities and ecosystems.
