One of the most successful ways to get management support for education is to submit a formal proposal to your direct supervisor outlining why you believe you and your organization will benefit from this type of training.

As a first step, find out if your organization has a professional development policy. If so, determine if there is a form to fill out and if there is a specified amount of funding available per employee. Next, review the program website and/or contact a professor to determine what aspects of this training will help you in your daily role and will help your organization. Third, begin preparing your proposal.

Why take Wildlife Forensics courses?

Our field is constantly changing, and it is crucial to stay up to date with new findings. That’s why these courses are a good match for working professionals – you can continue learning online while working. Taking online courses will also help you build your network and stay active in the wildlife forensics and conservation communities.

How to Create a Successful Proposal

  1. You can make your proposal more impactful by listing your organization’s goals and objectives and linking how they relate to the curriculum’s educational objectives. Use the learning outcomes for each class to determine what points you would like to emphasize. To find these, click on the individual courses on the curriculum page.
  2. Read through the syllabus for each class with an idea of how you can help your organization grow or improve.
  3. You’ll need to address the cost of the program, and all of the costs for the courses are included in the tuition section of the website. Remember, no travel is necessary. You can also continue to work full-time while you earn this degree.
  4. If you choose to have a conversation with your manager, rather than writing a formal proposal, it would be a good idea to have a list of the reasons the program will enable you to perform your job at a higher level and make your organization more successful.

Overcoming Objections

Many of our students have overcome objections before starting our program. Here is how to handle them:

My employer says it is too expensive and we lack the funds.

  • The education provided from the University of Florida will become an invaluable tool for you and your employer, and help your organization save money in the long run.
  • You may also be eligible for private education loans. We recommend doing an Internet search for “private education loans” for graduate work.

My employer would prefer me to just attend a free webinar.

  • By using the latest online delivery tools, this is not a passive webinar; it’s an interactive virtual classroom with discussion forums, live chat, and access to leading educators and your peers in the field of wildlife forensics. You’ll gain useful ideas that can be implemented immediately in your organization, and you can participate on your own schedule, wherever you have an Internet connection.

I have worked in the field for years. Why should I take this now?

  • You’ll learn best practices that are immediately applicable to your daily role. Our students report using lessons within days of learning them to improve their work in wildlife forensics.

My employer just wants me to attend a conference instead.

  • Conferences are a great place to network and learn, but it is difficult to dig in as deeply to this content at the graduate level as you will in this program. During this series of courses, you’ll be exposed to some familiar and new concepts, and you’ll still have the opportunity to network with your fellow students and professors. You’ll learn from a mix of videos, readings, live discussions, presentations, and quizzes.
  • We suggest going through the curriculum to find examples of learning outcomes that would be useful to you or to your organization. Look for ideas that will either save time and money, improve your efficiency, or another topic that is important to your organization’s goals.