Zoology Major?

[CBryant3]

My son who is a hs jr this year thinks he wants to major in zoology or wildlife biology. His dream job would be to work with animals, even insects, in a research setting. Anyone out there doing that? What path did you take to get there?

 

Thanks!:001_smile:

[FaithManor]

We are in the middle of researching this for our son too, though he would like his emphasis to be in herpetology and a minor in ecology.

 

The major is actually biology. Zoology is a subset of biology and many really good colleges and universities have the biology major with zoology electives that can be taken, but not a "zoology major" per se. Biochemistry, lots of biochemistry from what we hear and math through calc 1. So, ds will have chemistry, advanced chemistry, physics, anatomy and physiology, as well as biology in high school. We found a college introduction to zoology text on Amazon and he will cover that as a science elective after he complete biology.

 

There are a few (maybe 20 at most) colleges that still have a true Zoology major. Michigan State University is one of them. It has an excellent reputation. However, what we have also read is that in order to do anything besides muck out after the elephants at the zoo, one needs a minimum of a master's degree if not a PH.D. Many of the zoology classes that might be offered during the senior year of the MSU program are requirements of the Master's at other universities and even if he has them as an undergrad, he'll have to take them again. My understanding, so far - we've got a lot more research to do on this - is that most grad programs want to see the chemistry, bio chem, ecology, anatomy physiology end and a LOT of it in a biology degree and then worry about the zoology post-grad. But, again, we are at the beginning of the research process and this may not hold true as a general rule. It could be a regional thing.

 

Ds's high school plan is Algebra 1 - 8th grade, Geometry -9th, Algebra II - 10th and beginning Trigonometry that year - Finish Trig and Pre-calc and start on Calc 1 in his junior year and then study calc 2 is senior year though we don't know if he will make it all the way through that course.

He'll take biology, zoology, chemistry, advanced chemistry, physics, anatomy and physiology, and possibly an introductory ecology course from MIT opencourseware or astronomy (a minor passion of his).

 

So, he'll "specialize" in science in high school and take the AP chemistry and AP biology exams though we won't be looking for him to get college credit for the work, just to demonstrate mastery in the hopes of increasing merit aid.

 

Colleges we are looking at for him - Michigan State, Michigan Technological University, University of Michigan, Purdue, University of Wisconsin - Madison, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, Case Western, and MIT. MIT is as real long shot as dh and I don't see it as a good fit for him. His personality...we just don't see it. Also, he'll get a good ACT score - in the 29-31 range. But, it is not likely to be the 33 needed to get MIT to even take a look. He's a real out-of-the-box thinker and not the best standardized tester at all....it will take a lot of work to get him to a 29, so me thinks that MIT is probably not on the horizon. However, he might surprise us and I won't rain on his parade! :001_smile:

 

One of the other things we will do is seek out some unique extra-curriculars. He hopes to spend the summer between his junior and senior year living with our relatives in Washington D.C. (they are amenable to this) and volunteering at the National Zoo. Hopefully, that will net a great recommendation.

 

Faith

[K-FL]

No experience, but wanted to throw out that Santa Fe CC in Gainsville, FL has a ZOO ANIMAL TECHNOLOGY degree.

 

It's a 2 yr program, but does have a cooperative option w/U of FL. You can check the course reqs to see what hs courses would prepare your ds the best.

[anne1456]

My daughter wants this to, but she is just pursuing a biology degree for undergraduate. There are a few specialized programs, and she considered SUNY ESF where she could have majored in wildlife biology, but ultimately it was too close to home. She found when she was applying to colleges that professors in biology where always more interested when they realized she wasn't a pre-med major.

 

We found that at some colleges the environmental science major was closer to what she wanted than biology, so make sure you check that major too. You really need to check each degree program requirements, because it does vary at different colleges.

[Paz]

I 2nd the Teaching Zoo Program. My dd is going there in January so we will have some good first hand experience. They have a placement rate of 95 percent, I believe, once the student graduations. Some work at Busch Gardens or Animal Kingdom.

[CBryant3]

We appreciate it and will be checking into some of these options.

 

Blessings.

[dirty ethel rackham]

Chiming in late here ... ds is interested in zoology as well - not as in working in a zoo environment, but his interest in biology has always been about animals and how they live in their environments. Most of the schools we have included in our search have a concentration in Ecology, Evolution and Behavioral Biology or something along those lines. This is what ds it looking at with the intention of specializing more in grad school.

[Karen in CO]

Colorado State has a couple of excellent programs in wildlife biology. Here is one of them, but if you look over their site, you can find the others. I was intrigued by them with I visited with ds a few years ago. He wasn't interested in them, but I'm hoping one of my kids might be.

[distancia]

Our dd, now in college, is a real out-of-the-box thinker who is highly interested in marine biology (we live on the water, have done so all her life) and she has interest in the natural flora and fauna of the world. However, her math and science skills are not the sharpest--though she is now in Gen Chem I at college and surviving. But dd doesn't have the desire to be stuck in a lab dealing with minutae day after day. She's a pretty active person and she likes to move around, observe, formulate ideas and express them, both verbally and through writing.

 

Anyway, she has veered into the Environmental Studies (as opposed to Science) field. Her boyfriend is an Enviro Science grad, and he deals with the more technical aspects of the world: he's constantly measuring water quality, soil samples, chemical run-off, etc in his lab at work. Whereas Enviro Studies deals more with conservation and wildlife management, educating the public, how weather/climate affects the environment, government policy, ecology, and last but not least, animals. As a matter of fact, our state school with the best Enviro Studies program has a major focus on animals and/or wildlife, with classes in herpetology, ornithology, mammology, etc. In Enviro Studies there is still work in the chemistry and biochemistry fields, but there seems to be more focus on field work and outreach than lab work.

 

Here's a link to schools offering a B.E.S. degree (as opposed to a B.A,) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bachelor_of_Environmental_Studies http://www.fgcu.edu/CAS/EnvStudies/degreq.asp

 

and a sample of classes offered at FGCU to fulfill the Enviro Studies degree http://www.fgcu.edu/CAS/EnvStudies/degreq.asp

Edited September 13, 2011 by distancia

[Susie-Knits]

I haven't been on the board in a while but I just have to get into this thread. My 11th grader is also very interested in either zoo science or naturalist type of major. He has worked as a zooteen at our local for 2 summers and is currently applying for a 'school year' internship.

 

So Paz - Is your daughter still in high school and visiting or going to this program as a college student. I looked over the program and was very impressed. Like that the program also has partnerships with other colleges for BS degree if student cares to go on to that. Please update info as you know more.

 

Another program we are looking into is Tusculum College in TN, Smokey Mtn area. They have a "Naturalist" major. Also they are interestingly on the block schedule - one class a month basically. We have not visited yet but I will update as I find out more.

 

Would love to keep this thread going...:bigear:

Thanks,

Susie

 

 

I 2nd the Teaching Zoo Program. My dd is going there in January so we will have some good first hand experience. They have a placement rate of 95 percent, I believe, once the student graduations. Some work at Busch Gardens or Animal Kingdom.

[cathmom]

:bigear:

[Paz]

Hi Susie,

 

My daughter is going into this program as a college student. They have a list of required general education courses plus the regular zoology courses that you take each semester. She started dual enrollment the 2nd semester of her senior year and this semester she will finish all of her general ed requirements at our local community college so she will have about 9 to 10 credits each semester of classes at the zoo program plus working each afternoon at the zoo. I am fairly sure that students who have their gen eds out of the way can also take additional classes toward their A.A. or A.S. degree but I am not sure if she will do this, or not.

 

If she does not, the degree she gets through the zoo program is considered a terminal degree. She can transfer it to the two programs that you read about on the website, but she would need additional courses to tranfer into another college program as a junior, for example. She loves animals and thinks that this is what she wants to do as a career. If she doesn't end up doing that, she will probably work for my dh in a totally unrelated career.

[memphispeg]

My dh and I have both worked in the natural sciences for years in various capacities. He has a masters in hydrogeology and has spent most of his professional career doing environmental projects. Recently, he has gained some experience in the zoology aspects of environmental analyses. He has done fish counts and toxic chemical measurements in various fauna. His training did not educate him in biochemistry or physiology so, he has come to rely on folks trained in zoology and animal conservation. There are very few jobs in that area and they do not seem to be very well-paying. Some of the folks he works with have degrees in "natural resources". They have a broad range of biochemical and physiological knowledge and know how to research any information that they do not know. They have provided the dh with a quick education in these matters. He enjoys the chemical analyses and other precision measurements of the effects of toxic chemical exposure; he finds that most of the zoology folks do not. That said, it may well be that zoology should be a science, not only of natural history, but one of biochemistry and physiology. I would look for a school where this is possible. It is where all the good questions end up.

I am a neuroscientist by trade and most of the work I have done has been in animal sensorimotor behavior. I had to take many physiology and biochemistry classes in order to be able to properly analyze animal behavior. Many questions in the lab come down to what the physiological status of the animal is. However, classes in evolution and natural history provided a welcome grounding in "reality". Lab work tends to get very abstract so, it is necessary to back off and get a sense of the larger picture.

It might be good to go to a school that has both a good zoology (natural history of animals) and good general (not just human) physiology options. The ds would still need to take analytical inorganic and organic chemistry and biochemistry and cell biology courses in order to know how to look at problems and data from studies of natural history and zoology. These classes are hard but, some of the most interesting questions boil down to these subjects.......... I ramble-----need more coffee. Hope this helps. My dd and I are discussing these matters as well.

[FaithManor]

Ds is looking at Michigan State University which has a top 10 zoology program. At this school the B.S. is in biology and zoology is an area of emphasis. It requires extensive anatomy and physiology organic/bio-chem, stats and analysis, research writing, etc. The degree seems to be quite thorough and we like the fact that it is a biology degree, but he's just choosing an area of concentration instead of beginning with a concentration and then possibly missing out on vital biology classes.

 

Ds wants to be in the research, field work end of the career options and not the animal care part though certainly he loves his critters and enjoys caring for them. :001_huh: (Why did it have to be herptetology?????) He'll need a master's and eventually a Ph.D to pursue his dreams. So, he won't be going through a traditional zoo-keeper or veterinary science route. He may add museum studies as a double major or minor in ecology. I see a lot of value in the pursuit of ecology as these two disciplines are so inter-related.

 

What we've found is that the prospective major really needs to know exactly what he or she wants to do in terms of career. Zoo keeping and management is very different from field research. Ds hopes to literally be the guy tracking some new lizard in the Amazon, or GPS tagging komodos in Indonesia and analyzing the data.

 

My advice is to contact departments and research, research, research...zoo keeping is very different from exotic species veterinarian which is different from zoological research which is different from habitat conservation.....lots of avenues.

 

Faith

[Susie-Knits]

I am not sure that my youngest has a clear vision of where his animal passion fits so we are really trying to give him exposure to that this year - his junior year. It is wonderful to hear of others on this thread with such specific goals. His only request to date is a southern school because he cannot weather cold winters - tall, skinny so picture no body fat. (His older brother is in college on Lake Michigan. haha)

 

Ds has loved his work at the zoo as an interpreter and his official animal care there has been minimal so far. That is why he is pursuing an animal care internship. But he can tell you so much about any animal - zoo or not. So that is why we are exploring the "Naturalist" avenue too - he seems to want to "share" his love for animals and nature with others.

 

Exploring all options at this point and love hearing about what others are doing in this area -

 

Susie

[Susie-Knits]

Bumping topic to hear how everyone's search is going.

 

:bigear:

[FaithManor]

Ds's three top picks, at least for now, are Michigan State University - and I have to say that I'm impressed with the zoology research labs and the undergrad opportunities to be involved in research - University of Wisconsin at Madison, and University of Minnesota. Ohio State has also made the list. We'll be taking a gander at University of Georgia and a few others as time goes by.

 

But, this is all just preliminary. DS is only a 9th grader. He's supposed to be an 8th grader, but he pushed himself hard to get into his next levels...he's 13. I've discovered that MSU's sophomore level zoology course is a weeder class...very tough. In order to give him a leg up, I purchased the text at Amazon, and once he's through his AP biology and first year of chemistry, this will be one of his high school electives. He desperate to get started on it, but I held my ground concerning two years of prepatory math and science before delving into such a tough book. He began churning out work like a crazed academic creature so he could begin high school.

 

Other than that his room, which we refer to as "Jurassic Park", now sports an interesting tree frog that has chameleon like qualities. This is in addition to two lizards and a turtle...NO SNAKES ALLOWED! I woman has to have standards. He's eyeing a fire toad and an iguana. I'm okay with the toad and less than thrilled about the iguana.

 

If you other moms have children interested in mammals or avian creatures, even marine animals, I'm very, very jealous!

 

Faith

[Pegasus]

Bumping topic to hear how everyone's search is going.

 

:bigear:

 

Thanks for bumping. I somehow missed this thread the first time around. My younger DD is interested in some kind of animal related career, maybe wildlife rehabilitation. She's only in 6th grade but I'll be :bigear: with this thread.

 

One thing I'd encourage for everyone is to look around for opportunities for their students to shadow a professional or volunteer in the area they are interested in. Once DD started talking about wildlife rehabilitation, we were able to find her a volunteer position at a local raptor rehab center. She was younger than their usual volunteer but they were amenable as long as she came with an adult. I was very interested in seeing if the grunt work involved would turn her off. It didn't. She seems perfectly content scrubbing bird poop off perches and handling dead mice. :D Of course, she also gets to do some of the fun stuff, like glove feeding a red-tailed hawk and releasing a fully rehabbed kestrel.

 

We also interviewed a very interesting young man we met who was working with bats at a natural science museum. He had started out studying accounting because it was a practical field but hated every minute of it. He finally bailed on accounting and switched majors. He said that it took him a while to find a job once he graduated and that it didn't pay well, but that he loved what he was doing and wouldn't switch back to accounting for any amount of money. :tongue_smilie:

 

Pegasus

[dirty ethel rackham]

Ds plans to be an academic researcher in evolutionary biology/zoology. He has been accepted at Hope College, Beloit College, Illinois Wesleyan University and Bradley University. (These were the only schools where he applied.) All of these have lots of opportunities for undergrad research, starting as soon as Freshman year. He chose these schools because they were small enough that he would get to know the professors, but had strong organismal biology programs. We eliminated schools that seemed mostly pre-professional. Beloit and Bradley have subconcentrations in Ecology, Evolution and Behavioral biology. Hope has an overall excellent bio program that may be more micro focused, but does have lots of course offerings in the areas of interest to my son. He has applied to Hope's Honors Bio program that does original research in viral genomics. While the viral part is not his cup of tea, genomics has an increasing importance in evolutionary research.

[memphispeg]

My dd's interest in zoology is marine science. She applied to schools with strong programs in that subject. We noticed that in looking at schools, checking course catalogs for courses in "animals" seemed to be helpful. U of Oregon and also W. Washington U had some interesting possibilities.

[*LC]

His only request to date is a southern school because he cannot weather cold winters - tall, skinny so picture no body fat. (His older brother is in college on Lake Michigan. haha)

 

North Carolina State and Auburn are two southern schools with zoology degrees.

 

Here is the info from both schools. NCSU's site has a lot of information that is worth reading if your child has any interest in zoology.

 

North Carolina State University

 

Zoology

 

Department of Biology

College of Agriculture & Life Sciences

 

[/url]

 

 

Description of Major

 

Zoology is the study of animals, and zoology majors are broadly educated in the biology of animals. Required courses are designed to develop breadth and depth in core areas, providing a strong base for all Zoology majors. Students acquire a knowledge of zoology from the organizational level of molecules and cells to the organizational level of ecosystems, with flexibility in the selection of upper level courses to then specialize or remain generalized, according to individual interests and career goals. The B.S. in Zoology differs from the B. S. in Biological Sciences primarily in its emphasis on animals, including a course requirement in animal anatomy and physiology and a course requirement in animal phylogeny. The zoology curriculum prepares students for graduate school, for medical, dental or optometry school, and for veterinary schools. Graduates also are well prepared for employment in various government agencies, private industries, or nonprofit organizations. Graduates may continue their education with studies leading to advanced degrees in many areas of biology such as zoology, cell biology, ecology, wildlife and fisheries science, marine science, and biomedical subdisciplines. Many choose to seek degrees in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, and other health-related areas.

Courses include:

 

 

Required core courses include introductory biology, chemistry, physics, statistics, and calculus. More advanced course requirements in Zoology include Animal Anatomy & Physiology, Ecology, and Animal Diversity & Phylogeny. Students can select electives from a wide range of courses, including Animal Behavior, Cell Biology, Advanced Human Anatomy & Physiology, Limnology, Neurobiology, Endocrinology, Comparative Nutrition, Invertebrate Zoology, and Functional Histology. More details can be found at the Department of Biology website under the

Academic Programs for Undergraduates as well as through the

.

 

The Undergraduate Catalog shows a listing of

, and the degree audit shows the

for this major. If you are interested in expanding your career options, consider

.

 

Return to top

Skills You Develop In This Major

 

 

 

• Communication

• Operate scientific equipment

• Information handling & organization

• Biology theory & practical knowledge

• Statistical awareness

• Critical thinking skills

• Problem solving

• Technical skills

• Teamwork

 

Gaining Career-Related Experience

 

You are strongly encouraged to gain career-related experience prior to graduation in the form of an internship, summer job, or co-op. Course credit is available for this experience through the College of Agriculture and Sciences. You may or may not expect compensation from the employer.

Co-op is a program of alternating semesters of work and school. Paid work terms of increasing responsibility enable students to graduate with the minimum equivalent of one year of relevant work experience. Full-time enrollment during the semester prior to the first work term is required. You can begin co-op after completion of at least two semesters (30 credit hours) at NC State (one semester for transfers and graduate students). An NC State transcript must show grades and admission to a degree program. A minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.50 (3.00 for graduate students) is required. The Co-op Office web site lists the Orientation Schedule, which is the first step to program participation.

Internships are typically full-time during the summer or (for some) part-time during the semester. You can start interning or seeking summer jobs related to your field, whenever you are ready. The CALS Career Services office provides services to help you get started.

Participate in ePack, the Career Center's on-line system that connects employees with students through internship postings, on-campus interviews, information sessions, and resume searches. You may activate your ePack account at any time.

Internship Example

 

A sample internship for a student majoring in zoology: Research assistant for behavioral ecology of prairie dogs; Students will participate in a long term research program that concentrates on the ecology and social behavior of Utah prairie dogs living under natural conditions. Topics of investigation include predating defenses, alarm calling, mating system, infanticide, communal nursing, and the avoidance of inbreeding. Methods include live trapping, ear tagging and marking, daily observations of marked individuals, and experiments with a stuffed badger.

 

Auburn

Botany and Zoology

 

 

These two fields of biological science are centered on organism-based studies. Such research ranges from behavioral interactions of individual organisms within populations to the structure and function of complex communities. The primary aim of botanical and zoological studies is to understand how organisms survive and reproduce within the limits imposed by the current or past environments. Such research can be at refined scales, such as microscopic observation of the smallest organisms, to broad scales, such as unraveling earth history through examination of fossil remains. Students focusing on botanical or zoological studies typically receive training in cell biology, anatomy, physiology, embryology, genetics, conservation science, ethology, ecology, and evolution. This background can be used as a springboard to further training in medicine or graduate education.

Tracks:

A degree in Botany can follow one of two tracks. The track in Cell and Molecular Biology is designed for those interested in using their undergraduate experience for careers in medically-related professions or for a graduate career in medical or molecular sciences. The track in Ecology and Evolution is designed for those interested in graduate training in plant diversity.

A degree in Zoology can follow one of four tracks. For those interested in using their undergraduate training for immediate employment, the track in Conservation and Biodiversity is designed to prepare students for jobs in government and private conservation organizations or the environmental consulting industry. Three tracks are offered for those interested in preparing for advanced education. The Cell and Molecular Biology track is designed for those interested in medical-related training (medical or pharmacy school), the Pre-Vet track is designed to prepare students for entry into Vet School, and the Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior track is designed for those interested in graduate education.

[Lizzie in Ma]

I was a zoology major at Umass, it was considered pre-med/pre-vet with a wildlife biology minor.

DH was a wildlife biology major.

I had to work a lot harder, most of the wb courses are in applied science.

For example, I had to take Chemistry and Organic Chemistry and he got to take what I fondly referred to as "chemistry for dummies".

Dh worked in the field for 5 years but to really get anywhere you need a masters. I worked in the field for about 5 years before having kids.

Neither of us made real money for what it's worth but we loved it.

As far as getting there?

I never went past biology or algebra 1 in high school, had no intention of going to college at the time. 5 years later, chose a school, took the SATS and never looked back.

DH went in on the GI bill and picked the major as "anything not behind a desk"

So I can't say either of us prepared very well for going to college in the first place. But we both made Dean's list as we worked out way through.

So do the best you can to prepare but hard work will get you through.