Major in Zoology

Zoologists study animals—their origin, behavior, diseases, and life processes. Some experiment with live animals in controlled or natural surroundings while others study the structure and function of animal cells, tissues, and organ systems. Some zoologists go on to study veterinary medicine. Zoologists participate in research that has practical outcomes in farming, medicine, pharmacy, wildlife conservation, and pest control. Zoology encompasses many specialties. At CSU, students may focus on general training in animal biology or choose a concentration in the following areas: animal behavior, development, aquatic biology, ecology (how animals adapt to their environments), genetics and evolution, invertebrate organisms, cellular/molecular biology and physiology, systematics, and morphology of vertebrate organisms.

The curriculum is designed to provide a basic understanding of zoology through a variety of laboratory experiences in combination with the study of basic theories and defining concepts. The program encourages flexibility, strength, and depth. The course work includes a two-semester introductory biology sequence, one course each in invertebrates and vertebrates, and courses in evolution and ecology. Required courses in the physical sciences include a minimum of one year of introductory chemistry and at least one course in organic chemistry, two courses in physics (all with labs) and one in biochemistry. A course each in calculus and statistics is also required. In addition, students select a minimum of 15 credits of Zoology courses in their chosen areas of concentration.

Learning Objectives

In addition to mastery of biological knowledge and skills, students will:

1. Interpret scientific data.
2. Demonstrate strong organizational and laboratory skills.
3. Define scientific hypotheses and design experiments to test them.
4. Work effectively in groups.
5. Demonstrate strong writing and oral communication skills.

Potential Occupations

This major prepares students to work in various areas of zoology, such as research or private industry, or to begin graduate school or professional studies. Career opportunities include medical biotechnology, research technician, protective agencies such as shelters and refuges, trainers and handlers, animal-related business, aquatic/marine biologists, exotic animal specialists, and wildlife conservation. It is an appropriate major for students planning to attend medical or veterinary school. Graduates often pursue advanced degrees to carry out basic research or advance into leadership positions in industry. Participation in internships, laboratory, or research opportunities is highly recommended and encouraged by the department to enhance practical training and development.

Additional careers for Zoology majors include, but are not limited to: aquarium and museum curator/director; zoo keeper, animal trainer and instructor, science librarian, environmental technician, fish and wildlife technician, veterinary technician/assistant, marine bacteriologist or biologist or ecologist, humane society positions, cytotechnologist, ecologist, fisheries biologist or conservationist, laboratory technician, marketing researcher, medical technologist, park ranger, pharmaceutical sales representative, production supervisor, quality analysis technician in food or pharmaceutical industry, radiation protection technician, research technician, industrial hygienist, wildlife photographer.

Change of Major Process 

• For future or incoming CSU students: Please contact Admissions to declare Zoology.
• For current on-campus CSU students: To learn more about Zoology and decide if you are interested in declaring, you must first review the Zoology Major Requirements. Then sign up for and attend a Major Information Session:
  • These are 50-minute group sessions led by advisors with individualized course recommendations and built-in time to answer your questions.
  • If you are exploring the Zoology major, or if you are registering before your session, we recommend you review the Zoology Major Requirements link above and register for any open courses that you are eligible to add. 

Effective Fall 2024

To be qualified for graduation, students in the Zoology major must have a minimum grade of C- in each of their biological, physical science, and mathematical courses used to meet requirements for the major. This applies to courses taken as substitutions for meeting these requirements. The minimum scholastic average acceptable for graduation is 2.000 computed only for courses attempted at CSU.

Upper-Division Zoology List

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
ANEQ 320	Principles of Animal Nutrition	3
ANEQ 322	Pet Nutrition	2
ANEQ 323	Zoo Nutrition	2
ANTH 470	Paleontology Field School	4
BSPM 302	Applied and General Entomology	2
BSPM 303A	Entomology Laboratory: General	2
BZ 300	Animal Behavior	3
BZ 311	Developmental Biology	4
BZ 329	Herpetology	4
BZ 330	Mammalogy	4
BZ 333	Introductory Mycology	4
BZ 335	Ornithology	4
BZ 340	Field Mammalogy	4
BZ 342	Exploring Range Shifts in a Changing World	3
BZ 348/MATH 348	Theory of Population and Evolutionary Ecology	4
BZ 349	Tropical Ecology and Evolution	3
BZ 360	Bioinformatics and Genomics	4
BZ 401	Comparative Animal Physiology	3
BZ 415	Marine Biology	4
BZ 418	Ecology of Infectious Diseases	4
BZ 420	Evolutionary Medicine	3
BZ 424/BSPM 424	Principles of Systematic Science	3
BZ 425	Conservation and Population Genomics	3
BZ 430	Animal Behavior and Conservation	3
BZ 433	Behavioral Genetics	3
BZ 435A	Study Abroad--Honduras: Field Course--Dolphin Behavior and Physiology	2
BZ 435B	Study Abroad--Mexico: Practices in Marine Biology and Ecology	3
BZ 435C	Study Abroad--Kenya: Biology and Behavior of African Mammals	3
BZ 449A	Study Abroad: Ecology/Conservation–Ecuadorian Biodiversity	4
BZ 455	Human Heredity and Birth Defects	3
BZ 460	Genome Evolution	4
BZ 462/MIP 462/BSPM 462	Parasitology and Vector Biology	5
BZ 471	Stream Biology and Ecology	3
BZ 472	Stream Biology and Ecology Laboratory	1
BZ 475	Marine Mammalogy	3
BZ 476/BZ 576	Genetics of Model Organisms	3
BZ 477	Genome Editing Laboratory	2
BZ 478/VS 478	Biology and Behavior of Cats	3
BZ 479/VS 479	Biology and Behavior of Dogs	3
BZ 492A	Seminar: Behavior	1-3
BZ 492B	Seminar: Ecology	1-3
BZ 492C	Seminar: Genetics	1-3
BZ 492D	Seminar: Ornithology	1-3
BZ 492E	Seminar: Herpetology	1-3
BZ 492F	Seminar: Evolution	1-3
BZ 496	Group Study—Biology	1-3
BZ 505	Cognitive Ecology	3
BZ 515	Physiological Ecology of Marine Vertebrates	3
BZ 525	Advanced Conservation & Evolutionary Genomics	4
BZ 535	Behavioral and Cognitive Ecology	3
BZ 560	Teaching and Communicating Science	3
BZ 562	Computational Approaches in Molecular Ecology	2
BZ 565/MIP 565	Next Generation Sequencing Platform/Libraries	1
BZ 568/FW 568	Sustaining River Ecosystems in Changing World	3
FW 300	Biology and Diversity of Fishes	2
FW 301	Ichthyology Laboratory	1
FW 400	Conservation of Fish in Aquatic Ecosystems	3
FW 405	Fish Physiology	3
GEOL 342	Paleontology	3
NR 312	Applied Insect Ecology	3
PHIL 325	Philosophy of Natural Science	3
PHIL 326	Philosophy of Biology	3
A maximum of 6 credits may be selected from the following courses:
BMS 300	Principles of Human Physiology
BMS 305	Domestic Animal Gross Anatomy
MIP 300	General Microbiology
MIP 302	General Microbiology Laboratory
MIP 315	Pathology of Human and Animal Disease
MIP 342	Immunology
MIP 343	Immunology Laboratory
A maximum of 3 credits may be selected from the following courses:
BZ 384	Supervised College Teaching
BZ 487	Internship
BZ 495	Independent Study
BZ 498	Laboratory or Field Research

¹

Select enough elective credits to bring the program total to a minimum of 120 credits, of which at least 42 must be upper-division (300- to 400-level).

²

CHEM 341, CHEM 343, and CHEM 344 may be taken as an alternative to CHEM 245 and CHEM 246.

Distinctive Requirements for Degree Program:
TO PREPARE FOR FIRST SEMESTER: The curriculum for the Zoology major assumes students enter college prepared to take calculus. Entering students who are not prepared to take calculus will need to fulfill pre‐calculus requirements in the first semester. LIFE 102 requires high school chemistry as a prerequisite; CHEM 111 requires Algebra II as a prerequisite (this prerequisite is met by having Algebra II by test credit, transfer credit, or placement out of MATH 117 and MATH 118 on Math Placement Exam). Earned grade of C or better is required in each of their biological, physical science, and mathematical courses used to meet requirements for the major.  Term 5 may have to be adjusted if the student chooses 2 semesters of Organic Chemistry. It is recommended that you do not take BZ 310 and BZ 350 together.