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List of All U.S. Colleges With a Zoology Major

The natural world is a compelling one, and zoologists are tasked with understanding and caring for it. As a sub-branch of the larger biology field, zoology covers more than the flora and fauna found at your local zoo. Its students cover all aspects of animal life down to the cellular level, soaking up zygote-to-adult development and evolutionary processes.

 

Many with an affinity for the animal kingdom may feel drawn towards the zoology major, but most will have to do a bit of research to decide if it’s really for them. 

 

Interested in this major? Here, we’ll break down which colleges offer zoology programs and what to look for in a school.

 

Overview of the Zoology Major

 

Though course requirements will differ at each college, students can expect to cover many of the following subjects:

 

  • Cell Biology
  • Invertebrate and Vertebrate Biology
  • Anatomy and Physiology
  • Organic Chemistry
  • Physics
  • Advanced Math

 

After fulfilling core requirements, you will take a few electives and possibly specialize in a specific area, like pre-veterinary science or wildlife conservation. In addition, some schools will offer or require that you complete research, field work, or an internship.

 

Given the heavy math and science requirements, it helps to have a deep interest in these subjects, especially biology. Strong students in this major are passionate about every aspect of the animal kingdom, from six-legged bugs to the towering giraffe. Their interest in science is wide-spanning, covering ecology, evolution, genetics, and cellular biology. Oftentimes, successful zoologists are highly environmentally-focused, matching their passion for this planet with a desire to protect it.

 

The education you’ll need, if any, after a Zoology bachelor’s is wholly dependent on your desired career. Many grads’ go-to path is one as a zoologist or wildlife biologist, careers which only require a bachelor’s. The same goes for park naturalists, zoo educators, and animal trainers.

 

However, aspiring veterinarians, professors, and research scientists will look into Master’s, V.M.D., and Ph.D. programs after graduation. 

 

What to Look for in a College as a Zoology Major

 

Fieldwork Research Opportunities  

 

This is especially important for the doctors and academics shooting for grad school. Zoology research is somewhat unique from other fields with regards to how much is performed outside: interning in a zoo, scooping up invertebrates for data collection, braving the elements while studying animal behavior in a natural environment.

 

Check out your college’s undergraduate access to research. How expansive are your schools’ research opportunities? Which professors do work that interests you? How many zoology majors perform research, and how easy or difficult is it for them to do so?

 

Lab and Technological Offerings

 

While performing and presenting your research, you’ll need a program equipped with adequate technology. You’ll need up-to-date computers to perform complex data analysis, examine topographical maps, and observe animal X-rays.

 

Check out your possible colleges’ facilities; are the labs up to date, technology-wise? Are they accessible?

 

Specialization Opportunities

 

If you look at the course offerings of schools that you’re interested in, you may notice that some programs have a bent towards a particular area, like ecology or molecular biology. If your possible schools do have a focus, does it interest you?

 

If you’d like to personalize your educational journey, look into opportunities to specialize. Some schools allow you to focus on a specific area. 

 

Texas A & M even offers opportunities for teacher certification and requires that those with a pre-vet emphasis take specific classes. Meanwhile, the University of Wisconsin-Madison allows students to choose to obtain either a B.A. or a B.S. in Zoology. 

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List of All U.S. Colleges With a Zoology Major

 

School Name

City

State

Texas A&M University

College Station

Texas

Rutgers University-Newark

Newark

New Jersey

Colorado State University | CSU

Fort Collins

Colorado

North Carolina State University | NC State

Raleigh

North Carolina

California State Polytechnic University, Pomona | Cal Poly Pomona

Pomona

California

University of Kentucky

Lexington

Kentucky

University of Hawaii at Manoa | UH Manoa

Honolulu

Hawaii

Texas Tech University | TTU

Lubbock

Texas

University of California, Santa Barbara | UCSB

Santa Barbara

California

University of Vermont | UVM

Burlington

Vermont

Ohio University

Athens

Ohio

Ohio Wesleyan University

Delaware

Ohio

Union University

Jackson

Tennessee

Humboldt State University | HSU

Arcata

California

Berry College

Mount Berry

Georgia

North Dakota State University | NDSU

Fargo

North Dakota

Southern Illinois University Carbondale | SIU

Carbondale

Illinois

Ohio State University | OSU

Columbus

Ohio

University of Wisconsin-Madison | Wisconsin

Madison

Wisconsin

University of New Hampshire | UNH

Durham

New Hampshire

Oregon State University | OSU

Corvallis

Oregon

University of California, Davis | UC Davis

Davis

California

Michigan State University

East Lansing

Michigan

Miami University

Oxford

Ohio

Washington State University | WSU

Pullman

Washington

Liberty University

Lynchburg

Virginia

San Jose State University | SJSU

San Jose

California

Oklahoma State University | OSU

Stillwater

Oklahoma

University of Oklahoma

Norman

Oklahoma

University of Florida

Gainesville

Florida

Auburn University

Auburn

Alabama

University of Akron

Akron

Ohio

Kent State University

Kent

Ohio

University of Wyoming

Laramie

Wyoming

University of Maryland, College Park | Maryland

College Park

Maryland

University of Southern California | USC

Los Angeles

California

University of Maine

Orono

Maine

University of Washington

Seattle

Washington

 

What Are Your Chances of Acceptance?

 

No matter your major, you must be academically comparable to previous years’ admits to be a competitive college applicant. Most selective schools use the Academic Index, a complex tool based on your grades, test scores, and class rankings, to evaluate academic aptitude and filter out students who don’t meet their standards.

 

Prospective zoology majors must take full advantage of the educational offerings at their high school, specifically within the realms of math and science. Take a rigorous courseload of biology, chemistry, physics, and math.

 

The qualitative aspects of your application, like your essays and extracurriculars, are your place to show who you are and demonstrate fit with your chosen schools and major. 

 

Work—paid or volunteer—with wildlife communities and organizations is a great way to expand your experience. Look into environmental protection organizations, animal shelters, and veterinary offices in your area. They may all provide fantastic opportunities to work, intern, and volunteer.

 

Additionally, work on your verbal communications skills. Many working in zoology-related fields have presentation-heavy lives, whether they’re educating others about local endangered species or presenting their research findings to a committee.

 

If you’re struggling to figure out where you match up to other applicants, we recommend using our free Chancing Engine. Unlike other solely stats-based chancing calculators, ours considers your profile holistically, including both your quantitative stats and qualitative extracurriculars.

Michelle Foley
Essay Breakdown Writer

Short Bio
Michelle Foley is currently taking a gap year before starting at Yale College in Fall '21, where she is considering majoring in Art, English, or Cognitive Studies while earning her Spanish certificate. In her free time, she likes to paint, run, and read!