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Zoology is the study of all animals, ranging from single-celled
animals (protozoans) to birds and mammals (vertebrates). The
zoology major is housed in the Department of Evolution, Ecology
and Organismal Biology, which offers courses in the major animal
groups such as invertebrates, fish, birds, and mammals, as well
as courses in physiology, ecology, behavior, aquatic biology, and
evolution.
Pursuing Zoology at Ohio State
Students interested in majoring in zoology should have a good
background in biology, chemistry, physics, math, and skills
in written and verbal communication. Students with such a
background and skills will find it much easier to complete the
college-level courses in the physical and biological sciences
required for the zoology major.
All Ohio State freshman applicants are considered within a
competitive admission process for the Columbus campus.
The primary criteria for admission are the completion of the
applicant’s high school college preparatory program, performance
in that program as indicated by class rank and/or grade-point
average, and performance on either the ACT or SAT. Students
interested in majoring in zoology should contact the coordinating
advisor of the Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal
Biology. The department’s coordinating advisor will explain
the requirements for a zoology major and discuss career plans
and goals with the student. A member of the faculty will then
be assigned as the student’s major advisor. The student then
meets with the advisor to develop a major program based on the
student’s career plans and goals.
Zoology Requirements
A major in zoology requires preparation in chemistry, physics,
math, and biology. The chemistry requirement includes general
and organic chemistry. Two quarters of physics, math through
calculus, and two quarters of introductory biology are required.
The zoology major requires that students complete five core
courses in the Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal
Biology; the core includes courses in evolution, animal diversity
and systematics, ecology, animal form and function, and cellular
and developmental biology. Some of the core courses are
accompanied by a laboratory. A course in molecular genetics is
also required. The remainder of the 45 credit hours needed for
the zoology major includes additional zoology courses, and can
include courses in related areas (e.g., microbiology, molecular
genetics, plant biology, entomology, etc.) that must be approved
by the student’s major advisor.
Co-Curricular Opportunities
No other learning experience can match the value of a “handson”
research project. Students in the College of Biological
Sciences are encouraged to engage in meaningful undergraduate
research opportunities. Such opportunities allow students to
develop their scientific curiosity, and to discover whether a
career in research is a good fit. Information about choosing
an undergraduate research laboratory and faculty research
interests is available on the Department of Evolution, Ecology and
Organismal Biology web page and on the College of Biological
Sciences web page at www.biosci.ohio-state.edu/undergrad/
undergrad-research.php.
The Zoology Club and a College of Biological Sciences honorary
student organization enhance learning opportunities and the
quality of the undergraduate experience for zoology students.
These clubs provide opportunities for students to interact with
faculty, discuss careers and research areas with scientists from
the Ohio State campus and beyond, and participate in service
activities.
Zoology students may take courses at Ohio State University’s
“Island Campus,” Stone Laboratory. Located on Gibraltar Island
in Put-in-Bay harbor on Lake Erie, this freshwater biological field
station and research laboratory offers introductory and upperlevel
courses suitable for undergraduate students in biological
sciences.
Honors & Scholars Programs
The Honors Program in the Colleges of the Arts and Sciences
provides high-ability students opportunities to pursue challenging
academic programs. Honors students in zoology are encouraged
to meet with their faculty advisor on a regular basis and to
construct an enhanced curriculum that includes honors courses,
upper-division courses to meet general requirements, rigorous
sequences, honors seminars, and a strong major, including a
significant research experience.
The Ohio State Scholars Programs feature residential
communities for students who share academic interests and
career goals. Two of the Scholars programs of interest to zoology
students are the Biological Sciences and Health Sciences
Scholars Programs. The Biological Sciences Scholars Program
emphasizes research, with individualized advising and significant
lab and field experience. The Health Sciences Scholars Program is
focused on preparing students for careers in health sciences and
health care.

Course overview
This course will help you seek answers to some of the big environmental questions today – questions around wildlife conservation and ecological sustainability. Sharing many common elements with our Animal Behaviour degree, it also provides a good grounding in the main aspects of Wildlife Biology.

Key to this degree is the drawing together of a number of diverse disciplines, from physiology to wildlife management, into a coherent and above all, relevant programme. You will learn about scientific research: how to test theories by experiment and field study. You will be taught by staff who have extensive experience of wildlife research in many parts of the world – and the chance to take part in a number of self-funded field trips means you will have the opportunity to put your new skills to the test.

The study of Wildlife Biology will introduce you to the biology of higher vertebrates, particularly birds and mammals. It will equip you with the field methods needed to study wildlife and provide an understanding of population ecology and wildlife management. You will learn about the habitat requirements of populations and the consequences of habitat loss and habitat degradation. The scientific understanding of approaches to management will be reinforced by studying the ecology of species, communities, and ecosystems.

Our understanding of the behaviour of other animals has flourished over recent decades. Yet the discipline still presents many challenges and is set to provide some of the major scientific breakthroughs of the 21st Century. There has never been a more exciting and important time to be a student of Animal Behaviour. This programme at Anglia Ruskin is the longest-established degree course in Animal Behaviour in the United Kingdom and attracts students from throughout Europe.

You will gain a thorough understanding of how and why animals behave in the ways they do and learn how this knowledge can be applied in areas such as the management and conservation of wild and domesticated animals. You will also acquire the skills needed to carry out your own investigations in order to contribute to future discoveries.

Methods of Teaching and Learning
Hands-on practical classes and field trips form a significant part of the teaching of this degree, in addition to more traditional lectures, seminars and active learning sessions. The methods of learning and teaching focus on the development of knowledge, academic and transferable skills, including an awareness of moral and ethical issues related to the subject of the degree. Lecturing staff and tutors aim to promote the personal and academic development of students and to provide flexible and accessible approaches to learning and knowledge which will contribute to employability of graduates.
Module Guide
Year one core modules:
Core Biology
Biomeasurement
Ecology
Introduction to Animal Behaviour & Welfare
British Wildlife and Conservation
Animal Behaviour in Context
Animal Form and Function
Year two core modules:
Practical Biodiversity
Practical Biology
Preparation for Research
Concepts in Animal Behaviour
Year three core modules:
Population Ecology & Wildlife Management
Wildlife Management & Conservation
Undergraduate Project
Behavioural Ecology
Advanced Topics in Behavioural Ecology
Associated careers

The Animal Behaviour and Wildlife Biology pathway is designed to provide you with the specialised skills required to work as a professional in the discipline of animal behaviour and wildlife conservation and management. The programme also provides a very good general training as a scientist, enabling you to work in the field or in the laboratory for a wide range of organisations. Potential employers include: zoos, animal training specialists, government agencies, environmental consultancies, wildlife conservation organisations, educational and research establishments. The course may also lead on to further postgraduate study and a research career.
Assessment

This course uses a wide range of methods of assessment including essays, practical reports, computer based assessments, presentations, debates, steeplechase tests, reviews of scientific papers and examinations. The weighting of different assessment methods varies between modules and levels of study.
Special features

Field Trips – The Department organises a wide range of one-day and residential field trips to a variety of exciting locations both in the UK and abroad. Residential field trips currently include deer watching in Rum, Scotland; marine, terrestrial and freshwater ecology and animal behaviour in Devon; seabirds and seals in the Farne Islands; marine biology in western Scotland; Bialowieza primeval forest in Poland; zoo design and management in the Netherlands; tropical wildlife and ecology in Kenya, and diving and marine biology in the Red Sea (Note: residential field trips require a significant financial contribution from the student)

Other areas of interest

Staff within the department are engaged in a range of research activities – such as primate ecology, invertebrate biogeography, ecology of ground beetles, breeding ecology of blue tits, elephant ecology and behaviour and insect-plant interactions, national monitoring schemes, ladybird behaviour and ecology.