This program is available at the following locations:

• Corvallis
• Ecampus

Administered by the Department of Integrative Biology under the School of Life Sciences.

The Zoology major offers scientific training in the diversity, organismal biology, ecology, and evolution of animals. The major core provides a solid foundation in the biological sciences while electives allow students to cater course work to meet specific interests in animal biology. Undergraduate research, internship, teaching and study abroad experience are strongly recommended, and credits can be integrated with major requirements.

Zoology majors enter such varied fields as animal care and husbandry, curatorial and museum management, laboratory animal research, field biology and conservation, and environmental management and policy. The Zoology major is not suitable for pre-veterinary medicine students as it does not include the required prerequisite course work (see the option in Pre-Veterinary Medicine in the Biology major).

Major Code: 620

Upon successful completion of the program, students will meet the following learning outcomes:

• Explain and apply the fundamental concepts of the biological sciences, including Cell and Molecular Biology, Genetics; Animal Physiology and Diversity; Ecology and Evolution; and Conservation Management and Policy.
• Identify and access information (from primary literature and other relevant works) for a particular topic and evaluate the scientific content and context of these sources.
• Generate relevant and testable scientific questions, formulate testable hypotheses, and identify measurable predictions based on observations or previous research.
• Design and implement observational or experimental investigations to collect relevant data, and employ appropriate analytical methods to analyze that data.
• Interpret data and/or observations to support or refute hypotheses, draw conclusions, put findings in the context of current scientific knowledge and literature, and/or suggest future avenues of research.
• Use effective formal and informal communication (i.e., written, oral, graphical, multimedia) to convey scientific information in ways that are appropriate for scientific and non-scientific audiences.
• Integrate and analyze information within and across spatial and temporal scales as well as levels of biological organization.
• Identify, reflect upon, and evaluate assumptions, biases, and alternative hypotheses or interpretations for their own scientific claims or those of others.
• Justify the importance of science and science literacy for individuals and society.
• Integrate biology with other disciplines to make evidence-based decisions on socio-scientific issues.
• Explain how biases and societal factors affect the processes of science (and vice versa), access to participation in science, and the differential outcomes and impacts (both positive and negative) of science on individuals.
• Explain and justify the ethical standards of their discipline, evaluate the ethics of published science, and articulate their personal code of ethics.
• Use effective and appropriate forms of collaboration.
• Produce a self-assessment of interpersonal and academic behaviors needed to achieve their individual career goals.

Students in the Biology major must complete BI 221, BI 222, and BI 223 (or the honors version of this series) with a C– or better to continue on to upper-division Biology (BI) and Zoology (Z) coursework. Students must also complete their General Chemistry series and CH 331 with a C– in each term to move on to other Chemistry (CH) coursework.

Students majoring in Biology, BioHealth Sciences, Fisheries, Wildlife & Conservation Sciences, or Zoology cannot seek a dual or double major in any combination of these four majors. Zoology majors cannot seek the Biology minor.

For further information, see MyDegrees or the Integrative Biology website.

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Baccalaureate Core Course (BCC)

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Writing Intensive Course (WIC)

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Core Education course. Applies only to students admitted to an OSU undergraduate degree from Summer 2025 onwards

Major Code: 620

Degree plans are subject to change and the following is only an example of how students may complete their degree in four years. Students should consult their advisor to determine the best degree plan for them. Contact details for advisors can be found on the Academic Advising page.

Track I

Track II