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Can the study of animals teach us about humanity? Can we learn how animals live and adapt to changing conditions?

If you see beauty in how animals interact with their environment and other organisms or find yourself wondering what we can do to ensure biodiversity, you might have the heart of a zoology major.

What is Zoology?

As a zoology major, you will specialize in the study of animals, learning about their anatomy, physiology, evolution and ecology—and develop learning and research skills. You will also acquire a foundation in the basic sciences and have the opportunity to explore invertebrate zoology, cell biology, developmental biology and other related subjects.

At UW, zoology is a flexible major that will take you into the wild to learn field techniques such as toxicology testing methods, live chipmunk trapping and even bird-banding skills. You will also have the chance to participate in research as an undergraduate, using Wyoming’s wilderness and wildlife to inform your work.

Your zoology degree program is a springboard to zoology-related careers and graduate school.

Student and professor in lab
Professor teaching with owl on arm

Do you want to discover more about your hobbies and strengths? You can customize your degree to your personal aspirations with our degree program in zoology. We offer 2 specialized concentrations in addition to our many College of Agriculture, Life Sciences and Natural resources minors.

Concentrations: 

  • Aquatic Biology
  • Ecology

Possible Minors:

Animal skeleton in forefront of photo with a group of students in the backaground

 

What Can You Do With a Zoology Bachelor’s Degree?

A zoology major from the University of Wyoming is a wide-ranging degree program that can position you for everything from museum work and jobs in zoos to medical school, veterinary medical school, dental school and other graduate programs.

Zoology Careers

Zoology majors can build careers as the following:

  • Biologists
  • Museum educators
  • Lab technicians/managers
  • Toxicologists
  • Research associates
  • Zoologists
  • Optometrists
  • Doctors (after completing medical school requirements)
  • Veterinarians
  • Dentists
  • College professors

 

 

Researchers in lab

Here are just a few of the places where University of Wyoming zoology alumni have worked:

  • Animal Buffalo Bill Center of the West
  • Denver Zoo
  • University of Colorado Boulder
  • University of Colorado Health Sciences Center
  • Kforce Healthcare Inc.
  • Sanofi
  • Western Ecosystems Technology Inc.
  • Wyoming Game and Fish Department
  • Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium and Safari Park
  • ZooMontana

Graduate schools UW Zoology alumni have attended:

  • Cornell University
  • Harvard University
  • University of Iowa College of Dentistry
  • University of Wyoming
  • Indiana State University
  • University of Missouri
  • University of Manitoba
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Zoology Bachelor’s Degree Program Highlights

Become a zoology student at UW and you will be choosing a degree program that will expose you to world-class faculty and enable you to get out of the classroom and into the animal kingdom.

Here are some reasons to choose zoology at UW:

 

Study Abroad

Learn about wildlife conservation in Kenya. Travel to the slopes of the Ecuadorian Andes to study ornithology. Visit Panama to learn about complex behaviors in tropical birds. Or take a deep dive into the study of evolution on the Galapagos Islands.

Internships

Gain professional and fieldwork skills and learn more about the job market by completing an internship. Students in the zoology program have interned at the Mpala Research Centre in Kenya, the UW Aquatic Zoology Lab, Bayer Bee Care Center, MIT’s Department of Brain and Cognitive Science and other positions.  

Faculty

Study with professors who are researching why giraffes have long necks and documenting how polar bears are adapting to faster drifting sea ice.

Undergraduate Research

Work with UW zoology and physiology professors to study bumble bees, giraffes, moose, birds, raccoons, toads and other animals.

Facilities

Acquire hands-on research and lab skills working with UW’s extensive resources that include the Jenkins Microscopy Facility with its laser scanning confocal microscopes, epi-fluorescence microscopes and electron microscopes, the University of Wyoming-National Park Service Research Station, which promotes research in the Yellowstone ecosystem, the UW Museum of Vertebrates and the Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit.

Student Organizations

Network, attend lectures and take part in field trips as a member of Wyoming Student Subunit of the American Fisheries Society, UW’s Environment and Natural Resources Club and the University of Wyoming Student Chapter of the Wildlife Society.


Contact Us

We're Eager to Help!

College of Agriculture, Life Sciences and Natural Resources

Department of Zoology and Physiology

1000 E. University Avenue

Laramie, WY 82071

Phone: (307) 766-4207

Email: zprequest@uwyo.edu