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Bachelor of Science in Environmental Biology / Zoology

The courses in this major are a mixture of basic science courses, designed to introduce students to the concepts of environmental biology, and applied courses, where those concepts are used to unravel problems associated with the natural environment. These classes help students prepare for careers in which they apply ecological principles to practical problems. Potential spheres of employment include various governmental agencies (local, state or federal), industry and private environmental firms as well as self-employment as a private consultant.

Requirements to be satisfied by Environmental Biology / Zoology majors include some courses for the University, some for the College of Natural Science (CNS), and some for the Department of Zoology.  Additional credits from general elective courses usually are needed to reach 120 (123) credits.

The following list of requirements is for informational purposes. Students are expected to check with their advisor at least once a year to verify requirements and to discuss program planning and course selection.

Information for persons with disabilities.

Degree Requirements

General degree requirements
University requirements
College of Natural Science requirements
Zoology Department requirements
Electives

GENERAL DEGREE Requirements:

• 120 Credits minimum to graduate (123 minimum for students who took MTH 1825 at MSU)
• 33 Credits minimum in concentration
• 2.0 minimum Overall GPA
• 2.0 minimum GPA in the major

UNIVERSITY Requirements:

NOTE: A minimum of two [of the four required] ISS or IAH courses must emphasize diversity. This Integrated Studies Diversity requirement is fulfilled with the completion of at least one “N” course and one “I” course. A “D” course may substitute for one “N” or one “I” course, but not both.

"I" - emphasizes international and multicultural diversity
"N" - emphasizes national diversity
"D" - emphasizes both international/multicultural and national diversity.

Thus, the Diversity requirement is satisfied in one of two ways:

a. by taking one course designated "I" and one course designated "N" or
b. by taking one course designated "D" and one course designated either "I" or "N".

The course designation of I, N or D is in parentheses at the end of the course title in the MSU Course Descriptions catalog. (Example: IAH 201 is a "D" emphasis course.) If none of these letters is present, the course will not satisfy the Integrated Studies Diversity requirement.

COLLEGE of NATURAL SCIENCE Requirements:

Prerequisite MTH courses: When you enter MSU, you must take a MTH placement test. Your score on this test may not be high enough to place you into the calculus classes listed above. In this case, you must enroll in pre-calculus classes.

If you place into MTH 1825, Intermediate Algebra, you must start you MTH sequence with this course. Once you pass this course, you may move on to the next pre-calculus classes, MTH 116 OR MTH 103 and 114..

If you receive a placement score of 9 - 14, your MTH sequence starts with mastering both College Algebra and Trigonometry. This knowledge is obtained by completing one of the options below:

• MTH 116 College Algebra and Trigonometry
• MTH 103 College Algebra AND MTH 114 Trigonometry.

The Zoology Department prefers that its students to complete both College Algebra and Trigonometry, as this provides the optimum preparation for calculus and statistics, as well as for upper level science courses. Here are a few factors to consider when choosing your pre-calculus options:

• MTH 116 is a 5 credit course for one semester. This means it meets 5 days a week, with the expectation that you complete homework and readings for each day. For some students, this may be too intense of a schedule.
• MTH 103 and MTH 114 are taken in two consecutive semesters: MTH 103 the first semester and MTH 114 the second. Each class is a 3 credit course, meeting 3 days a week, with the expectation that you complete homework and readings for class meeting.

DEPARTMENT of ZOOLOGY Requirements:

Tier II Writing In The Major: Complete any two approved Zoology courses (marked with a (W)) that include writing. In this degree, the requirement can be met with the completion of ZOL 355L, ZOL 445 and ZOL 483.

Zoology Electives if needed: A BS degree requires a minimum of 33 credits in upper level (300 or above) Zoology courses. Most of these credits are accumulated by completing the course groupings listed above.  If the courses for the requirements above do not add up to 33 crs., additional credits in upper level Zoology courses will be needed. These additional credits are called Zoology elective courses.   Zoology electives must be pre-approved in writing by the student's academic advisor. Courses from other departments may be used as Zoology electives ONLY with the written consent of your advisor. Please schedule an appointment with a Zoology advisor to discuss any Zoology electives.

Pre-professional students:

Completing CEM 142 (3) and 162 (1) or 262 (2) may help to better prepare you for the MCAT and professional school. Admission requirements vary from school to school. Additional courses* (such as BMB 401 (4) [or both BMB 461 & 462 (3, 3)]), may be required for admission to professional school. Check with each school and plan accordingly!

* MSU's College of Veterinary Medicine, for example, requires several courses which are not officially part of the Zoology curriculum. See the MSU CVM Admissions web page. Also, consider making an appointment with in the CVM Undergraduate Advising Center with one of the Admissions advisors.  NOTE: scroll down the page to find the Center information.

General ELECTIVES:

Most of the 120 (or 123) credits required for a MSU Bachelor’s degree come from the required University, College and department courses. Additional credits, however, may be needed to reach the total 120 (123) credits. These credits are called elective credits and may be taken in any discipline or any level. Elective courses can be chosen to:

• develop or expand skills, such as writing and analytical thinking.
• provide vocational skills, such as accounting or computer skills.
• explore topics you have always been interested in learning more about.
• complement your major and interests. For example, for a student interested in environmental issues, courses from Fisheries and Wildlife, Geography or Resource Development might be good choices. Other science-based options might include: Animal Science; Biochemistry: Entomology; Forestry; Microbiology & Molecular Genetics or Physiology. Psychology or Anthropology courses often complement Zoology courses well.
• complete an additional major, specialization or second degree.

• 5.1: FAQ
• 5.2: Undergraduate Degrees
  • 5.2.1: Bachelor of Science

  • Current page is 5.2.2: B.S. Environmental Biology

  • 5.2.3: Bachelor of Arts
• 5.3: Advising
  • 5.3.1: prepare for advisor meeting
• 5.4: Pre-Professionals
• 5.5: Careers
  • 5.5.1: Career Exploration
• 5.6: Experience
• 5.7: Academic Resources
  • 5.7.1: Study Abroad
  • 5.7.2: Scholarships
  • 5.7.3: Honor's College FAQ
  • 5.7.4: "Minors" & 2nd degrees
  • 5.7.5: Repeats
  • 5.7.6: Transfer courses
  • 5.7.7: Internship Manual
  • 5.7.8: Grad Studies FAQ
• 5.8: Extracurricular
• 5.9: Accessibility

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