Take Classes In Your Zoology Masters Programs Remotely!
West Liberty University holds the only Master’s Degree programs in the nation for Zoo Science. In addition to our Bachelor Degree, our zoology masters programs are some of the first four in the nation to offer direct applied hands-on experience to students in a zoo setting with a collaborating Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) accredited institution – The Good Zoo at Oglebay Resort.
Requirements to Apply to the MA/MS in Zoo Science Program
Students applying to our zoology masters programs must have:
- A completed discipline-specific Bachelor’s degree from an accredited 4-year institution of higher education with an overall GPA of at least 2.6.
- An undergraduate science minimum GPA of 2.8.
- Undergraduate degrees should be in Biology, Ecology, Chemistry, or a related field. Consideration will be given to students receiving a Bachelor’s degree in an unrelated area as long as 18 biology or ecology course credits were completed with a minimum GPA of 3.0.
- Three letters of recommendation.
- Upon approval by the faculty, provisional admission may be granted to candidates who do not meet the minimum requirements.
For questions regarding the application process for either of our zoology masters programs, please contact the Office of Graduate Studies at 304-336-8015.
MAMS Biology Application Process
- Students who select the Master of Arts option must complete a designated 30 credit hours of graduate coursework including the 19 credit hour Zoo Science core curriculum. All credit hours are graded biology graduate courses.
- No more than 6 credit hours of “C” grades may be applied to the total hours for graduation.
- MA candidates do not conduct thesis research.
- MA candidates must complete an internship during the course of the degree.
- Successful completion of the MA in Biology Zoo Science option requires a GPA of 3.0 or higher, and a comprehensive examination score of 75% or higher. Students may take the comprehensive examination a total of two times to achieve or surpass the minimum score.
Semester 1
BIO 549 4 credit hours Advanced Zoo Animal Behavior
BIO 520 3 credit hours Quantitative Biological Techniques
Semester 2
BIO 545 3 credit hours Graduate Zoo Mammalogy
BIO 547 3 credit hours Graduate Zoo Ornithology
Semester 3
Semester 4
MA in Biology Zoo Science total hours = 30 credit hours
Download the advising sheet to help guide you in your major.
Master of Science Program Requirements
- Students must complete at least 30 credit hours of biology graduate coursework, including a thesis. A maximum of 9 credit hours may be earned for the thesis.
- Candidates for the Master of Science degree in Biology Zoo Science option must successfully complete a grade of “C” or higher, the 19 credit hour Zoo Science core curriculum
- Completion and defense of a graduate thesis are required for the MS in Biology. Students may take up to 9 credit hours of BIO 580 Independent Study per semester. However, no more than 2 credit hours in Independent Study may be used to complete the 30-hour requirement.
- MS candidates must complete an internship during the course of the degree.
- Successful completion of the MS in Biology Zoo Science option requires a GPA of 3.0 or higher, and no more than 6 credit hours of “C” grades may be applied to the total hours for graduation. Upon completion of course requirements and the thesis, MS candidates must pass an oral thesis defense.
Semester 1
BIO 549 4 credit hours Advanced Zoo Animal Behavior
BIO 520 3 credit hours Quantitative Biological Techniques
Semester 2
BIO 545 3 credit hours Graduate Zoo Mammalogy
BIO 547 3 credit hours Graduate Zoo Ornithology
Semester 3
BIO 543 3 credit hours Graduate Zoo Herpetology
BIO 580 2 credit hour Independent Study
Semester 4
BIO 552 4 credit hours Zoo Conservation
BIO 580 9 credit hours Thesis
MS in Biology Zoo Science total hours = 34 credit hours
Download the advising sheet to help guide you in your major.