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Master's Degrees in Zoology

SIU Zoology student doing research with sturgeon

In our M.S. program, you’ll find a rewarding balance of rigorous curriculum and independent research. Our affiliation with the Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory and the Center for Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Aquatic Sciences, and with other science departments, expands your opportunities for collaborative research. Our geographical location between two major rivers, in an area with forest, farmland, wetlands and other ecosystems, provides outstanding options for nearby field research.

We offer a traditional master’s degree track, which includes a research thesis. Or you can earn a professional master’s degree by fulfilling coursework requirements and professional internship experience.

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Master of Science

Our Master of Science in Zoology requires a minimum of 30 hours of graduate credit beyond the bachelor’s degree. This curriculum includes graded coursework at the 500-level and above, and two credit hours of ZOOL 589 — a colloquium on specific topics in current zoology research. You’ll need six credit hour of ZOOL 599 for researching and writing your thesis, and an additional two or more courses in a specific area for mastery of a research tool, such as statistics or a foreign language.

View the Graduate Catalog for all other requirements.

View Research Emphasis

Professional Science Masters

The Professional Science Master's in Zoology does not require a thesis, but rather meeting the Graduate School's standards and completing a minimum of 30 graduate credits. This includes 24 credits of graded courses as specified by the program, with at least 13 of these at the 500 level. We require a minimum grade point average of 3.2 in your graduate courses. The degree culminates with a hands-on capstone project as a professional intern.

View PSM program details

Graduate Student Association

At SIU, the Zoology Graduate Student Association (ZGSA) selects and hosts a series of visiting speakers, holds a weekly seminar series in which graduate students present their work to other students, elects student representatives to faculty committees, identifies opportunities for outreach to local schools, and organizes social events. ZGSA also provides a forum and mechanism for suggesting changes that would improve the graduate student experience. Beginning graduate students, in particular, can benefit from the experience and advice of more experienced students in navigating their new environment.

Centers For Research And Training

The Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory provides research opportunities for graduate students in the Zoology and Forestry Programs. Within those programs, faculty advisors guide students through their coursework and research to complete a Master of Science in wildlife ecology or management. The Center for Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Aquatic Sciences serves a similar role for Zoology graduate students. These centers often address applied problems in conjunction with state or federal management agencies.

Assistantships & Awards

All master's students admitted to ourZoology program are guaranteed a minimum of two years of financial support from fellowships, research assistantships, or teaching assistantships. Our Zoology program offers some additional shorter-term scholarships for graduate students, based on performance in research, teaching, or professional leadership during their program.

  • Florence and Charles Foote Outstanding Teaching Assistant in Zoology

  • Hilda Stein Scholarship

For the shorter-term scholarships, you must submit a new application each year by 1 February. For more information and application forms, visit the SIU Online Scholarship Opportunity Manager.

Careers

Our master’s program graduates are well-equipped to make meaningful impacts in the career of their choice. Examples include

  • Environmental impact analyst
  • Wildlife rehabilitation specialist
  • Non-profit organization manager
  • Manager or administrator at state or federal agencies
  • Genetics researcher
  • Laboratory manager
  • Aquatics biologist
  • Wildlife management specialist
  • Wildlife epidemiologist
  • Wetland ecologist
  • Environmental policy analyst
  • Conservation scientist
  • Veterinary scientist

Contact Information

Frank Anderson
Program Coordinator
Life Science II 422
618-453-3226
feander@siu.edu

Jason Brown
Director of Graduate Studies
254 Life Science II
618-453-4112
jason.brown@siu.edu