Several colleges and universities offer online zoology programs that will fit the needs of a working adult. Most accredited colleges that offer online programs have on-campus facilities. North Carolina State University, for example, offers a zoology degree program that can be completed online and on campus. According to eLearners.com, there are 74 different accredited colleges or universities that offer zoology degree programs, including Brigham Young, Arizona State, Auburn and Phoenix universities. Almost every state has an accredited college or university that offers an online zoology program, so you will be able to find a university that provides an online degree in this field.
Online zoology courses consist of the same courses you would take if you went to college on a campus. These courses help you develop the skills required by a zoologist by teaching you research procedures, animal observation techniques and data collection recording. Besides the prerequisite courses, such as English and math that are required by every college or university, you will be required to complete specific classes covering all aspects of biology and zoology. North Carolina State University provides a good example of a zoology course curriculum. Course in ecology, evolution, cellular and molecular biology, animal anatomy and physiology, animal genetics and animal phylogeny are required, as are several lab courses.
A zoology degree is actually a combination degree that allows the student to attend lectures via the Internet. But most zoology degrees require hands-on training in a laboratory setting, too. Some accredited colleges allow you to get this lab training at a local zoo. Most online zoology degrees require some lab courses. However, you can first get an undergraduate degree in biology, since zoology is a division of biology. You can complete an entire biology degree online through many accredited colleges and take zoology preparatory courses for the biology major. A biology degree will qualify you for an entry-level position in zoology, but you will have to achieve a graduate degree to become a zoologist. Attaining a graduate degree in zoology will require you to attend some on-campus courses.
Attaining an online zoology degree can open up many different career paths. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, biological scientists held more than 19,500 jobs in 2008, and the job prospects were expected to grow by 21 percent over the next 10 years. These job estimates do not include the zoologists who teach in high schools, colleges or universities. Approximately 40 percent of the individuals with a zoology degree are employed by government agencies. The median income for a zoologist, as of May 2008, was $55,290 a year, according to the BLS.