The Department of Zoology at Miami University

The Department of Zoology offers two different undergraduate majors, one leading to the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), and the other leading to the Bachelor of Science (B.S.). Students should select the degree program which best fits their academic and career objectives. Faculty advisors can provide advice on an individual basis.

In general, the B.A. degree is designed for students who desire more breadth outside of the natural sciences. All Miami Plan Foundation (MPF) and College of Arts and Science (CAS) requirements apply to this degree. The Departmental requirements are more flexible for the B.A. than for the B.S. degree and leave more room for electives. The B.A. degree is usually more appropriate for those students planning to enter the health professions.

Credit for one or two semesters of Introductory Biology may be earned through completion of the Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate Programs. See The Miami Bulletin for details. The Department of Zoology does not offer Departmental Proficiency Exams.

A. The Miami Plan for Liberal Education - Includes the Foundation Courses (MPF I, II, III, IV, V) which together should total at least 36 credit hours. A Thematic Sequence (9 hours minimum) and a Senior Capstone (3 hours minimum) are also required.

B. College of Arts and Science Requirements - The requirements of CAS A, B, C, D, and E combined total 45 credit hours. However, most of the CAS requirements, except for the Language, can be met simultaneously by the same courses used to fulfill the MPF and major requirements. All Arts and Science students must complete at least 56 hours of advanced (200 level and higher) course work.

C. Zoology Courses - To earn a B.A. degree in Zoology at Miami University, at least 16 of the 32 credit hours required in Zoology must be earned at Miami.

1) 100-Level Courses: Majors must take ZOO 113 and ZOO 114, or ZOO 115 and ZOO 116; these courses are prerequisites for all advanced Zoology courses. ZOO 121, 161, 171, 172, plus certain advanced courses such as ZOO 325, are not designed for Zoology majors and may not be taken for credit toward the Zoology major.

2) Advanced Hours: A minimum of 24 semester hours of advanced course work (courses numbered 200 or above, with the exception of ZOO 325). No more than a total of 3 hours of credit in Research in Zoology (ZOO 320), Independent Study (ZOO 277, 377, 477), Internship (ZOO 340), and/or Independent Research Capstone (ZOO 419.R) may be used to fulfill the 24-hour requirement. Enrollment in ZOO 277, 320, 340, 377, 477, and 419.R requires permission of the instructor and approval by the Department Chair. Enrollment in 340 requires additional approval by the Dean.

There are no specific courses required to fulfill the 24 advanced semester hour requirement. However, the following are strongly recommended: ZOO 203, 204, 305, and 342. As a general rule, you should avoid specialization as an undergraduate and should select courses from different areas and levels. If you have a career goal in mind, you should consult with your advisor and persons involved in the area for advice on specific courses that may be required. The final decision as to the courses that you take is yours.

D. Related Hours - The requirement is 18 semester hours, including a year of chemistry. The remaining hours may be chosen from botany, chemistry, geography, geology, mathematics, microbiology, physics, psychology, statistics, and systems analysis.

All B.A. majors must have a minimum of one year of Chemistry (CHM 141, 142, 144, and 145). Although not required, all majors should take a year of organic chemistry or a combination of organic and biochemistry. Many students may find the course in analytical chemistry (CHM 363 Lecture, 364 Lab) helpful in developing their quantitative skills.

A year of laboratory physics and a year of mathematics, including some calculus and statistics, are strongly recommended for anyone who plans to continue graduate studies in Zoology.

E. Grade Point Average - All courses taken in Zoology and in related areas for the purpose of fulfilling the requirements for a degree in Zoology must, with the exception of ZOO 277, 340, 377, and 277, be taken for a grade (as opposed to credit/no credit). All majors must attain a cumulative G.P.A. of at least 2.00 in Zoology. All courses attempted in Zoology, except nonmajor courses, are included in calculating this average.

There is considerable flexibility in this plan of study. Note that the following schedule includes many more related hours than are required for a B.A. degree. However, most graduate programs and health professional schools require two years of undergraduate course work in chemistry and a year of physics. General university requirement fulfillments are noted below their respective courses: MPF - Miami Plan Foundation Course, CAS - College of Arts and Science requirement).

FIRST YEAR
Semester I	Semester II
CHM 141 (3) (MPF-IV B, CAS-D)	CHM 142 (3)
CHM 144 (2)	CHM 145 (2)
ZOO 115/113 (4) (MPF-IV A, CAS-D/LAB) * ZOO 113 is offered only on the Hamilton and Middletown Campuses	ZOO 116/114 (4) (MPF-IV A, CAS-D/LAB) * ZOO 114 is offered only on the Hamilton and Middletown Campuses
ENG 111/113 (3) (MPF-I)	ENG 112 (3) (MPF-I)
MPF/ELECTIVE/ LANGUAGE 101 (4)	MPF/ELECTIVE/ LANGUAGE 102 (4)
*Total Credit Hours: 16*	*Total Credit Hours: 16*

SECOND YEAR
Semester I	Semester II
CHM 241 (3)	CHM 242 (3)
CHM 244 (2)	CHM 245 (2)
ZOO 200+ (4) * No specific courses are specified to fulfill the advanced semester hour requirements. Consult your advisor	ZOO 200+ (3-5) * No specific courses are specified to fulfill the advanced semester hour requirements. Consult your advisor
MPF / ELECTIVE / LANGUAGE 201 (3)	MPF / ELECTIVE / LANGUAGE 202 (3) (CAS-A)
HUMANITIES / FINE ARTS / SOCIAL SCIENCES (3) (MPF-II A, B, C, CAS-B, C)	MATH / PHILOSOPHY (3-5) (MPF-V, CAS-E)
*Total Credit Hours: 15*	*Total Credit Hours: 14-18*

THIRD YEAR
Semester I	Semester II
PHY 171 (3)	PHY 172 (3)
PHY 183 (1)	PHY 184 (1)
ZOO 200+ (3-5)	ZOO 300+ (3-5)
CULTURES (3) (MPF-III A, B, CAS-C)	CULTURES (3) (MPF-III A, B, CAS-C)
HUMANITIES / FINE ARTS / SOCIAL SCIENCES (3) (MPF-II A, B, C, CAS-B, C)	HUMANITIES / FINE ARTS / SOCIAL SCIENCES (3) (MPF-II A, B, C, CAS-B, C)
ELECTIVE (3)	HUMANITIES / FINE ARTS / SOCIAL SCIENCES (3) (MPF-II A, B, C, CAS-B, C)
*Total Credit Hours: 16-18*	*Total Credit Hours: 16-18*

FOURTH YEAR
ZOO 300+ or 400+ (4-5)	ZOO 300+ or 400+ (1-4)
ZOO 300+ or 400+ (3-4)	CAPSTONE (3-4) * If the Capstone is completed in Zoology, the credit may also apply toward the advanced hour requirement for the major
ELECTIVES (8-9)	ELECTIVES (9-12)
*Total Credit Hours: 15-18*	*Total Credit Hours: 13-18*

For more information on The Department of Zoology's Undergraduate Programs, contact our Chief Departmental Advisor, Susan M.G. Hoffman, Ph.D., zooadvising@muohio.edu For general information on The Miami Plan and other University requirements for undergraduates, view the Miami General Bulletin Online.