BSc in Zoology Syllabus & Subjects 2024

BSc Zoology syllabus provides learning on living and nonexistent animals, their lives, and their interaction with existing ecosystems. A wide range of topics are covered in the BSc Zoology subjects including the nature, type, and functions of animals. These subjects also include the principles of General Biology, Biodiversity, Genomics, Biochemistry, etc. The BSc Zoology syllabus is a combination of theory and practical sessions. The practical sessions mainly focus on giving hands-on learning to the students so that they get acquainted with the industry.

To teach the subjects of the BSc Zoology course, the colleges/universities follow both experiential and experimental learning methodologies. Demonstration, process-based learning, experimental methods, problem-solving exercises, projects, etc. all are the teaching methodologies operated by most of the institutes. All these institutes aim at presenting the course syllabus in a way that at all levels students find the topics interesting. Some important BSc Zoology subjects are Animal Discovery, Invertebrate & Vertebrate Zoology, Applied Zoology and Ethology, and so on. The BSc Zoology course curriculum is not complicated at all if studied with interest and dedication. This page discusses semester-wise BSc Zoology syllabus and subjects, best reference books, course structure, and so on.

The BSc Zoology syllabus is prepared to meet the current learning requirement of the Zoology domain. It is designed to equip students with all the concepts the course aims to illustrate. With the knowledge shared in the course, students achieve the ability and expertise to work in diverse fields like wildlife conservation, environmental management, bioinformatics, ecosystem monitoring, etc. 

In most of the institutes, the same BSc Zoology subjects pattern and categorisation is followed. However, the choices of elective or optional subjects may differ from one university to another. The following is a discussion of the year-wise BSc Zoology syllabus and subjects as per the University Grants Commission (UGC).

First-Year BSc Zoology Syllabus

Listed below are the semester-wise BSc Zoology subjects for the first year:

Second-Year BSc Zoology Syllabus

Listed below are the semester-wise BSc Zoology subjects for the second year:

Third-Year BSc Zoology Syllabus

Listed below are the semester-wise BSc Zoology subjects for the third year:

BSc Zoology subjects encompass core, elective, and lab components. The main aim of these subjects is to provide a comprehensive understanding of the origin and evolution of diverse animals and their species. The BSc Zoology course covers various subfields such as Embryology, Immunology, Ecology, and more. All these subjects contribute to laying a solid foundation for future studies. Classroom training is beneficial for hands-on experiences. Colleges offering this course aim to provide optimal education in the subject. The BSc Zoology syllabus is designed to achieve this goal. The course syllabus covers the following BSc Zoology subjects.

BSc Zoology Core Subjects

• Non-Chordates I: Protista to Pseudocoelomates
• Perspectives in Ecology 
• Non-chordates II: Coelomates 
• Cell Biology 
• Diversity of Chordates 
• Physiology: Controlling and Coordinating Systems 
• Fundamentals of Biochemistry 
• Comparative Anatomy of Vertebrates 
• Physiology: Life Sustaining Systems 
• Biochemistry of Metabolic Processes 
• Molecular Biology 
• Principles of Genetics 
• Developmental Biology 
• Evolutionary Biology

BSc Zoology Discipline Specific Subjects

• Agrochemicals and Pest Management
• Animal Behaviour and Chronobiology
• Animal Biotechnology
• Basics of Neuroscience
• Biology of Insecta
• Computational Biology
• Endocrinology
• Fish and Fisheries
• Immunology
• Parasitology
• Reproductive Biology
• Wild Life Conservation and Management

BSc Zoology Skill Enhancement Subjects

• Apiculture
• Aquarium Fish Keeping
• Medical Diagnostics
• Research Methodology
• Sericulture

Selecting the right subject combination is important for any course. With the right subject studied, students can explore the appropriate career options for them. Therefore, students who opt for this course must be knowledgeable about the optional subjects. BSc Zoology subjects are included with a few optional papers. The students pursuing this course need to select the BSc Zoology optional subjects according to their subject interest. Listed below are the subjects offered in the BSc optional category:

• Animal Cell Biotechnology
• Animal Diversity
• Aquatic Biology
• Environment and Public Health
• Exploring the Brain: Structure and Function
• Food, Nutrition and Health
• Human Physiology
• Insect Vectors and Diseases

Each of the optional BSc Zoology subjects helps the learners to go in-depth about the matter. Zoo Curator, Biomedical Scientist, and Lab Technician are some careers students often choose after a BSc in Zoology course. Whatever field they choose, the knowledge of these optional subjects plays a pivotal role in shaping their career.

Students gain guided work experience through BSc Zoology Lab subjects. The BSc Zoology subjects taught as lab-based subjects are extremely crucial in lending ideas on hands-on learning. These subjects are an important part of the entire BSc Zoology syllabus. The practical learning offered through the lab-based subjects builds up skills in handling the lab materials and other components. 

Graduates after studying BSc Zoology, often take up jobs in medical laboratories. Studying the lab subjects helps them operate the tasks of this professional field. The knowledge acquired through these subjects also supports the students who pursue careers in other fields as well. The list given below includes the topics taught as the lab subjects:

• Mammalian skulls
• A disarticulated skeleton of fowl and rabbit
• Carapace and plastron of turtle /tortoise

The core, optional, and lab subjects altogether make the students develop some skills that give lifelong support to them. Critical thinking, communication skills, and problem-solving skills are some of the abilities the students achieve during the course. And all these skills can be further nurtured in higher studies.

Apart from the regular courses, BSc Zoology is available in the distance mode also. Different universities like IGNOU, Annamalai University, and the Open University of Kota, etc. offer distance education. These universities follow an annual system and conduct examinations once a year. The distance learning program is best suited for students who are probably engaged in professional work or unable to enrol in a regular mode of learning. 

The BSc Zoology syllabus for distance learning is designed keeping in view the needs of the students. Like the regular course, in the BSc Zoology distance program, the assessment of the student’s learning is done based on an evaluation system. Both the core and elective BSc Zoology subjects are taught at the distance learning program. Some universities provide extra time for students to complete the course. Following is the BSc Zoology syllabus for distance programs.

BSc Zoology 1st Year Syllabus

The following table highlights the semester-wise first-year BSc Zoology subjects for the distance programme: 

BSc Zoology 2nd Year Syllabus

The following table highlights the semester-wise second-year BSc Zoology subjects for the distance programme:

BSc Zoology 3rd Year Syllabus

The following table highlights the semester-wise third-year BSc Zoology subjects for the distance programme: 

BSc Zoology entrance examinations are conducted by the colleges/universities that prefer to select the candidates through an entrance test. The objective behind such entrance tests is to assess the potential of the aspirants and to be sure that the selected students are best suited for the course. Amongst a large number of aspirants, colleges/universities want to have potential candidates who will bring good scores in the exam and keep their reputation high. 

With such aims and objectives, universities like Banaras Hindu University, National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER), etc. conduct some university-level examinations. The BSc Zoology syllabus for entrance exams varies from one exam to another. Some common BSc Zoology subjects for entrance exams are listed below.

BSc Zoology books deal with different topics like animals and their life, the study of physiology and structure, the classification of animals, etc. Students can get help from topic-centric and syllabus-oriented books for students. The syllabus-centric books are prepared according to the UGC model curriculum. Some of the books for BSc Zoology are listed below.

To provide a thorough knowledge of the subject matter, a specific BSc Zoology course structure is followed in universities and colleges across the nation. This course structure aligns with the BSc Zoology course syllabus. The choice of topics and sequencing of content are important for any course structure. Thus, Instructional Strategies, Assessment and Learning Objectives are the crucial parts of this course. Also, the BSc Zoology subjects are properly organised and support the objectives of learning. The structure of this course is designed keeping in view all these three key components. The BSc Zoology course structure includes the following pattern:

• Core Studies
• Elective Subjects
• Practical Study
• Project Submission
• VI Semesters

The above-mentioned course structure is effective in achieving the set goals and learning objectives. Both the course structure and BSc Zoology syllabus and subjects enable students to identify the theoretical topics illustrated in a subject, critically think about them and discuss and implement them to a specific issue.