Master of Science in Zoology Top Colleges, Syllabus, Scope and Salary

M.Sc. in Zoology is a postgraduate course in the study of animal behaviour, structure and classification. A candidate has to be a B.Sc. graduate in Medical and Allied Medical Sciences/ Biosciences/ Life sciences with minimum 50% marks in aggregate from a recognised university in order to be eligible for this course. 

Top Institutes offering M.Sc. in Zoology are:

• Loyola College, Chennai
• Christ University, Bangalore
• Ramjas College, New Delhi
• Hans Raj College, New Delhi

M.Sc in Zoology is a two year program and is divided into four semesters. The mode of admission for this course is mostly through an Entrance Examination or on merit marks in the qualifying examination followed by a personal interview. The average tuition fee for the entire course ranges between INR 21,000 to 1.5 Lacs

M.Sc. Zoology graduates can obtain jobs in Academic and research institutes as Assistant professor, Researcher and zoologist. A fresh graduate of this course can expect an average annual salary of 90,000 INR to 1.5 Lakh.

M.Sc. Zoology: Course Highlights

M.Sc. Zoology: What is it About?

Zoology is the study dedicated to animals. It is a branch of science that deals with structure, evolution, classification and distribution of animals. It is the study of animals, both living and extinct and their interaction with the ecosystems.    

This course is completed over in the duration of two years. Since the course follows a semester system over annual mode the course is divided into four semesters in colleges like Presidency College, Chennai, Hansraj College, New Delhi, Ramjas College, New Delhi, Madras Christian College, Chennai and Loyola College, Chennai.

After this Masters course, students can opt for M.Phil. and Ph.D. in Zoology from colleges like Lovely Professional University, Banaras Hindu University and Rajiv Gandhi University.

M.Sc. Zoology: Top Institutes

M.Sc. in Zoology is a course that is found in many M.Sc. colleges in India. Some of the top colleges for M.Sc in Zoology are as follows:

M.Sc. Zoology: ?Eligibility

The candidate must have passed 10+2 from a recognised school or board in India.

The candidate must have passed B.sc/B.sc (Hons) Zoology with 50% marks in aggregate from a recognised university.

Candidates who have passed B.sc/ B.A in Medical and Allied Medical Sciences/ Biosciences/ Life sciences with minimum 50% marks in aggregate from a recognised university are also eligible to apply.  

M.Sc. Zoology: Admission Process

The admission to the program is based on performance in the Entrance Examination and the academic record of the student in graduation.

Some of the Entrance Exams for M.sc in Zoology are as follows:

PUET: Department of Zoology of Pune University conducts an entrance exam for M.Sc. Zoology. The Exam is conducted in the month of June and the application forms are available online and offline from the month of April and May.

DUET: Delhi University Entrance exam for Zoology is conducted in the month of June. The application forms are available in the month of April.

M.Sc. Zoology: Syllabus and Course Description

The syllabus for the Entrance Exam can be described in the following table:

Core Courses

• Biosystematics, Structure and Functions of Invertebrates
• Tools and Techniques in Biology
• Animal Physiology and Ethology
• Genetics and Evolution
• Structure and Function of Vertebrates
• Environmental Biology

Elective Courses

• Biology of Parasitism
• Chronobiology
• Proteins- Structure, Functions and Evolution
• Structure and Function of Genes
• Animal Behaviour
• Comparative Endocrine Physiology

This course is aimed at imparting knowledge on the animal kingdom, animal behaviour, classification and their interaction with the environment.  

The course delivery method for this course includes seminars, lectures and workshops. In the last semester, the students also has to submit a research thesis and this forms an integral part of the syllabus for the course.

M.Sc. Zoology: Scheme of Assessment

In the final evaluation, class assignments, end-semester exams and research project are taken into account in this course, on the basis of which a student’s performance is evaluated.

There might be variations in the syllabus from college to college. The course is divided into set of Core and Elective courses. The detailed syllabus is as follows:

M.Sc. Zoology: Who Should Opt 

Individual having interest in animals and their species and behaviours. It is best for biology students especially. Anyone who is curious to know about the lives of animals, how they interacts with each other? How do they grow? Answers to all such questions could be found in this course.

M.Sc. Zoology: Career Prospects

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for zoologists is expected to increase by 5% between 2012 and 2022. There are numerous job opportunities for a Zoology student like that of an Animal Behaviourist, Animal Trainer, Conservationist, Wildlife Biologist, Zoo keeper, Zoo Curator and Animal and Wildlife Educator. With a comprehensive knowledge through the course students with M.Sc in Zoology degree can find employment in Government as well as in Private sector.

M.Sc. Zoology: Salary Trends

Zoology has various employment opportunities that are increasing every day and with that salary trend for zoologists are also moving up. A zoologist can earn up to an average annual salary of INR 7 to 10 lakh, while animal trainers can make an average salary of around 5 lakh.  

Given below is a graph showing salary range for different job profiles:

1. Candidate will be shortlisted for admission to above-mentioned UG courses based on the rank and marks secured in the university entrance examination.
2. According to the rank list, candidates will be eligible for the seats allocated to all colleges/institutions under State merit, reserved quotas and communal reservation seats.

Aspirants seeking admission to 2-year M.Sc Program should be a graduate in relevant stream from a recognized university or equivalent.