BSc Zoology Syllabus and Subjects: Semester Wise Core & Elective Subjects

Duration: 3 Years
Avg Fees: ₹10K - 40K PA
Shristi T
Shristi T

Updated on - Jan 23, 2024

The BSc Zoology syllabus explores different animal kingdoms, their diversity, food chains, ecosystems, genetics, evolution, and reproduction. The BSc Zoology subjects span three years and comprise six semesters, covering core, elective, and practical papers.

The core subjects in BSc Zoology include cell biology, genetics, principles of evolution, study of insects, comparative anatomy, etc. Students can select 2 elective subjects out of the given 6-7 elective subjects in the course such as aquarium fish keeping, biotechnology, biogeography, marine biology, etc.

B.Sc Zoology gives exposure to students in various industry-specified functions, such as ecology, genomics, physiology, etc. This degree opens up job opportunities in private and government sectors, with roles such as conservationist, wildlife biologist, researcher, and lab assistant.

Table of Contents

Semester Wise BSc Zoology Syllabus

The BSc Zoology syllabus aims to equip students with knowledge and practical skills related to the animal kingdom, animal diversity, genetics, biodiversity, ecosystem, and food chains. In the BSc 1st year syllabus Zoology, the focus is on core subjects, while elective subjects are offered from the second year onwards.

Below is a breakdown of the BSc Zoology syllabus by semester.

BSc Zoology First Year Syllabus 

BSc Zoology 1st year subjects aim at understanding an overview of cell biology, plant diversity, biological chemistry, invertebrate biology, environment science, etc. Students can download BSc 1st year zoology syllabus pdf 2024 from the respective university website for a detailed overview.

The table below contains the list of BSc 1st year syllabus Zoology:

Semester I Semester II

Life and Diversity of Animals-Nonchordates
(Protozoa to Annelida)

Life and Diversity of Animals- Nonchordates
(Arthropoda to Hemichordata) 

Invertebrate Zoology-I

Invertebrate Zoology – II

Animal Discovery

Comparative Anatomy and Development Biology of
Vertebrates

Practical Topics For BSc Zoology Syllabus 1st Year

Here are the practicals offered in the B.Sc 1st year syllabus Zoology:

  • Environment Biology Practical
  • Invertebrate Zoology Practicals
  • Animal discovery Practical

BSc Zoology Second Year Syllabus

The second year BSc Zoology syllabus deals with the study of animal physiology, immunology, molecular biology, entomology, etc. The table below contains the list of BSc Zoology syllabus in the second year:

Semester III Semester IV

Life and Diversity of Animals-Chordates
(Protochordata to Amphibia)

Life and Diversity of Animals-Chordates (Reptilia,
Aves and Mammals)

Vertebrate Zoology –I 

Vertebrate Zoology -II

Physiology, Biochemistry and History

Genetics and Evolutionary Biology

BSc Zoology Second Year Syllabus Practical Topics

In the second year of the zoology syllabus, there are practicals available, which are listed below:

  • Genetics Practical
  • Vertebrate Zoology Practicals
  • Physiology Practical

BSc Zoology Third Year Syllabus

The 3rd year BSc Zoology syllabus focuses on specialized topics such as parasitology, environmental impact assessment, biotechnology in zoology, conservation biology, etc. Here is the list of BSc Zoology syllabus for the third year, presented in the table below:

Semester V Semester VI

General Mammalian Physiology I

Reproductive Biology

Cell Biology

General Mammalian Physiology II 

Applied Zoology and Ethology

Research/Project

Elective-I

Elective-II

Value Education

Practical

Practical

-

BSc Zoology Third Year Syllabus Practical Topics

In the second year of the zoology syllabus, there are practical subjects available, which are listed below:

  • Cell Biology Practical
  • General Mammalian Physiology Practicals
  • Reproductive Biology Practical

BSc Zoology Subjects

In the BSc Zoology subjects, students will learn about essential topics like Animal Diversity, Animal Kingdom, Classification, Food Chain, and Ecosystem. The zoology syllabus is divided into three parts: core, electives, and practicals, which are listed below.

BSc Zoology Core Subjects

BSc Zoology core subjects provide a fundamental understanding of the classification of animals, the study of animal behavior, patterns and processes of evolution in the animal kingdom, etc. The following are the core BSc Zoology subjects:

  • Life and Diversity of Animals-Nonchordates 
  • Environment Biology
  • Invertebrate Zoology
  • Plant Diversity
  • Vertebrate Zoology
  • Animal discovery
  • Comparative Anatomy and Developmental Biology of Vertebrates
  • Life and Diversity of Animals-Chordates

BSc Zoology Elective Subjects

The BSc Zoology subjects include electives that are listed below which students can select as per their interest area and domain expertise:

  • Chemistry
  • Economic Zoology
  • Aquaculture
  • Medical Diagnostics
  • Aquarium Fish Keeping
  • Biotechnology
  • Zoogeography
  • Wildlife Conservation

BSc Zoology Subjects In Detail

The B.Sc Zoology syllabus covers a range of topics including animal kingdom diversity, cell structure, genetics, biodiversity, ecosystems, and food chains. Below is a detailed list of the BSc Zoology subjects:

Subjects Topics
Animal Diversity Kingdom Protista, Phylum Porifera, Phylum Cnidaria, Phylum Platyhelminthes, Phylum Nemathelminthes, Phylum Annelida.
Anatomy and Developmental Biology of Vertebrates Integument in different classes of chordates, Respiratory System, Early Embryonic Development, Early Development.
Genetics and Evolutionary Biology Chromosomes, Mendelian Genetics, Sex Determination, Mutations, Origin of Life, Species Concept.
Applied Zoology & Ethology Vermitechnology, Animal husbandry, Introduction to Host-parasite Relationship, Ethology.
Reproductive Biology  Reproductive Endocrinology, Functional anatomy of male reproduction, Functional anatomy of female reproduction.

College-Wise BSc Zoology Syllabus

Depending on the curriculum and program goals, BSc Zoology syllabus differs from college to college. To obtain the B.Sc. Zoology syllabus PDF of a certain college, candidates can visit the official website of the college or university. The subjects and curriculum for top colleges' BSc in Zoology are listed below:

University of Calcutta BSc Zoology Syllabus

The BSc Zoology syllabus at Calcutta University focuses on subjects like applied zoology, environmental biology, biodiversity, microbiology, etc. The following tables show the semester-wise syllabus for B.Sc Zoology at the University of Calcutta:

Semester I

Semester II

Molecular Biology 

Cell Biology

Concept of Non-Chordata - I

Concept of Non-Chordata - II

Anthropology Basics

General Mathematics

-

Animal Physiology

Semester III

Semester IV

Controlling and Co-ordinating

System of Animal Physiology

Animal Immunology

Fundamentals of Bio-Chemistry

Life-Sustaining System of Animal Physiology

Sericulture Fundamentals

Medical Diagnosis of Aquarium Fisheries

Apiculture Fundamentals

-

Semester V

Semester VI

Genetics Principles

Biology Evolution

Ecology Fundamentals

Concept of Developmental Biology

Parasitology

Elective-I

Insect Biology

Elective-II

Endocrinology Concepts

Project Report/Viva

Periyar University BSc Zoology Syllabus

The BSc Zoology syllabus at Periyar University offers elective zoology subjects like Marine Biology, Herpetology, Mammalogy, Ornithology, etc. The following tables show the semester-wise syllabus for B.Sc Zoology at Periyar University:

Semester I

Semester II

English-I

English-II

Language-I

Language-II

Invertebrates

Concept of Chordata

Value Education

Invertebrates and Chordata Practical

Invertebrates Practical

Environmental Studies

Botany and Chemistry Practical-I

Botany and Chemistry Practical-II

Semester III

Semester IV

English-III

English-IV

Language-III

Language-IV

Concept of Cell Biology

Fundamentals of Genetics

Chemistry and Botany Theory -III 

Chemistry and Botany Theory -IV

Chemistry and Botany Practical -III 

Chemistry and Botany Practical -IV

Genetics, Vermiculture, Vermicomposting, 

Aquaculture, Cell Biology Practical

Elective-I

Elective-I

Elective-II

Elective-II

Internship Program

Semester V

Semester VI

Fundamentals of Developmental Biology

Fundamentals of Environmental Biology

Concept of Animal Physiology

Evolutionary Biology Concepts

Microbiology and Immunology

Computer Application, Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Concepts

Elective-III

Elective-V

Elective-IV

Elective-VI

Practical-III & IV

Practical-V & VI

-

Project Report

BSc Zoology Course Structure

The zoology syllabus for BSc is structured into three parts wherein the first year covers mainly core courses, practicals, and electives, and their practical starts from the second year. In general, the course structure may vary from college to college. Listed below are the course structure in general:

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

BSc Zoology Teaching Methodology and Techniques

There are various ways to teach BSc Zoology, including experiential and collaborative experimental learning. Process-based and problem-oriented methods, as well as problem-solving and project approaches, are commonly used. Here are some techniques that can be used:

  • Demonstration
  • Experimental Method
  • Process-Based Learning
  • Problem-Solving Exercises

BSc Zoology Projects

Completing projects is a crucial aspect of the BSc Zoology subjects, which include practical assignments. These projects assess students' knowledge of parts of the animal kingdom, such as structure, embryology, and development. Below are some of the project topics covered in the BSc Zoology syllabus.

  • Development of Animal Viruses
  • The Isolation and Identification of Nematode Affecting Tomatoes
  • A Preliminary Study of Gastrointestinal Helminth Parasites of Toads
  • Magamnet of Zoos and Natural Reserves in India

B.Sc Zoology Reference Books

BSc Zoology syllabus books help students understand the vast range of concepts such as animal physiology, cell structure and function, ecosystem dynamics, energy flow, scientific writing, etc. Below is a table containing the top recommended books for the BSc Zoology syllabus.

BSc Zoology Books

Author

Topics Covered

Genetics PK Gupta

Principles of Genetics, Mendelian Inheritance, DNA Structure, etc.

Animal Physiology R.L. Kotpal

Physiology of Animals, Circulation, Respiration, Digestion, etc.

Research Methodology in Biological Sciences R.S. Singh

Research Methods, Experimental Design, Statistical Analysis, etc.

Vertebrate Zoology A.K. Verma, B.P. Pandey

Vertebrate Anatomy, Physiology, Taxonomy, Evolution, etc.

BSc Zoology Fee Structure

FAQs

What is the syllabus of BSc Zoology 1st year?

The Zoology BSc 1st year syllabus includes Life and Diversity of Animals-Nonchordates, Invertebrate Zoology, Animal Discovery, etc.

How many subjects are there in BSc Zoology?

BSc Zoology typically offers around ten core course subjects and six to seven elective options, though the syllabus may vary by university.

Is BSc Zoology a good option?

Yes, it is a good option for candidates who wish to work with the animal kingdom and wildlife.

Can I do BSc zoology without maths?

Yes, BSc Zoology can be pursued without Math.

Is Cell Biology part of BSc Zoology Subjects 1st year?

Yes, fundamental knowledge of cell biology is necessary to grasp the structure of cells, which is necessary to understand how animals behave biologically.

Is fieldwork part of zoology syllabus for BSc 1st year?

The Zoology syllabus for B.Sc 1st year focuses more on imparting theoretical knowledge related to cell biology, genetics, biological chemistry, etc.

What practical skills are emphasized in BSc 1st semester Zoology syllabus?

BSc 1st year Zoology syllabus practical/laboratory sessions impart skills related to microscopy techniques, analysis of biological samples, and data analysis.

What advanced topics are covered in BSc Zoology syllabus in second year?

BSc Zoology 2nd year syllabus covers advanced topics like molecular biology techniques, ecological genetics, In-depth examination of parasitic organisms, etc.

What are the core subjects in the BSc Zoology syllabus?

The core BSc Zoology subjects include Animal Diversity, Comparative Anatomy, Physiology, Genetics, Ecology, etc.

Do BSc Zoology students study ecology and conservation?

Yes, BSc Zoology syllabus includes ecology, which focuses on the relationships between living things and their surroundings, and conservation biology, which addresses the methods of maintaining biodiversity and safeguarding endangered species.

What Skills are Developed During BSc Zoology?

Students develop skills like research skills, laboratory techniques, scientific writing, proficiency in animal care and handling, application of molecular techniques, etc.

Are there any specialization options in BSc Zoology?

No, but students get a chance to study elective subjects like Marine Biology, Entomology, Ornithology, Herpetology, Conservation Biology, etc.

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