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Zoology

Study animals, organisms and how they’re adapting, surviving and thriving in today’s environment.

The specialization in Zoology provides courses that are designed to give students a rigorous background in the fundamentals of animal biology

The specialization provides an emphasis on whole organisms and their development, genetics, evolution, physiology, behaviour, and interaction with the environment. The specialization provides enough flexibility to allow students to pursue specific areas of interests such as mammals, reptiles, and frogs, fisheries biology, evolution, wildlife management, etc.

Download a copy of the Course List below:

For students enrolled prior to Fall 2023 (PDF)

For students enrolled in or after Fall 2023 (PDF)

Academic Advisor

Professor Suzanne Lamothe

Telephone: 705.675.1151 ext 2399

Email: slamothe@laurentian.ca

Office: S-718, Science I Building Sudbury Campus

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Laurentian University aerial view
By land area, Greater Sudbury is the largest city in Ontario and as such, the great outdoors beckon with its vast expanse of lakes and waterways, varied terrain, forests and comprehensive network of trails.
Delivery Method: On campus
Program Language: English

Visit the School of Natural Sciences for more information

Ontario High School Applicants

Program Prerequisites:

  • 1 grade 12 English U/M course; 1 grade 12 4U Advanced Functions; 2 grade 12 U Science courses or 1 Science + 1 Math; 2 other grade 12 U/M courses
  • A minimum overall average of 70% in the 6 best grade 12 U/M courses


Additional information for applicants who have completed Advanced Placement courses.

Additional information for applicants who have completed the International Baccalaureate.

 

Applicants from outside an Ontario High School 

International Students

Canadian High School Applicants from outside Ontario

Applicants from Colleges

Applicants from other Universities

Mature Students

Canadian Applicants

If you are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, you must complete your application through the Ontario Universities Application Center (OUAC).

For detailed instructions on the application process, see the How to Apply: Canadian Undergraduate Applicants page.


Apply Now as a Domestic Applicant

International Applicants

If you’re an international applicant, you must fill out the International Application Form.

For detailed instructions on the application process, see the How to Apply: International Students page.


Apply Now as an International Applicant
Note for Current Students

The degree options listed below are for the upcoming academic year, not the current academic year. If you are a current student looking for which courses to take in order to complete your degree options from a previous academic year's curriculum, please consult with an academic advisor.


Bachelor of Science (Honours) Specialization in Zoology

120 credits

Students must follow these regulations in order to meet graduation requirements for the BA or B.Sc.

Program of Study

First year

BIOL 1506E     Biology I         

BIOL 1507E     Biology II

CHMI 1006E     General Chemistry I 1

CHMI-1007E     General Chemistry II       

MATH 1036E     Calculus I 2

MATH 1037E     Calculus II   OR   MATH 1057E     Linear Algebra I

PHYS 1006E     Introductory Physics I

PHYS 1007E     Introductory Physics II

+ 6 credits in Arts

 

1 Applicants lacking 12U-level Chemistry or the equivalent, must complete CHMI 1031 prior to taking CHMI 1006.

2 Applicants with a grade of less than C (60%) in 12U-level Calculus or the equivalent, must complete MATH 1912 prior to taking MATH 1036.

 

Second year

BIOL 2007E     Genetics          

BIOL 2026E     Introduction to Microbiology         

BIOL 2126E     Cell Biology         

BIOL 2356E     Principles of Ecology         

BIOL 2706E     Vertebrate Form and Function         

BIOL 2726E     Diversity of Animals         

CHMI 2426E     Organic Chemistry I       

STAT 2126E     Introduction to Statistics   

     OR   STAT 2246E     Statistics for Scientists

+ 6 credits in Arts

 

Third year

BIOL 2306E     Diversity of Plants  

BIOL 3327E     Experimental Methods in Biology         

CHMI 2227E     Biochemistry I       

NATS 3106E     Scientific Writing and Communication

+ 6 credits from Zoology List A below

+ 6 credits from Zoology List B below

+ 6 credits from any discipline

 

Fourth year

BIOL 4016E     Field Camp and Report   OR   equivalent 3

NATS 4005E     Honours Thesis

     OR NATS 4106E     Literature Review and 3cr BIOL 

+ 9 credits from Zoology List A below

+ 6 credits from Zoology List B below

+ 6 credits from any discipline

 

3 Students must consult their academic advisor for a suitable replacement for BIOL 4016. BIOL 4216 may be a suitable replacement. BIOL 4016 (or its equivalent) can be taken in third year.

4 Students with an overall average of less than B (6) in all Biology courses must replace NATS 4005 with NATS 4106 and another 3 credits from List A or B.

 

Zoology List A 5 (15 credits)

BIOL 3006E     Evolutionary Biology         

BIOL 3706E     General Entomology         

BIOL 3726E     Animal Histology

BIOL 3746E     Animal Ecology         

BIOL 3756E     Vertebrate Physiology         

BIOL 4717E     Animal Behaviour         

BIOL 4736E     Developmental Biology         

5 Some courses are offered only every second year.

 

Zoology List B (12 credits)

List A courses taken above the required 18 credits can replace courses in List B.

BIOL 2757E     Aspects of Human Sexuality         

BIOL 3007E     Evolutionary Medicine

BIOL 3117E     Infectious Diseases         

BIOL 3306E     Vascular Plant Systematics         

BIOL 3386E     Mycology         

BIOL 3806E     Biological Effects of Metals in Plants and Animals

BIOL 3977E     Biodiversity and Conservation         

BIOL 4066E     Quantitative Ecology         

BIOL 4076E     Ecosystem Ecology

BIOL 4216E     Ontario Field Biology Camp         

BIOL 4217E     Ontario Field Biology Camp

BIOL 4317E     Plant Animal Interactions         

BIOL 4346E     Medical Mycology         

BIOL 4747E     Herpetology         

BIOL 4756E     Freshwater Biology

BIOL 4777E     Wildlife Management: Objectives, Methods and Techniques         

BIOL 4807E     Advanced Genetics

BIOL 4907E     Fisheries Science for Stressed Ecosystems         

CHMI 2427E     Organic Chemistry II

CHMI 3226E     Biochemistry II       

GEOL 2406E     Paleobiology I       

INTE 3107E     Pathophysiology    

NATS 3206E     Internship

 

Note:

  • Students may not exceed 48 credits at the 1000 or 9100 level in their degree program.
  • Students must take a minimum of 9 credits of the 4000 level courses to graduate with honours.
  • SCOM 4006 is recommended as a general elective.

The folllowing course is not listed here, but is available through WebAdvisor:

 

BIOL 3117 EL Infectious Diseases

This course explores the principles of medical microbiology. Topics include resistance and immunity, and infectious diseases of the genitourinary tract, respiratory tract, digestive tract, and skin. Causative agents, symptomology, chemotherapy, and the possibilities of immunization are addressed. (lec 3, lab 3) cr 3. Students cannot retain credit for both BIOL 3117 and BIOL 2110. Prerequisite: BIOL 2026, BIOL 3025, or BIOL 2111.

BIOL-1506EL - Biology I BIOL-1507FL - Biologie II CHMI-1006EL - General Chemistry I CHMI-1007EL - General Chemistry II MATH-1036EL - Calculus I MATH-1037EL - Calculus II PHYS-1206EL - Physics for the Life Sciences I PHYS-1207EL - Physics for the Life Sciences II MATH-1057EL - Linear Algebra I BIOL-2007EL - Genetics BIOL-2026EL - Introduction to Microbiology BIOL-2126EL - Cell Biology BIOL-2356EL - Principles of Ecology BIOL-2706EL - Vertebrate Form and Function BIOL-2726EL - Diversity of Animals CHMI-2426EL - Organic Chemistry I STAT-2126EL - Introduction to Statistics STAT-2246EL - Statistics for Scientists BIOL-2306EL - Diversity of Plants BIOL-2757EL - Biological Aspects of Human Sexuality CHMI-2227EL - Biochemistry I PHIL-2217EL - Environmental Ethics CHMI-2427EL - Organic Chemistry II GEOL-2406EL - Paleobiology I BIOL-3327EL - Experimental Methods in Biology BIOL-3006EL - Evolutionary Biology
BIOL-3706EL - General Entomology BIOL-3726EL - Animal Histology BIOL-3746EL - Animal Ecology BIOL-3756EL - Vertebrate Physiology BIOL-3117EL - Infectious Diseases BIOL-3306EL - Vascular Plant Systematics BIOL-3066EL - Indigenous Peoples: Ecology, Science and Technology BIOL-3386EL - Mycology BIOL-3977EL - Biodiversity and Conservation CHMI-3226EL - Biochemistry II INTE-3107EL - Pathophysiology BIOL-4016EL - Field Camp and Report BIOL-4035EL - Research and Seminar BIOL-4717EL - Animal Behaviour BIOL-4736EL - Developmental Biology BIOL-4797EL - Environmental Physiology BIOL-4066EL - Quantitative Ecology BIOL-4216EL - Ontario Field Biology Camp BIOL-4217EL - Ontario Field Biology Camp 2 BIOL-4346EL - Medical Mycology BIOL-4747EL - Herpetology BIOL-4756EL - Freshwater Biology BIOL-4777EL - Wildlife Management: Objectives, Methods and Techniques BIOL-4807EL - Génétique avancée BIOL-4907EL - Fisheries Science for Stressed Ecosystems

List of Faculty Members

Core faculty members

Alarie, Yves: Invertebrate systematics

Basiliko, Nathan: Environmental microbiology; ecosystem ecology; soils

Beckett, Peter: Restoration ecology; wetlands

Gagnon, Jeffrey: Obesity and metabolic disease

Gunn, John: Fisheries ecology and management

Lamothe, Suzanne: Permanent sessional lecturer

Lesbarrères, David: Evolutionary ecology; herpetology

Litzgus, Jackie: Ecology and conservation of reptiles at risk

Mallory, Frank: Wildlife management & behavioural & biomedical ecology

Martinez-Garcia, Mery: Animal physiology in changing environments

Nasserulla, Sabah: Permanent sessional lecturer

Nkongolo, Kabwe: Human and plant genetics

Robitaille, Jean-François: Behavioural ecology of Mustelids

Ryser, Peter: Ecology of wetland plants; root ecology; heavy metal stress

Saleh, Mazen: Molecular biophysics; bacterial environmental interactions

Schulte-Hostedde, Albrecht: Applied evolutionary ecology

Jean-Francois Robitaille

Jean-Francois Robitaille

School of Natural Sciences
Kabwe Nkongolo

Kabwe Nkongolo

School of Natural Sciences
Suzanne Lamothe

Suzanne Lamothe

School of Natural Sciences
Peter Ryser

Peter Ryser

School of Natural Sciences
Albrecht Schulte-Hostedde

Albrecht Schulte-Hostedde

School of Natural Sciences
Mery Martinez Garcia

Mery Martinez Garcia

School of Natural Sciences
Jacqueline Litzgus

Jacqueline Litzgus

School of Natural Sciences
Mazen Saleh

Mazen Saleh

School of Natural Sciences
Jeffrey Gagnon

Jeffrey Gagnon

School of Natural Sciences