<p>Anyone have any suggestions on good Washington DC area schools with Zoology majors? Or atleast Wildlife Biology related majors? I want to be a zookeeper.</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>None of the schools in the area seem to offer either of those majors. However, American, George Washington, and Georgetown all offer Biology majors, while American also offers Environmental Biology and
Marine/Aquatic Biology. That being said, I know nothing about the quality of any of these colleges' departments in that field.</p>
<p>If you truly know Zoology is the perfect major for you, you might want to look in another part of the country; but, you don't necessarily HAVE to major in Zoology just to become a zookeeper. With most jobs, at least, having a broader type of major can help, and majoring in something so specific should only be done if you are dead certain you want that job.</p>
<p>Yep I'm dead certain I want to be a zookeeper. DC area is just top of the list right now so i'm looking for schools there. The National Zoo is in DC so I was gonna call them and see if they can give any information on where I should be going.</p>
<p>Confused Student made a good point. You may be dead set on a Zoology, but most Biological Sciences Departments will require a mix of courses for the BS degree. As I have posted earlier, most undergraduate Zoology programs have been folded into 'Biological Sciences.' None of the Metro DC colleges seem to stand out in this field, but I would start by investigating U of Maryland-College Park, which has strong offerings in ecological science, which you'll need for work/research concernng animal life. Other public colleges in Maryland that are know for good organismal biology/animal diversity are St. Mary's College of Maryland, U of Maryland Baltimore County. I believe that George Washington University has a program arrangement with the Smithsonian. Some GWU Biology faculty hold academic positions at the Smithsonian. Now there's great wildlife/natural resources program at Virginia Tech, but of course VT is way down the road from metro DC.</p>
<p>If you can, I strongly suggest you get some kind of zookeeping experience. I'm working as a pet counselor at an Animal Medical Hospital over the summer, and it's not nearly as pleasant a job as people make it out to be. Some of the animals can be downright nasty, they make messes, and the pay is usually horrible (~26,000 a year for a new zookeeper with a BS, I think).</p>