Online Entomology Colleges and Courses
Entomology is another name for the study of bugs, and online courses in this subject are available in graduate degree or certificate programs. Read on to learn more about what programs entail and typical classes. Get tips on how to choose a school, too.
What You Need To Know
Since most online entomology courses are offered at the graduate level, you should seek out undergraduate programs at a four-year college or university. Most programs allow you to access all coursework from off campus; however, a handful of schools require you to attend campus for lab-based activities where you may mount and identify insects. You may also be required to take a final examination on campus.
<table border="1"><tr><td> <b>Schools</b> </td><td> Iowa State University, Michigan State University, North Carolina State University, Ohio State University, Purdue Global, Texas A&M University, University of Florida, University of Minnesota, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and University of Nebraska - Lincoln</td></tr>
<tr><td> <b>Courses</b> </td><td> Entomology, biology, chemistry, and physics</td></tr>
<tr><td> <b>Salary (2021)*</b> </td><td> $64,650 (Median for all zoologists and wildlife biologists)</td></tr>
</table><p><i>Sources: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Entomological Society of America, Cornell University</i>
</p><h3 id="section---AreTheProgramsExclusivelyOnline">Are the Programs Exclusively Online?</h3><p>A handful of schools do require you to attend campus for lab-based activities where you may mount and identify insects. You may also be required to take a final examination on campus. For programs with on-campus requirements, you might only want to consider those close to home.
</p><h3 id="section---WhatOnlineEntomologyProgramsAreAvailable">What Online Entomology Programs Are Available?</h3><p>If you have a bachelor's degree in the sciences, you can pursue an online master's degree in entomology. Coursework for this 30- to 40-credit-hour program provides students with a basic background in insects and other arthropods. In most programs you will not need to complete a thesis; however, you may have to complete an independent graduate project such as a sample educational curriculum or a pest management strategy. You should plan to spend 2-4 years earning the degree.
</p><p>Post-baccalaureate certificate programs are also available online. Designed for students in the turfgrass management, landscaping and agricultural fields, these programs take about 15 credit hours to complete. Coursework emphasizes landscape or urban pest management.
</p><p>Some schools also offer online, non-degree entomology courses. You can take these classes if you want to learn more about beekeeping or understand how to introduce bugs into your secondary school science curriculum.
</p><h3 id="section---WhatCoursesWillITake">What Courses Will I Take?</h3><p>Distance learning entomology classes cover a wide range of topics. Whether you're taking courses for your degree or just brushing up on your entomology terms, you can choose classes in the following topics:
</p><ul><li>Horticultural insects
</li><li>Insect biology
</li><li>Forensic entomology
</li><li>Insect physiology
</li><li>Insecticide toxicology
</li><li>Insect behavior
</li><li>Pest management
</li><li>Nematology
</li><li>Plant protection methods
</li></ul><h3 id="section---WhatAreMyJobProspects">What Are My Job Prospects?</h3><p>With a median salary reported at $64,650 for 2021, and a one percent growth rate expected for zoologists and wildlife biologists from 2021-2031, graduating entomologists have numerous prospects to explore. Other potential careers for students concentrating in entomology are well sought after in the scientific and academic industries, with job titles ranging from head of the department of entomology to field scientist.</p>