The Master's Degree in Zoology was created in 1985, by means of an agreement signed between the Federal University of Pará (UFPA) and the Emílio Goeldi Museum for the establishment of a Graduate Course in Biological Sciences in the State of Pará. In 1991, the name of the course was changed to Biological Sciences Graduate Program, including the following concentration areas: Zoology, Genetics and Molecular Biology, Neurosciences, Environmental Biology and Biology of Infectious and Parasitic Agents. An evaluation made by CAPES in 1994 recommended the fission of the Post-Graduate Program in Biological Sciences in more specific courses. Thus, the Master Course in Zoology was restructured in 1995 and recommended as a new course by CAPES from 1996.
In December 1999, the Doctorate course in Zoology was approved by CAPES. Since January 2000, the Master's and Doctorate courses have been included in the Zoology Graduate Program.
Since its creation, the Zoology Graduate Program from the Convention of the Federal University of Pará and Emílio Goeldi Paraense Museum has counted on the following coordinators:
1996 to 1997: Dr. José Maria Cardoso (Coordinator) MPEG
1997 to 2002: Dr. Ana Harada (Coordinator) MPEG
2002 to 2004: Dr. Maria Cristina Espósito (Coordinator) UFPA and Dr. Marlúcia Bonifácio Martins (Vice-Coordinator) MPEG
2004 to 2006: Dr. Teresa Cristina Saúer de Ávila Pires (Coordinator) MPEG and Dra. Maria Cristina Espósito (Vice-Coordinator) UFPA
2006 to 2008: Dr. José Antonio Marin Fernandes (Coordinator) UFPA and Dr. Teresa Cristina Sauer de Ávila Pires (Deputy Coordinator) MPEG
2008 to 2010: Dr. Maria Cristina dos Santos Costa (Coordinator) UFPA and Dr. Ana Lúcia da Costa Prudente (Vice-Coordinator) MPEG
2010 to 2012: Dr. Ana Lúcia da Costa Prudente (Coordinator) MPEG and Dr. Luciano Fogaça de Assis Montag (Vice-coordinator) UFPA
2012 to 2014: Dr. Luciano Fogaça de Assis Montag (Coordinator) UFPA and Alexandre Bragio Bonaldo (Vice-coordinator) MPEG
2014 to 2016: Dr. Alexandre Bragio Bonaldo (Coordinator) MPEG and Dr. Leandro Juen (Vice-coordinator) UFPA
2016 to 2018: Dr. Leandro Juen (Coordinator) UFPA and Dr. Marcos Pérsio Dantas Santos (Vice-coordinator) UFPA
Currently the program aims to broaden and deepen pluralistic knowledge and develop creativity in the scientific and technological areas, leading to the academic degree of Master and Doctorate in Zoology; generate knowledge about animal biodiversity; train human resources to meet the regional and national demands for teaching, scientific research and development. It consists of two Concentration Areas: Evolution; and Biodiversity and Conservation. The structure of the Evolution Area is based on two Research Lines: Systematics and Taxonomy; and biogeography and phylogeography. In the case of the Area of Biodiversity and Conservation the constituent Research Lines are: Applied Zoology and Animal Ecology.