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During the academic year 1940-41 the Entomology and Parasitology Department at Davis was officially a joint department with the University of California Berkeley, where the main administrative offices were housed. The department at Davis was led by "local Chairman" J.E. Eckert, who held the position from 1934-1946. At that time, he was the only department faculty member in permanent residence. The remaining entomology and parasitology professors commuted from Berkeley, or lived in Davis only part-time. Many students took courses on both campuses in order to complete their graduation requirements. There is no record of any student (graduate or undergraduate) completing all of his or her entomology degree requirements solely at Davis.

There also is no record indicating in which building the department was housed in 1940, although the phone directory for the Davis campus in that year lists phone numbers for a Bee House and a Department of Entomology and Parasitology. The entomology and parasitology staff for 1941 included S.F. Bailey, J.E. Eckert, Miss E. Reed, G. Spurlock, M.A. Stewart, F.E. Tood (Bee House), R.L. Usinger, G.H. Vansell (Bee House), and Ruth Watson (Bee House).

In 1940, the Entomology and Parasitology Department offered both degree and non-degree courses. The two-year non-degree program was aimed at farmers and landowners. The degree program in Entomology and Parasitology is described in the UC course catalog printed in 1940 as a curriculum "designed for the basic biological training of investigators in entomology and parasitology, as well as for those who intend to engage in teaching or the commercial practice of entomology." The program description goes on to say that "the instruction in entomology is concerned with taxonomy, ecology (including insect behavior), physiology, insect anatomy, agricultural entomology (inclusive of biological control), forest entomology, toxicology, insect borne plant diseases, and beekeeping. Provision is made for the training of specialists and the supplementary training of zoology teachers. Broad zoological and botanical preparation is necessary as well as advanced training in chemistry and plant pathology."

The following distribution of credits was required in order to obtain an undergraduate degree in Entomology and Parasitology:

(a) Required
Chemistry.......10
Botany.......8
Zoology.......12
Bacteriology.......4
Paleontology, Geology, or Geography.......6
Genetics, Physiology, or additional Chemistry.......4
Economics.......6
English or Public Speaking.......6
Military Science.......6
(b) A summer practice course
(c) At least 24 units in entomology and parasitology courses.

Undergraduate Courses in Entomology and Parasitology, 1940
Given at Davis
ENT 1: General Entomology (Mr. Usinger)
ENT 105: Apiculture (Mr. Eckert)
ENT 116: Veterinary Parasitology (Mr. Stewart)
ENT 124: Economic Entomology (Mr. Bailey)
ENT 199: Special Study for Advanced Undergraduates (the Staff)

Given at Berkeley
ENT 1: General Entomology (Mr. Freeborn, Miss Frost)
ENT 49: Summer Practice and Observation Course (the staff)
ENT 106: Insect Morphology and Histology (Mr. Freeborn, Mr. Craig)
ENT 110: Insect Physiology (Mr. Craig)
ENT 112: Systematic Entomology (Mr. Essig, Mr. Linsley)
ENT 114: Forest Entomology (Mr. Essig, Mr. Linsley, Mr. Salman)
ENT 124: Economic Entomology (Mr. Essig)
ENT 125: Insect Vectors of Plant Diseases (Mr. Severin, Mr. Freitag)
ENT 126: Medical Entomology (Mr. Herms, Miss Frost)
ENT 127: Ecology (Mr. Herms, Mr. Craig)
ENT 128: Insect Toxicology (Mr. Hoskins)
ENT 130: Agricultural Entomology (Mr. McLeod)
ENT 132: History of Entomology (Mr. Essig, Mr. Linsley)
ENT 199: Special Study for Advanced Undergraduates (the Staff)