Zoology

UCAS code: C300

Here's what Anglia Ruskin University says about its Zoology course.

Explore and understand the diversity of animal biology – from amoebae to zebras, and from world-class zoos to the rainforests of Africa and beyond.

• Study in Cambridge, a hub of expertise and wildlife institutions' headquarters.

• Get hands-on using world-class equipment in our SuperLab.

• Join field trips around the UK, with the added opportunity to study ecology in the tropics and zoos in the Netherlands.

• Study on an accredited course developed in line with industry standards.

• Bring the world of work to life through Live Briefs; designed, developed, and run with local employers such as the Wildlife Trust, giving you exposure to ‘real life’ problem-solving.

• Gain valuable experience by applying for internships supporting research, or opt for our placement year.

Our Zoology BSc (Hons) course will see you joining the likes of Charles Darwin, Dian Fossey, Jane Goodall and David Attenborough in exploring and explaining the diversity of animals from all over the globe.

You’ll build an understanding and skill set in anatomy and physiology, behaviour, genetics, ecology and evolution, and the importance of wildlife conservation.

As part of your studies, you’ll get the opportunity to learn hands-on zoology skills – with plenty of time in our labs in Cambridge, as well as on field trips around the UK and beyond. Develop the scientific training and practical skills you need for a career in wildlife conservation, environmental consultancy or in zoos.

Take part in cutting-edge research in our specialist labs, closely linked to Cambridge University, and study zoology in marine and terrestrial systems, in both laboratory and field settings.

There are opportunities to attend residential field trips. Field trips that are a compulsory part of your course are covered by your fees. There are also optional field trips (either extra-curricular or an integral part of an optional module you select to take) that you would have to pay for.

Fast becoming a world centre for wildlife conservation, Cambridge is home to Fauna and Flora International, Birdlife International and the World Conservation Monitoring Centre. During your time with us, you’ll have opportunities to attend lectures and visit specialist museums, such as the Cambridge Museum of Zoology, and libraries in the University of Cambridge.

Accredited by the Royal Society of Biology, our BSc (Hons) Zoology degree is a practical subject with plenty of opportunity to learn and practise new skills, both in the lab and out in the field.

As a student at ARU, you’ll learn from staff who are involved in field and captive studies internationally and in the UK, and have research links with a range of organisations including Shepreth Wildlife Park, Woburn Safari Park, FrogLife, and Natural England.

Similar courses you might study at our Cambridge campus are BSc (Hons) Ecology and Conservation and BSc (Hons) Animal Behaviour.

Going to university can offer you a series of once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. As part of your course, you could study abroad with one of our short-term Global Experience programmes. Opportunities include summer schools and placements, lasting from one to four weeks and funded by ARU’s UK Turing Scheme grants.

Year 1: Animal Physiology and Behaviour (30 credits) Introduction to Ecology and Conservation (30 credits) Principles of Biology (30 credits) Quantitative Techniques and Tools for Biologists (30 credits) Professional and Personal Development - Level 4

Year 2 Core Modules: Invertebrate Biology (15 credits) Vertebrate Biology (15 credits) Principles of Genetics and Evolution (15 credits) Ruskin Module (15 credits) Biological Research Skills (15 credits) Field Skills in Biology (15 credits) GIS and Spatial Ecology (15 credits) Professional and Personal Development - Level 5

Year 2 Optional Modules: Animal Health and Disease (15 credits) Evolutionary Bases of Behaviour (15 credits)

Year 3 Core Modules: Undergraduate Major Project (30 credits) Comparative Ecophysiology (15 credits) Wildlife Conservation (15 credits)

Year 3 Optional Modules: Population Ecology and Wildlife Management (15 credits) Tropical Ecology and Management (15 credits) Behavioural Ecology (15 credits) Biogeography (15 credits) Zoos and Zoo Animal Management (15 credits) Professional Field Ecology (15 credits) Sustainable Land Management (15 credits) Applied Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare (15 credits) Human-Animal Interactions (15 credits) Cognition, Evolution and Behaviour (15 credits)

Throughout the course, we’ll use a range of assessment methods to help you measure your progress. Besides exams, these include essays, practical reports, computer-based assessments, presentations, debates, classroom- or laboratory-based tests, and reviews of scientific papers.