Liverpool John Moores University
UCAS Code: C302 | Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)
Entry requirements
A level
Minimum number of A Levels required: 1 Subject specific requirements: 1 Level 3 qualification and GCSE Grade 4 or above in Maths and Science Is general studies acceptable? Acceptable only when combined with other qualifications Are AS level awards acceptable? Acceptable only when combined with other qualifications Maximum AS Level points accepted: 20
Acceptable on its own and combined with other qualifications
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
Acceptable on its own and combined with other qualifications
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
Acceptable on its own and combined with other qualifications
To obtain the required UCAS points from a related subject area. Contact the admissions team for details.
UCAS Tariff
About this course
This course has alternative study modes. Contact the university to find out how the information below might vary.
**Why study Animal Behaviour with Foundation Year at Liverpool John Moores University?**
- Study the behaviour of wild and captive animals, with opportunities for overseas fieldwork
- Regular field trips and visits to observe the behaviour of animals, including residential fieldwork at Level 4 to Millport, Isle of Cumbrae in Scotland
- Optional residential fieldwork (partially self-funded) at level 5 (possible destination Cairngorms National Park, Scotland) and level 6 (possible destination Coto Doñana, Spain)
- Taught by animal behaviour experts at the forefront of modern research
- Opportunities for work-related learning, study abroad and/or a year-long sandwich placement
- Specialist lectures from visiting animal behaviour experts
- 100% of students surveyed said teaching staff on this course were good at explaining things (NSS 2024)
**About your course**
Studying BSc (Hons) Animal Behaviour with Foundation Year at LJMU will give you an opportunity to learn from experts in animal behaviour and complete work-related learning with a variety of animal-related organisations, such as zoos, wildlife parks, conservation NGOs and rescue centres. The degree develops your understanding of the science of animal behaviour in relation to evolution, ecology, physiology, neurobiology and genetics, preparing students for a career in science, animal welfare, animal behaviour research, the emergency services or conservation.
This course gives you the understanding to answer questions such as 'how and why does behaviour vary between individuals, groups and species' and 'how is behaviour shaped by the past (evolutionary history) and the present (the environment), and regulated by genes, physiology and neurobiology?' Modules cover animal behaviour in a range of environments from natural behaviour in the tropics and temperate habitats; terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems; through to the behaviour and welfare of domestic and captive animals.
Regular field work underpins the development of theoretical knowledge, giving students the practical skills to engage in the study of animal behaviour. An important part of the programme is the training in scientific observational methods. Students will have opportunities to try out their techniques on wild animals in the UK, including in our on-campus wildlife gardens, and abroad, as well as on captive animals in the world famous Chester Zoo, Martin Mere Wetland Centre, Blue Planet Aquarium and Knowsley Safari Park, which are all close by, along with a range of natural habitats and protected areas.
There is a core residential field trip in Level 4 and an optional residential field trip during Level 5. Students can also take part in an advanced field skills expedition during Level 6 the possible destination is the superb Coto Doñana area in southern Spain to observe first-hand how animals behave in their natural habitats. You can also choose to study at a different university for one semester in our Study Abroad Programme.
On top of your academic studies, you will have the opportunity to undertake a short (4-6 week) work-based placement and/or a year's sandwich placement in the UK or abroad. Placements give you a chance to put your skills and knowledge into practice, as well as developing personal and subject-related skills and acquiring new skills to enhance your CV. The first year of the course is very similar to LJMU's Zoology programme and as these are sister degrees you can transfer between programmes if you complete Level 4 successfully.
**Foundation Year**
The Foundation Year is ideal if you have the interest and ability to study for a degree, but do not have the qualifications to enter directly onto the Animal Behaviour honours degree programme yet. Once you pass the Foundation Year, you will progress directly onto the first year of the honours degree.
Modules
Please visit the Liverpool John Moores University website for detailed module information.
Assessment methods
Assessment varies depending on the modules you choose, but will usually include a combination of exams and coursework.
End of year exams may include a range of question types such as multiple choice, short answer, interpretative, problem-based learning and essay, whereas coursework assessments are made up of phase tests, fieldwork/practical reports, data handling, oral presentations, poster presentations, group discussions, essays or the evaluation of practical skills. While most of your assessments will be based on individual work you will also complete some group work.
Feedback on coursework assessments is normally provided within three weeks of submission and may be via Canvas (our virtual learning environment), face-to-face or in writing. We believe that constructive feedback is vital in helping you identify your strengths as well as the areas where you may need to put in more work.
Tuition fees
Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:
Extra funding
Please see our Bursaries and Scholarships page for more information: https://www.ljmu.ac.uk/discover/fees-and-funding/bursaries-and-scholarships
The Uni
City Campus
School of Biological and Environmental Sciences
What students say
We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.
How do students rate their degree experience?
The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
Animal science
Teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
After graduation
The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
Animal science
What are graduates doing after six months?
This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.
Top job areas of graduates
These stats refer to the prospects for graduates from both general animal studies courses and those for particular animals (such as equine science). Graduates don't generally get jobs as vets when they graduate; much the most common jobs tend to be roles caring for animals, such as veterinary nurses. Some of these jobs are not currently classified as professional level occupations, but in reality, you need a degree to get these jobs (and probably always have done), and graduates in them report that they got the jobs that they wanted. So the stats you see might not completely represent just how useful these degrees are for getting into animal care careers.
What about your long term prospects?
Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.
Animal science
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£17k
£23k
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.
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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).
This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.
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You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.
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Post-six month graduation stats:
This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.
It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.
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Graduate field commentary:
The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show
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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.
While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?
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