Zoology with a Foundation Year

UCAS code: C30F

Here's what Swansea University says about its Zoology with a Foundation Year course.

If you don’t attain the grades needed for the BSc Zoology undergraduate degree, then this 4-year programme, including an integrated Foundation Year, may be the right choice for you.

The Foundation Year is the perfect way to gain the knowledge and skills needed to embark on to the BSc Zoology programme; you will be introduced to key study themes, as well as having plenty of opportunities to learn new study skills that will be of use to you throughout your degree. The Foundation Year is also flexible, and allows you to enter any of our Biosciences programmes on completion, should your ambitions change during the year.

The discipline of Zoology is at the core of our understanding of the natural world. Here, you will enjoy unique opportunities to dedicate yourself to the scientific study of animals, from their physiology and anatomy, ecology and behaviour, to their evolution and conservation, acquiring the skills to play a major role in many sectors, from terrestrial and marine biology and conservation to agriculture, medicine, public health and veterinary science.

You will have an unrivalled opportunity to study animals in their natural environments, from the rich coastal, freshwater, and terrestrial habitats on our doorstep on the Gower Peninsula, to environments that are further afield, which you’ll visit during UK and international residential field courses.

In Year 1, you will typically study areas including: Cellular & Microbial Biology; Core Skills for Biological Sciences; Botany and Ecology; Evolution and Genetics; Life in the Oceans; and Animal Diversity and Behaviour.

In Year 2, you will typically study areas including: Ecological Data Analysis; Introduction to field zoology; Tetrapod Evolution; Entomology; Parasitology; Animal Conservation and Welfare; Molecular Ecology; Marine Invertebrates; Animal Physiology; Parasitology; Plant Ecology....

In Year 3, you will typically study areas including: a Biosciences Research Project; Professional skills in conservation; Professional Laboratory Skills; Interdisciplinary Field Course to the Indian Himalayas (Sikkim); Tropical marine ecology field course; Tropical Ecology and Conservation - Borneo Field Trip; Mammalian Carnivore Ecology and Conservation; Movement ecology; Plant Conservation and Ecology; Climate Change Biology; Natural Products Biotechnology...

We are proud to provide an outstanding educational experience, using the most effective learning and teaching approaches, carefully tailored to suit the specific needs of your course. Apart from a small number of online-only courses, most of our courses consist of in-person, on-campus teaching, enabling full engagement with your lecturers and fellow students.

Practical skills sessions, lab work seminars, and workshops predominantly take place in person, allowing for group working and demonstrations. We also operate virtual labs and Simulated Learning Environments which will facilitate greater access to training opportunities in the future. However, our approach also includes the use of some online learning to support and enhance traditional face-to-face teaching.

Online learning may take place ‘live’ using software such as Zoom, allowing you to interact with the lecturer and other students and to ask questions. Lecture recordings also allow for more flexibility to revisit material, to revise for assessments and to enhance learning outside of the classroom. Some modules have extra resources in Canvas, such as videos, slides and quizzes enabling further flexible study.

This course may offer some modules taught through the medium of Welsh or bilingually for students who consider themselves to be fluent Welsh speakers. For more details on the provision available see the Welsh Provision expander below.