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Zoology

Entry requirements


A level

B,B,B-B,B,C

At least a grade C at A level in Biology

Access to HE Diploma

D:15,M:24,P:6

Pass Access to HE Diploma with 60 credits with 45 at Level 3. Must include passes in compulsory L3 subjects

GCSE/National 4/National 5

GCSE Maths and English Grade 4/Grade C (or above) or equivalent qualification

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

DMM

T Level

M

T-Level in Science

UCAS Tariff

112-120

We encourage you to outline all your qualifications and achievements in your application to provide us a full picture. Your offer will typically be based on your predicted and/or achieved grades from full level 3 qualifications or above e.g. A levels, BTEC Ext Diploma, Access to HE, etc. Any subject specifics are outlined below in the Further Information section, and these specifics are applicable across all equivalent qualifications. A strong application/performance and appropriate experience will be taken into account where typical criteria is not met.

About this course


Course option

3years

Full-time | 2024

Subject

Zoology

**Interested in protecting endangered species, safeguarding habitats or encouraging greater understanding of animals in the wild and in captivity? Our degree helps you build the intellectual, professional, personal and technical skills you need.**

**KEY FEATURES OF THE COURSE:**

- **ACCREDITATION:** Our Zoology course was one of the first of its kind in the country to receive accreditation from the Royal Society of Biology, an accolade which carries significant weight within the sector and is only granted after a rigorous independent assessment. We also have accredited degree pathway status from the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM).

- **IN-DEPTH KNOWLEDGE:** Focusing on animal biology, our Zoology course covers a broad range of topics such as wildlife conservation, ecology and animal behaviour. You’ll also cover the sciences that underpin genetics, biochemistry and statistics.

- **TAILORED TO YOU:** Our extensive range of optional modules allows you to tailor the course to meet your career ambitions.

- **FACILITIES:** Develop vital scientific skills in our high-spec laboratories, insectary, aquatic research facility (created in partnership with SeaLife, Birmingham) and dedicated student research lab.

- **FIELDWORK WITH PURPOSE:** Our Zoology students have conducted ecological projects in Majorca, and undertaken scientific investigations in the Maldives. Costs of mandatory fieldtrips in optional modules are included in your tuition fees.

- **RAISE YOUR PROFILE IN INDUSTRY:** You’ll have the opportunity to undertake work placements with a broad range of employers from zoos and wildlife parks to museums, conservation organisations, ecological consultancies and government bodies. You could also get involved in voluntary work with Zoology related industries and the wider community, contributing to initiatives which help safeguard local nature sites and improve the region's green spaces.

- **EXPERT TEACHING:** You’ll learn from a research-active and dedicated teaching team, many of whom speak at global conferences, publish influential papers and serve on the editorial boards of scientific journals.

**WHAT YOU'LL COVER:**
- Your first year provides an introduction to themes such as biodiversity and ecophysiology, genetics and evolution and ecology. In your second and third years, we take your knowledge to an advanced level by exploring subjects such as microbial ecology, habitat management, field biology, wildlife conservation, tropical marine biology, and ecological consultancy.

**HOW YOU'RE ASSESSED:**

- Assessments vary and include computer-based assessments, scientific posters, oral presentations, professional reports, essays, making short videos, fieldwork and laboratory reports, as well as traditional written examinations.

**YOUR CAREER:**

- Our focus is on ensuring you develop strong intellectual, technical and personal skills to build an impressive CV and meet the needs of employers. Recent graduates have gone on to work in zoos, wildlife parks, wildlife trusts, ecology, marine science, the Environment Agency, veterinary practices and environmental consultancy. In addition, our zoology course provides an excellent preparation if you would like to move on to further study, including medical qualifications, a masters degree or a PhD.

**STUDY OPTIONS:**

- This course is available with a Foundation Year option.

- This course is available with an Industrial Placement Year.

Tuition fees

Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:

Channel Islands
£9,250
per year
England
£9,250
per year
EU
£14,900
per year
International
£14,900
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,250
per year
Scotland
£9,250
per year
Wales
£9,250
per year

The Uni


Course location:

University of Derby

Department:

Natural Sciences

Read full university profile

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.

86%
Zoology

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.

Zoology

Teaching and learning

84%
Staff make the subject interesting
96%
Staff are good at explaining things
84%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
72%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

75%
Library resources
88%
IT resources
83%
Course specific equipment and facilities
64%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

91%
UK students
9%
International students
33%
Male students
67%
Female students
72%
2:1 or above
13%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

C
B
C

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.

Zoology

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.

£17,020
low
Average annual salary
100%
high
Employed or in further education
43%
med
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

25%
Sales assistants and retail cashiers
12%
Conservation and environment professionals
11%
Other elementary services occupations

Unsurprisingly, the most common job for a zoology graduate on leaving is to work in a zoo or similar organisation - but there are a lot of other options available if you take this subject. Nearly a quarter of graduates take some kind of further qualification when they leave — mostly Masters degrees in zoology or related subjects, like biology or ecology — but a graduate from a zoology course can go into pretty much anything, with science, conservation, management, finance and marketing some of the most popular areas. Zoology graduates are also rather more likely than others to get a job overseas so if an international career appeals to you, this might be a degree to consider.

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

Zoology

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£15k

£15k

£20k

£20k

£23k

£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.

Explore these similar courses...

Higher entry requirements
University of Plymouth | Plymouth
Zoology
BSc (Hons) 3 Years Full-time 2024
UCAS Points: 120-128
Lower entry requirements
University of Lincoln | Lincoln
Zoology with Science Foundation Year
BSc (Hons) 4 Years Full-time 2024
UCAS Points: 96
Nearby University
University of Nottingham | Nottingham
Zoology
BSc (Hons) 3 Years Full-time 2024
UCAS Points: 112-147

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This is what the university has told Ucas about the criteria they expect applicants to satisfy; some may be compulsory, others may be preferable.

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This is the percentage of applicants to this course who received an offer last year, through Ucas.

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This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

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Course location and department:

This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

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Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

We've received this information from the Department for Education, via Ucas. This is how the university as a whole has been rated for its quality of teaching: gold silver or bronze. Note, not all universities have taken part in the TEF.

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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.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

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?

Have a question about this info? Learn more here