University of Reading
UCAS Code: C300 | Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)
Entry requirements
A level
ABB with B in Biology. Or BBB with B in Biology and a second science. Acceptable second science subjects: Chemistry, Physics, Maths, Further Maths, Statistics, Psychology, Geography, Environmental Science/Studies, Applied Science, Geology, Computer Science.
Access to HE Diploma
including relevant science units.
Cambridge International Pre-U Certificate - Principal
D3 M2 M2 including M2 in Biology. Or M2 M2 M2 including M2 in Biology and a second science subject. Acceptable second science subjects: Chemistry, Physics, Maths, Further Maths, Statistics, Psychology, Geography, Environmental Science/Studies, Applied Science, Geology, Computer Science.
Extended Project
In recognition of the excellent preparation that the Extended Project Qualification provides to students for University study, we now include achievement in the EPQ as part of a formal offer. Eligible applicants would receive two offers, our usual offer plus an alternative offer of a B in the EPQ and one grade lower in their A level subjects
GCSE/National 4/National 5
GCSE Maths C (or 4), English Language or English Literature C (or 4).
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
32 points including 5 in Biology at higher level. Or 30 points including 5 in Biology and a second science subject, both at higher level. Acceptable second science subjects: Chemistry, Physics, Maths, Further Maths, Statistics, Psychology, Geography, Environmental Science/Studies, Applied Science, Geology, Computer Science.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
including relevant science modules.
Scottish Higher
A,A,B,B,B-A,B,B,B,B
AABBB including B in Biology. Or ABBBB including B in Biology and a second science subject. Acceptable second science subjects: Chemistry, Physics, Maths, Further Maths, Statistics, Psychology, Geography, Environmental Science/Studies, Applied Science, Geology, Computer Science.
UCAS Tariff
We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.
About this course
Study animals in their natural habitat – gaining expertise in evolution, physiology, behaviour and conservation – with our BSc Zoology degree. Not many degrees give you the opportunity to get your hands on a lion’s skull at the University’s own museum, but with our three-year BSc Zoology course, that’s just a tiny part of what’s on offer.
Zoology is the science of animals: whether you’re passionate about one particular group of animals, or interested in the subject as a whole, we’ll help you get the most out of your degree.
**For more information, please visit the programme page: https://www.reading.ac.uk/ready-to-study/study/Subject-area/zoology-ug/bsc-zoology**
Modules
The following modules have been approved in principle for delivery in 2025/26. Please note that as part of our current curriculum improvement process, all modules require final University approval and may be subject to change.
Core modules for this course:
Cellular and Molecular Principles of Life
Animal Form and Function
Our Changing Planet
Fundamentals of Evolution
Fundamentals of Ecology
The University cannot guarantee that all optional modules will be available to all students who may wish to take them. Further information about the content of final approved modules will be available in the summer of 2024. We suggest that you regularly revisit our course page during this time to ensure you have the most up-to-date information regarding the modules offered on this programme.
**Check our website for more details about the course structure.**
Tuition fees
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The Uni
University of Reading
School of Biological 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.
Zoology
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.
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.
Top job areas of graduates
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.
£18k
£23k
£27k
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 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 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:
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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.
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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?
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