Animal Behaviour and Wildlife Conservation
University of Wolverhampton
UCAS Code: C4AS | Higher National Certificate - HNC
University of Wolverhampton
UCAS Code: C4AS | Higher National Certificate - HNC
Entry requirements
A level
including at least one Science subject, preferably Biology.
Access to HE Diploma (60 credits) of which a minimum of 45 must be at Level 3 and 18 Level 3 credits must be in Science (56 UCAS point equivalence, minimum 45 credits at pass).
Pearson BTEC Diploma (QCF)
in Applied Science or Animal Management
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
in Applied Science or Animal Management
T Level
in a Science related subject.
UCAS Tariff
About this course
This course has alternative study modes. Contact the university to find out how the information below might vary.
The HNC Animal Behaviour and Wildlife Conservation is designed to develop your interest, knowledge and understanding of the behaviour of animals and the issues that affect their conservation. The course focuses on animals in their natural environments. Whichever elements of the course you prefer, at the end of your studies you will be able to use the knowledge of the behaviour and biology of animals in order to contribute effectively to their protection and conservation.
Importantly, you will have lots of opportunities to develop your practical skills in behavioural observation, species survey and habitat assessment. The emphasis will be on wildlife species and their conservation in the UK, with field visits and residential fieldwork integral to the course, however there is also a distinct international perspective to your studies as we draw on examples from around the world. You will use subject-specific IT, including geographical information systems, digital media, Global Positioning Systems and animal tracking technologies.
The species you will encounter cover the entire range from the animals found in your immediate environment, such as garden birds and butterflies, through to more exotic species mammals such as wolves, tigers and elephants.
The mix of field-based information collection and recording, practical activity and class-based work you will do is unmatched in most other subject areas. The degree will allow you to pursue your passion for animals and give you a head-start in securing your ideal career, as well as giving you experiences that will last a lifetime.
The course develops theory, descriptive and skills-based study in order to prepare the student for post-18 entry to the world of employment or specifically to provide the underpinning required to move to higher level study at levels 5 and above. The course challenges the student to apply this knowledge to characteristic situations encountered in wildlife-based work.
As an HNC Animal Behaviour and Wildlife Conservations student you will have experience of a diverse mix of field-based information collection/recording, practical activity and desk-based work that is unmatched in most other subject areas.
The two most distinctive features of the course are:
1. a focus on study outside of the classroom through fieldwork and the
development of applied skills; and
2. an equal emphasis on behaviour and conservation allowing the
investigation of the effects of one aspect on the other.
The Uni
University of Wolverhampton
School of Life Sciences
What students say
We've crunched the numbers to see if the overall teaching satisfaction score 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.
Biology (non-specific)
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)
Animal behaviour
Sorry, no information to show
This is usually because there were too few respondents in the data we receive to be able to provide results about the subject at this university.
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.
Biology (non-specific)
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
The recession was tough on biology graduates, and although the jobs market has improved for them - a lot - it's still not back to where it was a few years ago. If you want a career in biology research — and a lot of biology students do - you'll need to take a doctorate, so give some thought as to where you might do it and how you might fund it (the government still funds doctorates for good students). A lot of graduates also take 1 year Masters courses to specialise in this wide and deep subject - most students take a standard biology course for their first degree and then specialise in subjects like ecology, conservation or marine biology later. Hospitals, universities, biotech firms, zoos and nature reserves and clinical and scientific testing are common industries of employment for biology graduates.
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.
Biology (non-specific)
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
£22k
£26k
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.
Sorry, no information to show
This is usually because there were too few respondents in the data we receive to be able to provide results about the subject at this university.
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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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