Animal Behaviour
Learn why animals behave in the ways that they do and how it influences the management of companion, domestic, captive and wild creatures.
in the East of England for undergraduates employed as managers, directors or senior officials.
Source: GOS 2025
Animal Behaviour is a practical subject with plenty of opportunities to hone your skills, both in the lab and out in the field.
You'll observe and undertake animal handling and training and practise advanced behavioural data collection in the field and within captive environments.
There are opportunities to attend residential field trips to North Devon, and day trips to locations including the Norfolk coast, Wimpole Home Farm and Banham Zoo.
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Find out more about studying Animal Behaviour at ARU in this short video
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Be part of the longest established animal behaviour course in the UK, accredited by the Royal Society of Biology.
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Get hands-on by using cutting-edge technologies and techniques to study animal behaviour, and how it’s used in solving conservation and welfare problems.
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Bring the world of work to life through Live Briefs; designed, developed, and run with zoos, farms, and wildlife charities, giving you exposure to ‘real world’ challenges, including the option to study animal behaviour locally and abroad.
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Study in Cambridge – a hub of wildlife and conservation research, and home to our £45m Science Centre.
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Complete projects and internships with our research-active expert staff from the School of Life Sciences, and access work placements with a range of employers.
Study at an award-winning university
We were named Times Higher Education University of the Year 2023. We've also been awarded a Gold rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework – a reflection of the outstanding education we offer our students.
Careers
Being at ARU helped crystallise my love for the natural world. Today I'm here surrounded by papers on primate genetics and schedules for filming another BBC piece.
Studying Animal Behaviour could give you the opportunity to help future generations see species live and in the flesh, not just read about them in a history book.
This degree also acts as a foundation for you to become a Certificated Clinical Animal Behaviourist (CCAB). You’ll need to undertake practical training under the supervision of practising CCABs before presenting case studies and a further clinical examination prior to certification. For more information, visit the CCAB Certification website.
Teaching and modules
While gaining field, lab-based, and analytical skill sets you’ll discover how and why animals interact with other organisms and their physical environment.
You’ll start by learning the fundamentals of animal behaviour study, the form and function of animals, and evolution and biodiversity.
You’ll also consider how animals live, and challenges such as invasive species, climate change and habitat loss.
In years 2 and 3, you’ll deepen your knowledge of animal behaviour, and skills in researching it. You’ll also discover how animals learn and can be trained, and how we can leverage this to address common problems across a range of species.
Finally, you’ll complete a substantial research project on a relevant topic of your choice.
Student experience
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Animal habitats - Explore a variety of world-class zoo enclosures in the Netherlands. Find out more about our field trips.
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Design for life - see how the needs of animals, keepers and the public are considered in zoo design.
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Study and protect - learn about the education, conservation and research work carried out by zoos.
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Measuring behaviour - learn how to survey animal behaviours in the wild and in captivity.
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Life in the wild - spend a week in Devon learning key practical skills to study animal behaviour.
Modules are subject to change and availability, and may vary by location. If you have the choice of optional modules, these are indicated with a *.
- Animal Physiology and Behaviour (30 credits)
- Introduction to Ecology and Conservation (30 credits)
- Principles of Biology (30 credits)
- Quantitative Techniques and Tools for Biologists (30 credits)
- Professional and Personal Development - Level 4
- Into ARU
- Animal Learning and Training (15 credits)
- Biological Bases of Behaviour (15 credits)
- Vertebrate Biology (15 credits)
- Ruskin Module (15 credits)
- Evolutionary Bases of Behaviour (15 credits)
- Biological Research Skills (15 credits)
- Field Skills in Biology (15 credits)
- Professional and Personal Development - Level 5
- GIS and Spatial Ecology (15 credits) *
- Animal Health and Disease (15 credits) *
- Behavioural Ecology (15 credits)
- Cognition, Evolution and Behaviour (15 credits)
- Applied Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare (15 credits)
- Human-Animal Interactions (15 credits)
- Wildlife Conservation (15 credits)
- Undergraduate Major Project (30 credits)
- Population Ecology and Wildlife Management (15 credits) *
- Tropical Ecology and Management (15 credits) *
- Zoos and Zoo Animal Management (15 credits) *
To prepare you for university study, you can take a foundation year at the start of this course. Find out more about foundation years.
- Interactive Learning Skills and Communication
- Information and Communication Technology
- Maths for Scientists
- Cellular Biology
- Critical Thinking
- Biology: Physiology
- Chemistry
- Physics for Life Sciences
You can choose to take an optional placement year as part of this course. Placements typically happen in Year 3, and your course will take four years overall. Find out more about placement years.
- Work placement
As a student at ARU, you’ll learn from staff who are involved in field and captive studies internationally and in the UK, and have research links with a range of organisations including some of Britain's most respected zoos.
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Dr Krishna N. BalasubramaniamLecturer
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Dr Çağlar AkçaySenior Lecturer
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Professor Jacob C DunnProfessor in Evolutionary Biology
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Professor Claudia WascherProfessor
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Dr Marian BondSenior Lecturer
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Dr Andrew SmithAssociate Professor
Facilities
As a student at ARU, you’ll be able to take advantage of state-of-the-art facilities.
These include a 200-station biosciences laboratory in our Science Centre in Cambridge, an award-winning library and IT resources.
Entry requirements
Fees and funding
Apply for Animal Behaviour
Clearing places available
UK students, apply through Clearing for a September 2025 start
