Group of students on a trip to a zoo, with elephant enclosure in background
BSc (Hons) Placement year available

Zoology

Explore and understand the diversity of animal biology – from amoebae to zebras, and from world-class zoos to the rainforests of Africa and beyond.

Develop the scientific training and practical skills you need for a career in wildlife conservation, environmental consultancy or in zoos.

Learn hands-on zoology skills in specialist labs in Cambridge, take part in cutting-edge research, and study zoology in marine and terrestrial systems. You’ll build a skill set in anatomy and physiology, behaviour, genetics, ecology and evolution, and the importance of wildlife conservation.

As part of your studies, you'll go on field trips around the UK and beyond. Learn more about tropical ecology and conservation, zoo design, and field biology.

As well as offering unforgettable experiences, field trips provide essential practical experience.

Why ARU?
  • Get hands-on using equipment in the SuperLab, part of our Science Centre in Cambridge.

  • Go on residential trips around the UK, with the added opportunity to study ecology in the tropics, and zoos in the Netherlands.

  • Study a course developed in line with industry standards, with accreditation from the Royal Society of Biology.

  • Bring the world of work to life through Live Briefs; run with local employers such as the Wildlife Trust and Cambridge City Council.

  • Apply for internships supporting research and gain valuable employment experience, or opt for a placement year.

Logo: THE Awards 2023
 

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.

Course options

Course options

Key facts

Looking for different course options?

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 *.

Year 1
  • 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
Year 2
  • Invertebrate Biology (15 credits)
  • Vertebrate Biology (15 credits)
  • Principles of Genetics and Evolution (15 credits)
  • Ruskin Module (15 credits)
  • Biological Research Skills (15 credits)
  • Field Skills in Biology (15 credits)
  • GIS and Spatial Ecology (15 credits)
  • Professional and Personal Development - Level 5
  • Animal Health and Disease (15 credits) *
  • Evolutionary Bases of Behaviour (15 credits) *
Year 3
  • Undergraduate Major Project (30 credits)
  • Comparative Ecophysiology (15 credits)
  • Wildlife Conservation (15 credits)
  • Population Ecology and Wildlife Management (15 credits) *
  • Tropical Ecology and Management (15 credits) *
  • Behavioural Ecology (15 credits) *
  • Biogeography (15 credits) *
  • Zoos and Zoo Animal Management (15 credits) *
  • Professional Field Ecology (15 credits) *
  • Sustainable Land Management (15 credits) *
  • Applied Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare (15 credits) *
  • Human-Animal Interactions (15 credits) *
  • Cognition, Evolution and Behaviour (15 credits) *
Module details

To prepare you for university study, you can take a foundation year at the start of this course. Find out more about foundation years.

Year 1
  • Interactive Learning Skills and Communication
  • Information and Communication Technology
  • Maths for Scientists
  • Cellular Biology
  • Critical Thinking
  • Biology: Physiology
  • Chemistry
  • Physics for Life Sciences
Module details

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.

Year 3
  • Work Placement Life Science
Module details

Facilities

As a Zoology student in Cambridge, you’ll use state-of-the-art facilities including a 200-station biosciences laboratory in our Science Centre.

There's also the chance to gain hands-on experience on field trips and through an optional placement year.

Take a guided tour and meet our students.

Accreditation

Royal Society of Biology

Accredited by the Royal Society of Biology, our degree course offers an integrated, scientific approach with hands-on experiences.

Royal Society of Biology logo

Careers

Our BSc (Hons) Zoology degree will open up a world of professional careers relating to the biology of animals. You could choose to work in the field, in the laboratory, or both – anywhere in the world.

ARU ranked in the top 10% in the country for graduates in employment or further study (Graduate Outcomes Survey 2024), and 5th in the country for the proportion of UK undergraduates who are employed as managers, directors, or senior officials 15 months after graduating. We're also in the top 10% in the country for the number of graduates in employment and further study who agreed they are using what they learnt during their studies.

After graduating, you might want work for a zoo, a wildlife conservation organisation or even an education or research establishment. Our students have gone to work as:

  • Animal Keeper
  • Animal Technician
  • Ecological Consultant
  • Hydrologist
  • Woodland Officer
  • Invasive Species Surveyor
  • Conservation Research Consultant
  • GIS Consultant
  • Postgraduate Researcher
  • Teacher

Our graduates have gone on to work at:

  • RSPB
  • RSPCA
  • Colchester Zoo
  • Shepreth Wildlife Park
  • Environment Agency
  • Flora and Fauna International
  • Birdlife International
  • University of Cambridge
  • Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust
  • Forest Research
  • Benthic Solutions
  • Ecology Resources

As a graduate of this course, you’ll be able to apply for membership of the Zoological Society of London, the Royal Society of Biology, and other professional organisations.

Graduation doesn’t need to be the end of your time with us, of course. You might decide to stay at ARU and study for a Masters, such as our renowned MSc Applied Wildlife Conservation or our MSc Animal Behaviour: Applications for Conservation. Take advantage of our Alumni Scholarship and get 20% off your fees.

"My placement [at The Wildwood Trust, Kent] allowed me to gain invaluable skills of animal husbandry on a wide range of small mammals. This experience expanded my confidence and ability to apply textbook knowledge into the practical field of conservation. Working in a highly connected organisation helped me determine the direction for future opportunities for my career in animal conservation and rewilding."
Maddie Ballantine-Morris, BSc (Hons) Zoology graduate

Employability and personal career development

Informed by employers, our courses support an integrated approach to employability. You’ll have opportunities to develop the skills and abilities they are looking for and gain a deeper understanding of how your academic learning relates to the world of work through Live Briefs and Ruskin Modules.

To amplify your career ambition, you will need to actively dedicate time outside of your studies, whether you choose to explore placements, internships or volunteering. Or you could make a social impact by collaborating with our partner organisations through our volunteer scheme Students at the Heart of Knowledge Exchange (SHoKE). These all give you an edge, providing you with experience that you will be able to evidence on your CV and talk about in interviews.

Our Employability and Careers Service offers a range of expert advice and support to build your unique professional profile, including tailored career appointments, advice on writing your CV, and help to complete job applications. You’ll have 24/7 access to the Careers Centre, our comprehensive online digital resource, which empowers you to start building a Personal Career Development Plan from the very start. Design your future at ARU.

Olivia Monaghan with a black and white ruffled lemur

Olivia

"I realised through my time at ARU how often opportunities arise. [This] worked wonders as I now work at my dream job at Woburn Safari Park! I love being a keeper. It really does bring me so much joy."

Olivia Olivia's story
Photo of a snake peering around a tree trunk, taken by Rupert Sharrock

Rupert Sharrock

"Having just got back from two weeks in the Amazon in Peru, I have not only fulfilled a lifelong dream, but learnt so many skills and lessons ... The lecturers and guides were second to none, and the adventures we shared together will never be forgotten."

Rupert Sharrock

BSc (Hons) Zoology student (photo credit: Rupert Sharrock)

Entry requirements

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