Animal Biology

Animal biology is a branch of the life sciences concerned with understanding the diversity, physiology, behaviour, ecology, and evolution of the animal kingdom. It asks how animals are built, how they function, how they interact with their environments and with each other, and how the extraordinary diversity of animal life on Earth came to be. The discipline is simultaneously fundamental, in its concern with the basic biology of living systems, and applied, in its relevance to conservation, veterinary science, agriculture, and public health.

At the University of Stirling, this four-year full-time programme includes a year abroad, giving you the opportunity to study in a different academic environment and to encounter the diversity of animal life in a different ecological context. Stirling is well placed for the study of animal biology, with access to a range of aquatic, rural, and semi-urban environments in Scotland, and with research strengths in areas such as behavioural ecology, aquatic biology, and conservation biology. You will study the core areas of the discipline, including comparative anatomy, physiology, ecology, evolution, genetics, and animal behaviour, developing both your conceptual understanding and your practical and laboratory skills.

The programme develops your ability to design and carry out investigations, to interpret biological evidence critically, and to communicate scientific findings clearly.

Graduates go on to careers in conservation, wildlife management, zoology, aquaculture, veterinary science support roles, research, and environmental consultancy. Many continue to postgraduate study in animal biology, ecology, conservation biology, or related life science fields, and some pursue research careers in universities, government institutes, or conservation organisations. The combination of biological rigour and practical field skills the degree develops is valued across the full range of sectors where animal biology expertise is needed.