Zoology

Zoology is the scientific study of animal life, encompassing the diversity, evolution, ecology, physiology and behaviour of animals from the simplest invertebrates to the most complex vertebrates. It is a discipline rooted in careful observation and rigorous experiment, asking how animals function, how they interact with one another and with their environments, how they evolved their extraordinary range of forms and strategies, and how they are distributed across the planet. In an era of accelerating biodiversity loss and environmental change, zoological knowledge has never been more urgently needed.

At Queen Mary University of London this four-year, full-time programme gives you a thorough grounding in vertebrate and invertebrate biology, physiology, behaviour, evolutionary biology and neurobiology, building a conceptual framework that allows you to make sense of animal diversity at multiple levels of analysis. You will engage with the key ideas that have shaped zoological thinking, from Darwin's theory of natural selection to modern molecular phylogenetics, and develop practical skills in laboratory and field settings alongside your theoretical understanding. You will gain experience in the methods used to study animal populations, ecosystems and individual organisms, including observation, experimentation, data collection and statistical analysis.

London's proximity to a wide range of natural environments and scientific institutions enriches the educational experience.

Zoology graduates pursue careers in conservation biology, ecological consultancy, wildlife management, animal welfare, veterinary science, government environmental agencies, zoos and aquaria, and scientific research. Many go on to postgraduate study, including research degrees in zoology, ecology, evolutionary biology, conservation science or related areas, and some move into teaching, science communication or science policy. The analytical, quantitative and fieldwork skills the degree develops also transfer well to environmental consultancy, data-driven roles and the growing field of biodiversity monitoring.