Zoology
Zoology is the scientific study of animals in all their remarkable diversity, examining their biology from the molecular and cellular level through to their ecology, behaviour, evolution, and conservation. At a time when biodiversity loss and ecosystem disruption are among the most pressing environmental challenges humanity faces, zoologists are essential: providing the scientific knowledge of animal populations, behaviours, and ecological relationships that informs conservation strategies and environmental management.
At the University of Derby, this part-time programme takes a hands-on approach to learning about the animal kingdom. You will engage with fieldwork and placement opportunities that take you into real environments and professional settings, developing the intellectual and practical skills needed to understand the complexities of animal behaviour, ecology, conservation, and genetics. The programme includes a foundation year, which builds the scientific grounding and study skills that the main degree requires, making it accessible to students coming from a range of educational backgrounds.
The course also includes a sandwich year, a year abroad, and work placement experience, offering an unusually rich combination of professional exposure and international study for a part-time programme. Field skills, laboratory techniques, data analysis, and scientific communication are all developed throughout your studies.
Graduates from zoology programmes work in conservation organisations, wildlife management, environmental consultancies, zoos and aquaria, government agencies, academic research, and science education. The combination of practical fieldwork experience, scientific knowledge, and research skills that this programme develops prepares you well for a range of roles in the conservation and environmental sectors. Further study at postgraduate level in zoology, ecology, conservation biology, or animal behaviour is a natural route for those who wish to specialise further or pursue academic research careers.