Zoology

Zoology is the scientific study of animal life in all its diversity and complexity. It encompasses the physiology and behaviour of individual animals, the ecology of populations and communities, the evolutionary processes that have shaped life over hundreds of millions of years, and the conservation challenges that face so many species in the modern world. Animals range in complexity from single-celled protozoa to large, cognitively sophisticated mammals, and they inhabit every environment on Earth, from mountain forests and deep oceans to underground burrows and the open sky.

Zoologists study all of them, seeking to understand behaviour, population dynamics, physiological function and the ways in which animals interact with other species and their environments.

At the University of Newcastle, this three-year full-time programme gives you a broad scientific foundation across the zoological sciences while allowing you to follow your specific interests into depth. You will carry out fieldwork in real ecological settings, work in laboratories on physiological and molecular questions, and engage with the quantitative methods that modern zoology increasingly demands. A placement year gives you extended professional experience in a relevant biological or conservation context, and work placement opportunities are woven throughout the programme so that your practical development proceeds alongside your academic training.

A year abroad adds an international dimension to your scientific experience.

Graduates of zoology programmes move into a wide range of careers. Conservation organisations, wildlife trusts, national parks, environmental consultancies and government agencies all employ zoologists in field survey, monitoring and management roles. The zoo and aquarium sector employs zoologists in animal care, behaviour and welfare research.

Pharmaceutical, veterinary and biotechnology industries draw on zoological expertise in research and testing contexts. Many graduates pursue postgraduate research, leading to academic careers or to specialist roles in conservation biology, wildlife management or ecological science. Teaching, science communication and environmental education are also common destinations.