Zoology

Zoology is the branch of biology concerned with the study of animals: their physiology, behaviour, ecology, evolution, and the extraordinary diversity of forms that life has taken across the animal kingdom. From the molecular mechanisms of animal cells to the population dynamics of ecosystems, zoology asks how animals are built, how they live, why they behave the way they do, and how they have adapted to environments ranging from deep ocean trenches to polar ice. It is a discipline that demands both laboratory precision and fieldwork, recognising that understanding animals requires direct engagement with the living world.

At the University of Hull, this four-year, full-time programme includes a foundation year and is built around a blend of laboratory and field-based practical teaching, recognising that the complex global issues zoology now engages with, from biodiversity loss to climate change and conservation, cannot be addressed from the classroom alone. You will develop knowledge of animal physiology, ecology, evolutionary biology, and conservation science, alongside the practical skills of field observation, specimen identification, data collection, and analysis. The programme encourages work across disciplinary boundaries, reflecting the reality that effective conservation and ecological research requires scientists who can think broadly.

Graduates of zoology programmes go on to careers in conservation, wildlife management, ecological consultancy, zoos and wildlife parks, government environmental agencies, research, and education. Many pursue postgraduate study in zoology, ecology, conservation biology, or wildlife biology, developing specialist expertise in areas such as marine biology, ornithology, herpetology, or animal behaviour. The combination of biological knowledge, field experience, and analytical skills the degree develops is increasingly valued as the ecological crisis makes the work of zoologists more consequential than ever.