Zoology

Zoology is the scientific study of animals, encompassing their structure, function, behaviour, ecology, evolution, and conservation. It is a discipline that requires you to engage with animal life at every scale, from the molecular mechanisms inside individual cells to the dynamics of whole ecosystems and the diversity of the animal kingdom across evolutionary time. Zoology is also a discipline with urgent practical relevance: understanding animal biology is essential to conservation, veterinary and human medicine, agriculture, and the management of wild populations in a world under increasing human pressure.

At Aberystwyth University, this four-year full-time programme includes an integrated foundation year, which provides a thorough scientific grounding in biology and related sciences before the main degree begins. The foundation year is part of the degree structure, not a separate route, ensuring that students who complete it progress directly into the BSc. The programme is accredited by the Royal Society of Biology, a recognition of quality that reflects the programme's rigorous approach to scientific training and the transferable skills it develops.

You will study comparative anatomy, animal physiology, evolutionary biology, ecology, animal behaviour, and conservation biology, developing both the theoretical understanding and the practical laboratory and field skills that professional zoologists need.

You will engage with animal life across a wide range of taxa, from invertebrates and fish to birds and mammals, building the broad zoological knowledge that careers in conservation, research, and related fields require.

Graduates go on to work in conservation, wildlife management, zoos and aquariums, environmental consultancy, veterinary support roles, research, and education. Many continue to postgraduate study in zoology, ecology, conservation biology, or wildlife management. The scientific skills and biological knowledge the degree provides are also valued in a range of life sciences and environmental careers.