DEGREE GUIDE

Zoology

What do Zoology degrees involve?

Zoology degrees teach you how animals evolve, behave, and interact with their environments, combining biology, ecology, and conservation science. You will explore key areas such as animal physiology, genetics, evolution, ecology, and wildlife conservation. These courses help you develop strong research, analytical, and fieldwork skills while studying animal behaviour, biodiversity, and species adaptation. As you progress, you may specialise in areas such as marine biology, entomology, or animal welfare. You will also gain hands-on experience through laboratory work, ecological surveys, and field trips to study animals in their natural habitats. With a combination of scientific study and practical training, you’ll be prepared for careers in conservation, animal research, environmental consultancy, and wildlife management.

Example
Modules

Animal Diversity and Classification: Study the key animal groups, from insects and amphibians to birds and mammals, learning how they are identified and how they evolved over time.

Evolution and Genetics: Explore how animals adapt to their environments through natural selection, and how traits are passed down through genes and DNA.

Animal Physiology: Learn how animals function and survive in extreme environments – from deep-sea fish to desert reptiles and high-flying birds.

Common Degree Names

💼 Placement years are widely available in conservation organisations, research institutions, wildlife centres or zoos.
🌍 Study abroad is offered at many universities, often with international fieldwork options.

BSc (Hons) Zoology
BSc (Hons) Zoology and Animal Behaviour
BSc (Hons) Zoology and Ecology
BSc (Hons) Zoology and Conservation
MSci Zoology

MSci is a four-year integrated Master’s degree that combines undergraduate and Master’s level study in one course.

Level 3 (A-level / IB Diploma (HL) / Scottish Highers)

Zoology involves laboratory work, fieldwork, and understanding complex biological systems, which is why strong science foundations are essential.

You'll need:

Biology – essential for almost all Zoology courses
A second science or Maths – most universities require Chemistry, Maths, Physics, or another science alongside Biology

Subjects that strengthen your application:

Chemistry – particularly useful for understanding biochemistry and physiology
Geography – relevant for ecology and environmental contexts
Psychology – relevant for animal behaviour studies
Environmental Science – provides ecological background

✨ Biology plus a second science or Maths is the standard requirement for most Zoology courses. Chemistry is particularly valued as it supports biochemistry and physiology modules.

Universities may also accept:

BTEC Extended Diplomas in Applied Science (being phased out) or Animal Management, usually requiring A-level Biology alongside
BTEC National Extended Certificates or National Diplomas alongside A-levels that meet the subject requirements above
T-Levels in Science or Health; may still require A-level Biology
IB Career-related Programme (IBCP) with Biology and ideally another science or Maths at Higher Level among your IB subjects (minimum two, ideally three) alongside your Career-Related Study

Many Zoology degrees are accredited by the Royal Society of Biology, which recognises academic excellence and supports employability. Always check specific course requirements.

Level 2 Qualifications (GCSE or equivalent)

Most courses ask for:

GCSE English Language and Maths (or equivalent) – Maths often required at grade 5 or 6. Equivalents include Scottish National 5s, BTEC Level 2, or IB MYP certificates
GCSE Science (or equivalent) – Double Science or separate sciences usually expected

📋 Zoology involves statistics and data analysis, so strong Maths skills are important. Some universities specify minimum Maths grades higher than standard requirements.

💬 Interviews

Interviews are not usually required, but some universities may invite you for a short conversation, either online or in person, to learn more about your interest in the subject.

🔍 Work Experience

Not required, but zoology is a science rooted in understanding animals, and spending time around them helps you develop the kind of observational curiosity the degree demands. Volunteering at a wildlife centre, animal shelter, zoo, farm, or nature reserve gives you first-hand experience of animal behaviour and welfare. Joining local wildlife surveys, conservation projects, or species recording schemes like the BTO Bird Survey or iRecord are accessible ways to start doing the kind of fieldwork zoologists actually do.

✨ Personal Statement Tips

Why do you want to understand animals rather than just work with them? Zoology is about asking questions: why do animals behave the way they do? How have they evolved? How do ecosystems function? If you've spent time observing animals, whether in the wild, at zoos, or through documentaries, think about what made you curious and what questions you'd want to investigate. Reading about animal behaviour, evolution, or conservation science, or following researchers' work online, can show you're thinking like a scientist. Admissions tutors want to see curiosity about the "why", not just love of animals.

If your qualifications don't match the usual entry requirements, there are some other possibilities.

🌱 Foundation Year in Biological Sciences or Life Sciences

Many universities offer a foundation year if you don't have the required science subjects or grades. This adds an extra year but leads directly into the full degree.

🎓 Access to HE Diploma (Science or Biological Sciences)

Accepted by many universities. Make sure your course includes strong biology content, and aim for Distinctions in your science units.

💼 Level 3 Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships such as Animal Care and Welfare Assistant or Laboratory Technician carry UCAS tariff points from 2026 and can support a university application, particularly when combined with a foundation year.

Is this degree right for you?

Members can explore whether this degree fits who they are:

Skills you'd develop and whether they match your strengths
How this aligns with your interests, motivators and values
Career paths and where graduates end up

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Skills you would develop in X degree

Skill Name

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Is this a good fit for you?

Use the tabs to explore the kind of person that this would be a good fit for. Do you share the Interests, Motivations, Values, Work identity and skills that people who thrive in this course tend to have?

Not sure what these things are? Explore your Identity Tree with us first.

Interests that connect well with a Zoology degree

Students who enjoy this degree often share these interests. You don't need to feel strongly about all of them, and interests develop over time. If one or two catch your curiosity, or sound like something you'd like to know more about, that's a good sign.

Living Things & the Natural World: Zoology is built around how life works across the animal kingdom. You'll study animal diversity from sponges to mammals, explore evolution and genetics, and examine how species function and fit into the wider web of life.

Animals: Animals are the focus throughout. You'll study animal behaviour and communication, learn field methods for observing wildlife, and examine the ethics of how humans interact with animals and the welfare of species under our care.

The Environment & Sustainability: Conservation runs through the degree. You'll explore the major threats to global biodiversity, such as habitat loss and climate change, study how human activity affects animal populations, and evaluate real-world solutions like rewilding and captive breeding.

Students who thrive in a Zoology degree are often motivated by

Precision and Thoroughness

You feel satisfied when work is done accurately and completely. Whether it's getting calculations exactly right, spotting errors others miss, or making sure every detail is correct, the pursuit of precision gives you a sense of accomplishment. Sloppy or "good enough" work frustrates you, and you take pride in getting things right first time.

Sustainability and Environmental Care

You're energised by work that makes things better for the planet: developing green technology, reducing waste, protecting ecosystems, restoring habitats, or helping people and organisations shift to more sustainable ways of living. You feel most engaged when your effort is doing something measurable about environmental problems, not just thinking or caring about them. Seeing a real-world result, whether that's cleaner energy, less waste, or an ecosystem that recovers, is what carries you through the harder parts of the work.

Research and Discovery

You're excited by the idea of uncovering something genuinely new: being at the cutting edge, running experiments, and contributing knowledge that didn't exist before. You want to discover, not just learn what others have found. The prospect of adding something original to human understanding is what drives you, and you're willing to spend long periods on uncertain work for that possibility.

Analysing and Investigating

You're energised by making sense of information, looking for evidence, spotting patterns, and piecing together how things connect. Whether it's pulling apart data, questioning assumptions, or tracing a problem back to its source, you find energy in the process of understanding what's really going on. You'd rather dig into the details than accept things at face value.

Curiosity and Learning

You're energised by the activity of learning itself: diving into a subject you've never explored, watching documentaries, taking apart how something works, or constantly asking "why?" The process of learning gives you energy, not just the outcome. You don't just want the answer; you want to understand how things connect, why they matter, and what's underneath the surface explanation.

What makes Zoology click for the students who love it?

Watching an animal long enough to work out why it does what it does is their idea of time well spent. They want to understand how animals evolve, behave and fit into the world around them. Fieldwork and observation suit them, the patient kind of work where naming a species or recording a behaviour exactly right is what the science depends on. Many care about the animals and habitats they study, and some push to answer questions no one has answered yet.

These are the skills that students who love this degree tend to enjoy using. You don't need to be great at them already, but if they sound like you, that's a good sign.

Skill Name

Skills that suit this degree

You don't need to be great at these already — but if you enjoy using them or want to get better at them, that's a good sign.

Do you enjoy observing animals closely — noticing patterns in how they behave, move, or interact with each other?
Do you like the idea of doing research outdoors - studying wildlife in real habitats rather than just reading about it?
Do you enjoy hands-on practical work, especially the kind that gets you outside and working with living things?
Do you find yourself caring about what happens to wildlife, and wanting to do something about threats like habitat loss?

Careers a Zoology degree could lead you to

Zoology

What do Zoology degrees involve?

Example Modules

Common Degree Names

Is this degree right for you?

Skills you would develop in X degree

Skill Name

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Is this a good fit for you?

Careers a Zoology degree could lead you to

Example
Modules