About This Course
This degree is an extended undergraduate programme which allows you to graduate either with BSc (Hons) at the end of the third year or with an undergraduate Masters (MZool) at the end of the fourth year. The fourth year of this course offers a unique opportunity to conduct an extended research project either in the laboratory or in the field.
Our Zoology degree is literally ‘all about animals’. On this degree you will receive a thorough grounding in 21st century zoology, exploring the diversity of animal form and function, and the evolution and ecology of the major animal groups. Through a series of individual modules which offer an element of choice, you will gain sound and broad zoological training in both invertebrate and vertebrate zoology, including applied aspects such as behaviour, entomology, parasitology, developmental biology, evolutionary biology, and the interaction between animals and their environment. We offer opportunities to carry out fieldwork both home and abroad, and to volunteer in research laboratories and animal facilities. Throughout your time at Bangor you will gain important subject-specific and transferable skills in experimental design, practical work, data analysis, group work, oral presentation, writing, and IT.
You will not only enjoy the resources expected of a modern centre of animal biology but will also benefit from the proximity of an exceptional range of terrestrial, marine, and freshwater habitats where field work, which is an integral part of the degree is conducted. We have our own Natural History Museum and are part of the Environment Centre Wales which is a partnership venture between Bangor University and the Natural Environment Research Council’s Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH). We have onsite marine and freshwater aquaria, and facilities for maintenance of venomous and non-venomous reptiles, small mammals, and birds, as well as large modern teaching and research laboratories and lecture halls, computer rooms, and study spaces.
As part of the Zoology degree you may choose to spend 3-6 months in Year 2 at a University in either Europe or the United States on a student exchange programme.
Why choose Bangor University for this course?
- TV presenter Steve Backshall is now part of our teaching team.
- We have a natural history museum with a comprehensive collection of insects and vertebrate material, marine and freshwater aquaria, a herpetarium, small mammal facilities, and a suite of environmentally-controlled rooms.
- Our location is an ideal place to study zoology as we have an extensive range of local terrestrial and aquatic habitats for field trips, including the University’s botanic gardens at Treborth.
Course Content
On this course you are required to take 120 credits each year made up of lectures, practicals, and interactive exercises, as well as field trips and tutorials. The final year can include an integrated research project, which is supervised by a member of staff on a subject to suit your interests. Modules become more specialised as the degree progresses and the number of compulsory modules varies between years. Assessment is by a mixture of formal examination and continuous assessment, and Welsh medium modules are also available.
Welsh medium modules are also available.
Facilities
General University Facilities
Library and Archive Services
Our four libraries provide a range of attractive study environments including collaborative work areas, meeting rooms and silent study spaces.
We have an extensive collection of books and journals and many of the journals are available online in full-text format.
We house one of the largest university-based archives not only in Wales, but also the UK. Allied to the Archives is the Special Collections of rare printed books.
Learning Resources
There is a range of learning resources available, supported by experienced staff, to help you in your studies.
The University’s IT Services provides computing, media and reprographics facilities and services including:
- Over 1,150 computers for students, with some PC rooms open 24 hours a day
- Blackboard, a commercial Virtual Learning Environment, that makes learning materials available on-line.
Careers
Our zoologists work all over the world in wildlife management, environmental consultancy, local and national media, and teaching, whilst some have undertaken a range of postgraduate (MSc and PhD) programmes at Bangor and elsewhere. A number have gone on to work in UK and international zoos and public aquaria, and several recent graduates have gained employment as animal care technicians in universities and industry.
EXPLORE MORE IN ZOOLOGY
Zoology encompasses animal behaviour, animal physiology, evolution, the interactions between animals and the environment and wildlife conservation. Nestled between the mountains and the sea, Bangor University is the obvious choice for anyone wanting to study Zoology as our location presents the best natural laboratory in the UK.
Additional Course Options
This course is available with a Placement Year option where you will study for 1 additional year. The Placement Year is undertaken at the end of the second year and students are away for the whole of the academic year.
The Placement Year provides you with a fantastic opportunity to broaden your horizons and develop valuable skills and contacts through working with a self-sourced organisation relevant to your degree subject. The minimum period in placement (at one or more locations) is seven calendar months; more usually you would spend 10-12 months with a placement provider. You would normally start sometime in the period June to September of your second year and finish between June and September the following year. Placements can be UK-based or overseas and you will work with staff to plan and finalise the placement arrangements.
You will be expected to find and arrange a suitable placement to complement your degree and will be fully supported throughout by a dedicated member of staff at your academic School and the University’s Skills and Employability Services.
You will have the opportunity to fully consider this option when you have started your course at Bangor and can make an application for a transfer onto this pathway at the appropriate time. If you have any questions in the meantime, please get in touch.
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