BSc Zoology with Professional Experience

Study animals in their natural habitat – gaining expertise in evolution, physiology, behaviour and conservation – with our BSc Zoology with Professional Experience degree.

Not many degrees give you the opportunity to get your hands on a lion’s skull at the University’s own museum, but with our four-year BSc Zoology with Professional Experience course, that’s just a tiny part of what’s on offer.

Zoology is the science of animals: whether you’re passionate about one particular group of animals, or interested in the subject as a whole, we’ll help you get the most out of your degree.

Choose BSc Zoology with Professional Experience at the University of Reading

• 93% of graduates from Biological Sciences are in work or further study within 15 months of graduation (based on HESA data, Graduate Outcomes Survey 2019/20; includes all Biological Sciences responders).
• All graduates are eligible for membership of The Royal Society of Biology and can apply for Chartered Biologist status.
• 98% of students in the School of Biological Sciences said our teaching staff were good or very good at explaining things. (National Student Survey, 2023)

Many other universities offer a one-size-fits-all, shared first year to all students – from ecologists to biochemists – but, at Reading, you’ll study animals from day one.

Enthusiastic academics from the School of Biological Sciences will teach you about animal life at all levels, from the simplest forms through to birds and mammals.

Your zoology studies will explore the breadth of the animal world, including:

• populations
• ecosystems
• animal behaviour
• evolution
• biodiversity
• conservation.

Our wide range of optional modules enables you to follow your specific interests in this vast, fascinating area of study.

Professional experience

This degree includes an integrated year-long work placement, between your second and final year.

Placements are available across the UK and around the world – past students have travelled to regions as diverse as Canada, New Zealand, the Azores, and Iceland.

Recent placements have included:

• Bristol Zoo
• Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust
• Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust
• Quantock Ecology
• Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl).
• Environment Agency.

You’ll receive advice and support to find your ideal placement. For more information, visit our Zoology placement webpages.

• Luke Forrest completed a one-year placement at Dstl, enhancing the behaviour and training of operational search dogs, and acquired the skills and experience to land a job with them after he graduated.

Field courses

Field courses are one of the most popular aspects of our degree, offering unique opportunities for real-world, experiential learning.

You’ll develop practical experience of lab and field research techniques, equipping you with essential skills and confidence and boosting your employability.

In your second year, our field courses could take you to a variety of locations across Europe and beyond. For example, our Tropical Zoology Field Course module has allowed students to learn first-hand about the amazing wildlife, biodiversity, and conservation efforts in locations such as:

• the Galapagos Islands
• Tanzania
• South Africa
• Canada.

The costs of these trips are not included, although all are subsidised.

In your final year, you can complete a field or lab-based research project under expert supervision – an opportunity no longer offered in many universities. Our projects have ranged from studying urban mammals such as hedgehogs, foxes and red kites, to insects and pond or fresh-water animals, to animals in zoos.

Specialist facilities

Your studies will be based in our £60m Health and Life Sciences building. This space features:

• research and teaching laboratories
• seminar rooms
• study and social space
• a cafe.

The building is also home to the Cole Museum of Zoology. The collection, comprising more than 3,500 natural specimens, provides a fantastic resource for biological scientists and the wider community.

The Museum will feature extensively in your zoology studies, offering unique opportunities to develop hands-on skills in taxonomy and natural history conservation. As a student, you can also volunteer at the museum and receive training in curation.

Study Abroad

As part of your degree, you can apply to study for a year abroad at one of our partner universities across the world.

All classes are conducted in English and bursaries are available to help with travel and accommodation costs.

Visit the Study Abroad website for more information.