Animal Behaviour

Animal behaviour is a discipline that draws on both biology and psychology to understand why animals do what they do. It asks how behaviour is controlled by the nervous system, how it develops through an animal's lifetime, how it has been shaped by natural selection and how it varies across individuals and species. These are questions with profound implications for conservation, animal welfare, veterinary practice and our understanding of the evolutionary origins of human behaviour.

At the University of Aberdeen, the four-year full-time degree combines biology and psychology to develop your ability to measure and understand behaviour across a range of animal groups. You will study the behaviour of wild animals in their natural environments, the behaviour and welfare of companion, domestic and captive exotic animals, and the links between behaviour and practical applications including conservation management, captive breeding programmes and the assessment of animal welfare standards. The degree includes a year abroad, giving you the opportunity to study or carry out fieldwork in a different country, which is valuable in a discipline where international perspectives on wildlife and conservation are important.

Aberdeen's location in north-east Scotland gives access to a range of wildlife habitats, from North Sea marine environments and upland moorland to agricultural landscapes and the Cairngorms National Park, all of which provide opportunities for field-based study.

Graduates work in wildlife conservation, zoos and aquaria, animal welfare organisations, veterinary practices, research institutions, government agencies, environmental consultancies and academic research. Postgraduate study in animal behaviour, conservation biology, zoology or animal welfare science is a natural next step for those who want to develop research expertise.