Zoology
Zoology is the scientific study of animals, and it encompasses an extraordinarily wide range of organisms, behaviours, environments, and biological processes. From the molecular mechanisms of animal physiology to the population dynamics of ecosystems, zoology connects the very small with the very large, and the deeply practical with the profoundly theoretical. It is a discipline that develops genuine scientific rigour alongside a sense of wonder at the natural world, and it provides essential knowledge for the conservation and management of biodiversity at a time when both have never been more urgent.
This four-year full-time programme at the University of Chester includes a foundation year for students who need additional preparation before the main degree, as well as a year abroad that takes your studies into an international field or research context. The foundation year builds the scientific and analytical foundations needed for degree-level biology, while the main programme covers animal physiology, ecology, evolution, behaviour, taxonomy, genetics, and the research methods used to investigate animal biology in the laboratory and in the field. Chester's connection to Chester Zoo and to the conservation community in the North West enriches the curriculum with access to professional conservationists and living animal collections that few universities can match.
Zoology graduates pursue careers in conservation and wildlife management, environmental consultancy, scientific research, education, zoos and aquariums, veterinary science support, and science communication. Many go on to postgraduate study in ecology, conservation biology, animal behaviour, or related disciplines. The programme's field and laboratory training, combined with the year abroad, gives graduates the practical skills that employers in conservation and environmental science value most.
The discipline also provides a rigorous scientific foundation for graduate-entry professional programmes in veterinary medicine and related health sciences.