Study Zoology, where you will discover the fascinating world of animals and their environments. With a diverse range of modules, you will explore topics such as evolution, ecology, conservation and much more.
Entry Tariff
112 UCAS points (or equivalent)
Foundation Year entry: 64 UCAS points (or equivalent)
UCAS Code
C300
C301 (if choosing Foundation Year)
Duration
3 years (full-time)
4 years (full-time) if opting for the additional placement year
4 years (full-time) if opting for Foundation Year entry
Start date
September 2024
Degree Type
BSc (single honours)
Course also available with Foundation Year
Modules
These modules are those we currently offer and may be subject to change.
This course is offered as a degree with foundation year – a four-year programme which provides an additional foundation year at the beginning of the degree, that will give you academic and practical experience, as well as the skills you need to ensure you are equipped to successfully complete your chosen degree.
£2,000 Foundation Scholarships for all home students
Find out more about our degrees with a foundation year
This course offers all students the option of a one-year paid work placement, to boost your employability even further. If you choose this route, you will take the placement following year two of your course, and then return to complete your degree.
Why take a placement?
A placement year is the perfect opportunity to gain valuable work experience, to build on the career skills we will teach you on this degree. The connections you make on the placement will improve your career prospects further, and equip you with the skills you need to secure graduate-level employment.
How we support you
The University's Placement and Work Experience Team are experts at helping you to secure a placement. They will work closely with you from the start, helping you research potential employers, discover placement opportunities, create and pitch your CV, and will coach you to perform well in interviews. We aren't able to guarantee a placement, but our sector-leading advisors will give you the best possible chance of securing one.
Find out more about how we'll support you
We understand that your plans might change once you start your programme. If you decide not to do a placement, you will have the option of completing the three year version of your programme.
Whatever your choice, you will have access to many opportunities for work experience through our Placement and Work Experience Team, and access to face-to-face and 24/7 online careers support.
Study Abroad
This course has the option of studying abroad as part of your degree in your second semester of second year.
With Roehampton Abroad scholarships of up to £1,000 and Turing Scheme funding available, you could spend a semester at one of our partner universities across the globe, with destinations including the USA, Australia, New Zealand, Asia and Europe.
Find out more about where your degree could take you here.
Why this course
Through collaborations with industry partners and fieldwork opportunities like our field trips to South Africa and Wales, students gain valuable skills that are highly sought-after in the job market, including data analysis and problem-solving.
Pursuing this BSc in Zoology equips students with the knowledge and skills necessary to tackle some of the most pressing issues facing our planet today. We are ranked best modern university in the UK for Zoology (Guardian University Guide 2024).
This course mixes hands-on learning and practical experience. Students gain a deep understanding of animal behaviour, ecology, and evolution, and become prepared for a wide range of careers, including policy development and conservation.
Skills
- Develop scientific and critical thinking skills to solve real-world problems related to conservation and sustainability.
- Gain hands-on experience in fieldwork, laboratory research, and data analysis to develop practical skills for a career in zoology, veterinary science, conservation or related fields.
- Foster professional values, ethical awareness, and teamwork skills necessary for success in the workplace.
- Enhance employability through the development of transferable skills such as communication, digital literacy, and problem-solving, and through opportunities for work placements and volunteering.
- With a strong emphasis on practical work, you will have plenty of opportunities to work in the field, both locally and overseas, to gain valuable skills for your career. You’ll learn core laboratory skills such as titration, pipetting, and how to design and carry out laboratory experiments such as addressing climate change or identifying biological or physiological traits of animals.
- You'll learn to survey the environment, take measurements, collect samples, perform biochemical analysis in practical laboratory work, and interpret your data by creating reports and giving presentations in the results of your findings.
Get more out of your degree
An optional and student-funded module, Conservation, People and Wildlife: South African Field Course*, involves a two-week adventure to South Africa. You’ll learn directly from people living and working in conservation and related fields, and study South Africa’s wildlife including elephants, lions and rhinos. It’s a unique opportunity to get first-hand insight into the reality of conservation in Africa and gain valuable experience of another culture and country.
*South African field trip is not included in tuition fee.
How you'll learn
The Zoology programme is taught using a mixture of lectures/seminars, practical sessions and field exercises. This approach allows students with diverse learning styles to gain a well-rounded understanding of the subject matter through different forms of instruction.
You will make use of our excellent on-campus laboratories and specimen collections to develop your practical skills (e.g. in organism identification and dissection, measuring physiological rates and experimental design).
You'll participate in field trips where you will perform habitat surveys and mapping at the nearby Richmond Park & Wimbledon Common and travel to Wales to explore various UK habitats, including river ecosystems, salt marshes, and rocky shores. This week-long trip will provide you with the ideal experience for careers in habitat or conservation management, as you acquire field-based skills in ecology, animal behaviour, and animal physiology.
You will also visit local museums (e.g. the Natural History Museum and Grant museum of Zoology), Zoos (e.g. Chessington) and other local attractions (e.g. Kew Gardens and Wildfowl & Wetland Trust) to further your knowledge of animals and their interaction with humans and the environment.
All student learning is appropriately underpinned by research, scholarship and professional practice of teaching staff and reflects the entire scope of content in Zoology today from molecular techniques to societal challenges. This ensures that students are exposed to the latest developments in their field and are able to engage with current research and scholarship.
How you'll be assessed
We use a wide range of assessments to cater to diverse learning styles, including engaging assessment that follow an explore-reflect-apply pattern, in which student will often submit a draft or crude version of the assessment, receive feedback and improve the submission based on that feedback.
The assessment come in different forms, such as portfolio submissions, practical summaries, posters, bibliographies and case studies. Students are supported to learn about different assessment types and skills through careful scaffolding over the years. For example, the portfolio assessment introduced in Diversity of Life develops through the subsequent modules Ecology and Evolution in year 2 and Comparative Zoology in year 3.
Upcoming Events:
Career options
Graduating students will be well-equipped for a variety of careers in the life sciences. You will also have developed a range of personal skills, including independence, teamwork, and resilience, that will serve them well in both their professional and personal lives.
All teaching has a focus on transferrable and employability skills including evaluating and interpreting biological data, and communicating effectively in a scientific style, gaining scientific skills that are sought after in the sector (e.g. as techniques used in ecological consultancy).
Graduating students can expect to have achieved a strong academic foundation in zoology, as well as a range of transferrable skills, including problem-solving, critical thinking, and communication. With a wide range of potential job routes, including roles in veterinary science, conservation (e.g. ecological consultancy), research, and roles influencing policy, such as Sustainability officers.
How our careers service supports you
Our careers team is available to support you from the start of your studies until after you graduate. We will help you build your CV, prepare for interviews, and meet and learn from successful graduates working at the top of their careers. You’ll also have opportunities to work with our partners across London and beyond, and to attend a Roehampton jobs fair where you can find out about graduate opportunities and meet employers.
Application Info
How to apply
Undergraduate programmes
- September 2024 entry: Home (UK) students – apply through UCAS (Roehampton UCAS institution code is R48)
- September 2024 entry: International students- apply using our direct application form
Apply now for September 2024 entry
If you need any help or advice with your application, or just want to ask us a question before you apply, please do not hesitate to contact us.
We welcome applicants with a wide range of qualifications, including BTECs, A-levels and T Levels.
When we consider applications to study with us, we form a complete view of your achievements to date, and future potential. In some cases, we will make you a contextual offer. Contextual offers ensure that all applicants have a fair opportunity of gaining a place with us, regardless of their background. Find out more about contextual offers.
Detailed advice on applying for an undergraduate degree is available on our How to apply page.
Tuition fees and funding
September 2024 entry tuition fees
Year 1 fees, see links in table below for more information.
We offer a wide range of scholarships and bursaries. See our 2024 financial support pages for UK students, and for international students.
We also provide other ways to support the cost of living, including free buses and on-campus car parking, hardship support and some of the most affordable student accommodation and catering in London. Find out more about how we can support you.
Entry tariff
We welcome applications from students studying T Levels.
For all courses we also accept a wide range of other qualifications and experience. Contact us to find out more.
When we consider applications to study with us, we form a complete view of your achievements to date, and future potential, and can offer flexibility in entry requirements. Find out more about our Contextual Offer scheme.
Specific entry requirements
A-level / BTEC (or equivalent qualification) including Biology or another Science subject.
GCSE (or equivalent) requirement: Maths, Grade C / 4.
Contact us for further information.
General entry requirements
Contextual offers
When we consider applications to study with us, we form a complete view of your achievements to date, and future potential, and can offer flexibility in entry requirements.
Find out moreNeed help before you apply?
Course Facilities
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