Animal Behaviour BSc (Hons)

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Available with:

  • Foundation Year

Accreditations

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Course Summary

Study the ever-interesting field of animal behaviour and develop vital highly desirable employer skills. Our Animal Behaviour course is firmly rooted in the biological sciences and adopts a rigorous scientific approach to the study of the behaviour of animals. While developing your fundamental skills and knowledge, you will also be using them in cutting-edge applied contexts such as conservation and welfare sciences. 

As well as exploring the behaviour of animals, you will embrace a wide taxonomic range of species and have a good focus on amphibians and invertebrates. These groups have a very fascinating behaviour in their own right: for example, cockroaches have personalities, and frogs can experience stress! They are also a crucial part of temperate and tropical ecosystems nonetheless – understanding their behaviour is vital for wider habitat conservation. 

Whilst the emphasis of the course is on wild animals, you will also study behaviour in more managed settings: e.g. determining husbandry and conservation breeding for endangered animals in zoos; best practice pet welfare and farm animal management. Our staff have real enthusiasm for their subject and bring great expertise from their research fields. 

Why you'll Love it

Academic Skills Support

Our Academic Skills team are a group of friendly experts who can help you enhance your academic, maths or statistics skills. The team offer a flexible and blended approach to delivering extracurricular academic skills support, with services accessible online and across our University sites to suit your needs.

Work Based Learning

Work Based Learning is a 150-hour placement based anywhere in the UK over five weeks in your second year, with a written assessment at the end to gain credits towards your degree. You get to spend time working in the role, industry or field you’re considering to see if it’s for you, and you get important ‘on-the-job’ experience that employers want everyone to have, but isn’t always easy to come by

Study Abroad

Almost all our courses offer the opportunity to study abroad, and there’s no need to learn a language. Our dedicated team will work with you to determine the most suitable route to increase your chance of admission. Explore places you never thought you’d see, immerse yourself in a whole other culture and way of life, and make memories to last a lifetime.

BSc (Hons) Animal Behaviour

BSc (Hons) Animal Behaviour

How you'll Learn

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Mix of tutor-led lectures, seminars, practicals and fieldwork

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There will be exams, MCQs, essays and innovative coursework

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This course is designed around in-person study

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There may be some online learning activities

There will also be problem-solving group work and other student-led activities to inspire independence and leadership skills. 

Beyond the Classroom

On this course, you’ll have the opportunity to undertake an Experiential Learning module, where you’ll apply what you’ve learnt on the course to real life scenarios and projects. 

Our Experiential Overseas Learning module offers a unique opportunity to participate in a short-term placement around the world. 

This course offers the exciting opportunity to study abroad for a full academic year at one of our bilateral exchange partners or through ISEP (International Student Exchange Programs), a network of over 300 additional higher education institutions worldwide. 

Entry Requirements

112 UCAS Points

UCAS Tariff

112 points

GCE A Level

Typical offer – BCC-BBC ; either Biology or Applied Science is essential

BTEC

BTEC Extended Diploma: (Animal Care/Management or Applied Science): Typical offer - DMM

International Baccalaureate

26 points including 5 in HL Biology

Irish / Scottish Highers

Irish Highers: H3 H3 H3 H3 H4 including H3 in Biology

Scottish Highers: BBBB including Biology

Access requirements

Access to HE Diploma (Science), to include 45 credits at level 3, of which 30 must be at Merit or above

T Level

T Level Science - Merit

OCR Cambridge Technicals

OCR Extended Diploma (Applied Science): DMM

Extra Information

Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced and A level General Studies will be recognised in our offer.  We will also consider a combination of A Levels and BTECs/OCRs. 

Students from countries outside the UK are expected to have entry qualifications roughly equivalent to UK A Level for undergraduate study and British Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) for postgraduate study. To help you to interpret these equivalents, please click on your country of residence to see the corresponding entry qualifications, along with information about your local representatives, events, information and contacts.

We accept a wide range of qualifications and consider all applications individually on merit. We may also consider appropriate work experience.

For more information on our entry requirements, please visit International Entry Requirements

72 UCAS Points

UCAS Tariff

72 points

GCE A Level

72 UCAS points from GCE A Levels to include grade D in Biology

BTEC

BTEC Extended Diploma: (Animal Care/Management or Applied Science): Typical offer - MMP

International Baccalaureate

24 points including 4 in HL Biology

Irish / Scottish Highers

Irish Highers: H4 H4 H4 H4 H4 including Biology

Scottish Highers: CCDD including Biology

Access requirements

Access to HE Diploma (Science) – Pass overall

T Level

Considered alongside A Level Biology              

OCR Cambridge Technicals

OCR Extended Diploma (Applied Science): MMP

Extra Information

Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced and A level General Studies will be recognised in our offer.  We will also consider a combination of A Levels and BTECs/OCRs. If you are a mature student (21 or over) and have been out of education for a while or do not have experience or qualifications at Level 3 (equivalent to A Levels), then our Foundation Year courses will help you to develop the skills and knowledge you will need to succeed in your chosen degree. Animal Behaviour - A level Biology or Applied Science or BTEC Animal Care / Management or Applied Science

Where you'll study Exton Park, Chester

The location

Exton Park is close to the city centre of Chester, a city like no other and an amazing place to live as a student. While it is undoubtedly beautiful and packed with history, Chester is also a bustling 21st-century city balancing big-name shopping, eating and living with a thriving independent scene.

Modern learning resources and library

We have dedicated resources and IT services across campus, as well as our Seaborne Library; home to an extensive selection of books, e-books and e-journals, as well as bookable multimedia rooms, video conferencing space, 24-hour access computer labs, and The Hub; a comfortable two-floor study zone, suitable for independent and group study.

Seaborne library, seating and reception area.

Support Services

Exton Park is home to a number of our central support services, including Disability and Inclusion, Careers and Employability, and Student Support.

Fitness Facilities

Exton Park boasts an impressive choice of indoor and outdoor sports and leisure facilities, which are used for both competitive and recreational sports. Our facilities include a swimming pool, gym, squash, and tennis courts, running track and two floodlit pitches.

A male student wearing goggles is swimming in the training pool between the red rope lane marker lines.

Chapel, Chaplaincy and Multi-Faith Spaces

Built in 1847 by former students, the University Chapel offers regular services and a venue to services. The University of Chester also has multi-faith spaces across the campus for prayer or quiet reflection.

Accommodation

Most of our student accommodation is located either on or near Exton Park.

Catering

We have several catering outlets available onsite, offering a wide selection of hot and cold food to students and visitors. Term-time Meal Schemes are also available for those students interested in non-residential catering schemes.

Fees and Funding

£9,250 per year (2024/25)

Our full-time undergraduate tuition fees for Home students entering University in 2024/25 are £9,250 a year, or £1,540 per 20-credit module for part-time study.

The University may increase these fees at the start of each subsequent year of your course in line with inflation at that time, as measured by the Retail Price Index. These fee levels and increases are subject to any necessary government, and other regulatory, approvals.

Students from the UK, Isle of Man, Guernsey, Jersey and the Republic of Ireland are treated as Home students for tuition fee purposes.

Following the UK’s exit from the EU, students from countries in the European Economic Area and the EU starting in or after the 2021/22 academic year will pay International Tuition Fees.

Students who have been granted Settled Status may be eligible for Home Fee Status and if eligible will be able to apply for Tuition Fee Loans and Maintenance Loans.

Students who have been granted Pre-settled Status may be eligible for Home Fee Status and if eligible will be able to apply for Tuition Fee Loans.

£13,950 per year (2024/25)

The tuition fees for international students studying Undergraduate programmes in 2024/25 are £13,950. 

This fee is set for each year of study. All undergraduate students are eligible for international and merit-based scholarships which are applicable to each year of study.  

For more information, go to our International Fees, Scholarship and Finance section.

Irish Nationals living in the UK or ROI are treated as Home students for Tuition Fee Purposes. 

Your course will involve additional costs not covered by your tuition fees. This may include books, printing, photocopying, educational stationery and related materials, specialist clothing, travel to placements, optional field trips and software. Compulsory field trips are covered by your tuition fees. 

If you are living away from home during your time at university, you will need to cover costs such as accommodation, food, travel and bills. 

Your Future Career

Job Prospects

Department graduates go on to a wide range of employment and self-employment. The nature of the course means that they are ideal candidates for many professional roles within the creative industries and beyond. There are high rates of employment, or progression to further study, from the department. 

Progression Options

  • Animal Behaviour MSc
  • Animal Welfare MSc
  • Zoology and Animal Science

Careers service

The University has an award-winning Careers and Employability service which provides a variety of employability-enhancing experiences; through the curriculum, through employer contact, tailored group sessions, individual information, advice and guidance.

Careers and Employability aims to deliver a service which is inclusive, impartial, welcoming, informed and tailored to your personal goals and aspirations, to enable you to develop as an individual and contribute to the business and community in which you will live and work.

We are here to help you plan your future, make the most of your time at University and to enhance your employability. We provide access to part-time jobs, extra-curricular employability-enhancing workshops and offer practical one-to-one help with career planning, including help with CVs, applications and mock interviews. We also deliver group sessions on career planning within each course and we have a wide range of extensive information covering graduate jobs and postgraduate study.

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