Animal Biology

study animal biology and graduate with a university degree

www.sbes.stir.ac.uk

Animal Biology is the integrated study of the enormous variety of animal life on Earth. It examines the evolutionary origins of the various animal groups and their ecology, behaviour and conservation. You can choose to focus exclusively on whole animal biology and conservation, or integrate these studies with those investigating more molecular and biochemical aspects of animal biology, such as genetics, cell structure, development and physiology.

Animal biologists attempt to answer important questions such as: how do animals with complex body plans develop from a single cell? Why do many female animals exhibit mate choice? What adaptations help animals cope with life in hostile environments? How do we best conserve rare and endangered animal species? The Animal Biology degree at Stirling offers an exciting and integrated programme of study.

BSc (Hons) Animal Biology

UCAS Code C300

Entrance Requirements

Year 1
Highers BBCC.

A-levels CCD or a combination of A2 and AS levels, VCE and VDA.

IB Diploma with a total of 26 points.
HNC or HND with Bs in Graded Units.

Access courses and other UK/EU and international qualifications are also welcomed.

Year 2
A-levels or Advanced Highers BBB to include Biology and one of Geography/Geology/Environmental Science/Physics/Chemistry.

Scottish HND in certain Applied Science subjects with Bs in Graded Units.

General Entrance Requirements apply.

International students can study our Undergraduate Certificate if they do not possess the necessary entrance requirements to be admitted directly to the first year of an undergraduate degree programme.

Required Subjects

One of Biology, Human Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics or Physics at Higher (B), A-level (C), IB Higher Level at 4 or equivalent.

Other qualifications not mentioned above must include science-based subjects.

Mathematics at Standard Grade (2), Intermediate 2 (C) or GCSE (C) or equivalent. Mathematics at Standard Grade (3) is considered on an individual basis.

English Standard Grade (2), Intermediate 2 (C), or GCSE (C). Applicants with English Standard Grade (3) will also be considered, although alternative entry conditions may be made in this case.

Modes of Study

Full-time (3 modules per semester).
Part-time (1 or 2 modules per semester).

Rating

Teaching provision in Biology has been assessed by the Scottish Funding Council and rated as ‘highly satisfactory’.

	contact us > > >
	Dr Andre Gilburn University of Stirling Stirling FK9 4LA Scotland UK
	Tel: + 44 (0) 1786 467807
	Email: andre.gilburn@stir.ac.uk
	Web: www.sbes.stir.ac.uk

Degree Programme

Semesters 1 - 4

In Years 1 and 2, you will take core modules in:

Cell Biology, Physiology, Genes and Evolution, Ecology, and Biodiversity
Practical Skills in the Biological and Environmental Sciences and Quantitative Techniques
Additional modules in other disciplines. Most students select from modules offered in either Environmental Science or Psychology to make up the remaining units

Semesters 5 - 6

In Year 3, you will take the following advanced modules:

Animal Physiology
Animal Ecology
The Animal Cell
Field and Laboratory Techniques
You will also take one or two modules from the following options: Microbiology, Marine Biology, Plant Ecology and Physiology

Semesters 7 - 8

In the final year, you will undertake an independent research project and go on the ecology and animal biology field course to Switzerland (see below). You will also take four or six advanced modules from a range of options which currently include:

The Evolution of Sex*
Immunology and Disease*
Molecular Techniques
Molecular Evolution and Phylogenetics
Proteomics
Cell Birth, Life and Death
Conservation Genetics
Conservation Biology
Restoration Ecology

* These modules are required

Fieldwork is an essential part of an animal biologist’s training. Stirling’s campus location is an ideal base from which to make field excursions, whether to study lekking Black Grouse in the Highlands or the distribution of animals on the Forth Estuary.

As well as fieldwork in Scotland the Animal Biology programme includes a 10-day field course held in the Alps of central Switzerland. You will learn techniques in identification, field sampling, experimental design, data analysis and presentation. The remote field station is situated near several sites of significant conservation importance, including protected alpine moor and alpine forest, and historical reintroduction sites for Ibex and Lynx.

An extensive research project takes up one third of the final-year programme. A wide variety of project topics are available and these reflect the active research interests of academic staff in the School of Biological and Environmental Sciences. These include:

Assessing the impact of bumblebee parasites on their host populations
Direct and indirect benefits of mating in courtship feeding insects
Reducing stereotypes of captive animals
Sexually transmitted disease and ladybird immune competence
Sexual selection, sexual conflict and mate choice in seaweed flies
Do agri-environment schemes provide any benefits to foraging bats?

Teaching and Assessment

Teaching is delivered in the form of formal lectures and practical classes, tutorials, seminars, computer-based learning and guided reading and research. Modules are assessed by a combination of coursework and examination completed during the semester. For many modules the marks awarded for coursework contribute 40 – 50 percent of the final grade but for some modules this is as high as 100 percent.

Career Opportunities

Animal biologists find jobs in the agriculture, pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, and in conservation management and environmental agencies. Other career paths include the civil service, such as forensic sciences, in teaching, the food industry, commercial analytical laboratories, in professions allied to medicine and in government and industrial research laboratories. In the latter case a further qualification such as an MSc or PhD is required for the more senior posts. An Animal Biology degree also offers an excellent general university education and can provide a gateway to careers in management, journalism and the media, finance and other areas of commerce, law, computing and in the leisure industry.