Program Overview

MSci Zoology - 2026 entry

Overview

Our MSci provides an opportunity to work on a project focused on a specialised area aligned with one of our leading research groups. Gain expertise in evolution, physiology, animal behaviour, ecology and conservation. Focus on an understanding of whole-animal biology, ecology and behaviour, and the evolution of animal life histories. Learn from some of the world’s leading biologists, working in evolution, behaviour, ecology and conservation. You'll be exposed to a wide range of practical and theoretical techniques. Study at our modern, eco-friendly Penryn Campus, situated in one of the UK’s most beautiful and inspiring regions, with a stunning natural environment that serves as your classroom.

Entry Requirements

• Typical offer: A-Level: AAB, IB: 34/665, BTEC: DDD
• Contextual offers: A-Level: ABC, IB: 30/555, BTEC: DDM
• GCSE: C or 4 and B or 5, Grade C or 4 in GCSE English language and grade B or 5 in Mathematics
• Access to HE: 30 L3 credits at Distinction Grade and 15 L3 credits at Merit Grade
• T-Level: T-Levels not accepted
• Other accepted qualifications: View other accepted qualifications
• English language requirements: International students need to show they have the required level of English language to study this course. The required test scores for this course fall under Profile B2.

Course Content

Year 1

• Compulsory modules:
  • BIO1434: Ecology and Conservation (30 credits)
  • BIO1435: Animal Diversity (30 credits)
  • BIO1436: Evolution and Genetics (30 credits)
• Optional modules:
  • BIO1437: Life Processes (30 credits)

Year 2

• Compulsory modules:
  • BIO2426: Analysis of Biological Data (15 credits)
  • BIO2444: Scotland Field Course (15 credits)
  • BIO2450: Biosciences Penryn Virtual Field Course (15 credits)
  • BIO2458: Scillies St Agnes Field Course (15 credits)
  • BIO2459: Scillies St Mary's Field Course (15 credits)
  • BIO2467: Adaptations to Life on Earth (15 credits)
• Optional modules:
  • BIO2407: Population and Community Ecology (15 credits)
  • BIO2414: Evolutionary Ecology (15 credits)
  • BIO2423: Wildlife Disease (15 credits)
  • BIO2425: Introduction to Ecological Consultancy (15 credits)
  • BIO2461: Conservation Science (30 credits)
  • BIO2462: Marine Ecology (30 credits)
  • BIO2463: Animal Behaviour (30 credits)
  • BIO2465: Wildlife Exploitation (15 credits)
  • BIO2466: GIS for Wildlife Mapping (15 credits)
  • BEP2150: Ecological Economics (15 credits)
  • ECE2001: Oceans and Human Health (15 credits)
  • GEO2441: Remote Sensing for Environmental Management (15 credits)
  • GEO2449: Green Consultants (15 credits)
  • GEO2450: Biogeography (15 credits)
  • ECM2911: Mathematics of the Environment (15 credits)

Year 3

• Compulsory modules:
  • BIO3136: Research Project (40 credits)
  • BIO3423: Azores Field Course (30 credits)
  • BIO3429: Northern Spain Field Course (30 credits)
  • BIO3439: Alpine Ecology Field Course (30 credits)
  • BIO3444: Ecology, Behaviour and Conservation in Wild Places: The Forests and Oceans of Yukon and Alaska (30 credits)
  • BIO3445: European Wildlife Conservation Field Course in the Pyrenees (30 credits)
  • BIO3430: Tropical Biodiversity and Conservation: Costa Rica Field Course (30 credits)
  • BIO3440: Global Research Skills Virtual Field Course (15 credits)
  • BIO3407: Literature Review in Evolution and Ecology (15 credits)
  • LESM003: Literature Review in the Life Sciences (15 credits)
  • LESM005: Applied Data Analysis (15 credits)
• Optional modules:
  • BIO3116: Marine Vertebrate Conservation (15 credits)
  • BIO3135: Human Behavioural Ecology (15 credits)
  • BIO3400: Living in Groups (15 credits)
  • BIO3409: Symbiosis in Marine Systems (15 credits)
  • BIO3410: Sensory Ecology (15 credits)
  • BIO3411: Science in Society (15 credits)
  • BIO3413: Animal Life Histories (15 credits)
  • BIO3415: Ecological Responses to Climate Change (15 credits)
  • BIO3420: Evolutionary Biology of Health and Disease (15 credits)
  • BIO3421: Animal Migration (15 credits)
  • BIO3422: Animal Cognition (15 credits)
  • BIO3426: Primate Biology and Conservation (15 credits)
  • BIO3428: The Complexity of Human Societies (15 credits)
  • BIO3433: Ocean Management and Conservation (15 credits)
  • BIO3434: Major Transitions in Evolutionary History (15 credits)
  • BIO3443: The Genome: Applications, Evolution and Ecology (15 credits)
  • CSM3409: Politics, Mining and Sustainable Development (15 credits)
  • ECE3001: Living with Environmental Change (15 credits)
  • ECE3003: Global and Planetary Health (15 credits)

Final Year

• Compulsory modules:
  • BIOM052: Academic Research Project (60 credits)
  • BIOM4043: Rewilding the United Kingdom (30 credits)
  • LESM003: Literature Review in the Life Sciences (15 credits)
  • LESM005: Applied Data Analysis (15 credits)

Fees

• Tuition fees for 2025 entry: UK students: £9,535 per year, International students: £30,900 per year
• Fieldwork: Please note, some optional/alternative field courses may incur additional costs.

Scholarships

• Exeter Excellence Scholarships: The University of Exeter has many different scholarships available to support your education, including £5 million in scholarships for international students applying to study with us in the 2025/26 academic year.

Learning and Teaching

• How will I learn?: Lectures, Seminars, Tutorials, Fieldwork, Laboratory sessions, Independent study, Regular research seminars, by our staff and visiting lecturers
• Learn from experts: We believe that every student benefits from being part of a culture that is inspired by research and being taught by experts.

Assessment

• Your first year does not count towards your final degree classification, but you do have to pass it in order to progress. All marks after your first year count towards your final classification.
• Modules are assessed using a variety of methods including essays, exams, presentations, laboratory reports and a dissertation.

Academic Support

• Personal Tutor: You will have a Personal Tutor available for advice and support throughout your studies.
• Study skills: Help with essay writing, research skills, time management, presentations and more.

Peer Mentoring

• All first-years will have the opportunity to join dynamic weekly groups, hosted by both second-year and PhD Biosciences students in Cornwall, which span a range of key areas, such as: Social and pastoral care, Key skills, Employability, Discipline-specific support

Facilities

• Our facilities include: Teaching laboratories, Computing suites, Field equipment for research projects, Library and online resources

Optional Modules Outside of This Course

• Each year, if you have optional modules available, you can take up to 30 credits in a subject outside of your course. This can increase your employability and widen your intellectual horizons.

Proficiency in a Second Subject

• If you complete 60 credits of modules in specified subjects, you may have the words 'with proficiency in’ added to your degree title when you graduate.

Your Future

• Employer-valued skills this course develops: A degree in Ecology and Conservation will help you to develop a wide range of essential skills such as analytical problem-solving, teamwork and organising and communicating information.
• Supporting your career in Ecology and Conservation: Each year Ecology and Conservation students are able to access a huge range of opportunities to support their future career options.
• Careers Services: We have a dedicated, award-winning Careers Service ensuring you have access to careers advisors, mentors and the tools you need to succeed in finding employment in your chosen field on graduation.

Career Paths

• Many of our graduates are employed in discipline-relevant roles in the UK and overseas including laboratory-based positions, conservation management, ecology, teaching and nursing. Others use the skills gained on their course to enter widely different career paths in law, business or management.
• Recent graduates are now working as: Conservation professionals, Biological scientists, Environment professionals, Laboratory technicians, Welfare and housing associate professionals, Web design professionals, Public relations professionals, Photographers, audio-visual and broadcasting equipment operators, Archivists and curators
• Recent graduates are now working for: AECOM, Cornwall Science Community, Darwin Ecology, Ecology Solutions, Fishtek Consulting, Harris Lamb Property Consultants, Natural England, Society for the Protection of Turtles, UKSTEM Ltd, World Wildlife Fund

Further Study

• Further study is a popular choice for a number of students following graduation from an Ecology and Conservation undergraduate degree. Below are a few examples of further study undertaken by recent graduates of undergraduate programmes.
• MPH/MRes/PhD Biological Sciences, MPH Medical Studies, MRes Ecosystem and Environmental Change, MSc Conservation and Biodiversity, MSc Environment and Human Health, MSc Evolutionary and Behavioural Ecology, MSc Immunology, MSc Marine Environmental Management, MSc Surveying and Land/Environmental Management, MSc Toxicology