Learn why animals behave in the ways that they do and how this can impact on their health and welfare, and how it influences the management of companion, domestic, captive and wild animals in our accredited BSc (Hons) Animal Behaviour course in Cambridge. Why study Animal Behaviour at ARU?

Be part of the longest established animal behaviour course in the UK, accredited by the Royal Society of Biology.

Get hands-on by using cutting-edge technologies and techniques to study animal behaviour, and how it’s used in solving conservation and welfare problems.

Bring the world of work to life through Live Briefs; designed, developed, and run with zoos, farms, and wildlife charities, giving you exposure to ‘real world’ challenges, including the option to study animal behaviour locally and abroad.

Study in Cambridge – a hub of wildlife and conservation research, and home to our £45m Science Centre.

Complete projects and internships with our research-active expert staff from the School of Life Sciences, and access work placements with a range of employers.

Animal Behaviour is a practical subject with plenty of opportunities to hone your skills, both in the lab and out in the field. You'll observe and undertake animal handling and training and practise advanced behavioural data collection in the field and within captive environments. You'll have the opportunity to attend residential field trips to North Devon, where you can learn a range of practical skills. There are also day trips to carry out animal behaviour observations at locations including the Norfolk coast, Wimpole Home Farm and Banham Zoo. You could also undertaken projects, placements and summer internships with a range of organisations such as (but not limited to) Natural England, Shepreth Wildlife Park, Woburn Safari Park, Wildwood Trust and the Cambridge Museum of Zoology. We also engage in Live Briefs with BCN Wildlife Trust. Within this course you'll study animal behaviour and its relation to form and function, evolution, ecology and conservation efforts. Develop practical research skills and an understanding of how to interpret and present biological information through the use of statistics and computing software. Your studies won’t just be focused on mammals; we’ll look at birds, amphibians and reptiles, with some focus on species found in Britain. We’ll consider how animals live, and challenges such as invasive species, climate change and habitat loss. You’ll take time to understand how animals learn and can be trained, exploring a range of behavioural modification techniques. You’ll learn appropriate techniques to address common problems across a range of species. You can also take optional modules to focus on areas of particular interest to you. These include population ecology, wildlife conservation and tropical ecology, zoo management, animal health, the biology and behaviour of mammals, and species distribution with a focus on the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software. Fast becoming a world centre for wildlife conservation, Cambridge is home to Fauna and Flora International, Birdlife International and the World Conservation Monitoring Centre. During your time with us, you’ll have opportunities to attend lectures and visit specialist museums and libraries in the city. Studying animal behaviour could give you the opportunity to help future generations to see species live and in the flesh, not just read about them in a history book. With the breadth of skills you’ll acquire, you could find yourself working in animal training and behavioural rehabilitation, teaching in a zoo, or even working in a laboratory.

Modules

Year 1: Animal Physiology and Behaviour (30 credits) Introduction to Ecology and Conservation (30 credits) Principles of Biology (30 credits) Quantitative Techniques and Tools for Biologists (30 credits) Professional and Personal Development - Level 4 Year 2 Core Modules: Animal Learning and Training (15 credits) Biological Bases of Behaviour (15 credits) Vertebrate Biology (15 credits) Ruskin Module (15 credits) Field Skills in Biology (15 credits) Evolutionary Bases of Behaviour (15 credits) Biological Research Skills (15 credits) Professional and Personal Development - Level 5 Year 2 Optional Modules: GIS and Spatial Ecology (15 credits) Animal Health and Disease (15 credits) Year 3 Core Modules: Behavioural Ecology (15 credits) Cognition, Evolution and Behaviour (15 credits) Applied Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare (15 credits) Human-Animal Interactions (15 credits) Wildlife Conservation (15 credits) Undergraduate Major Project (30 credits) Year 3 Optional Modules: Population Ecology and Wildlife Management (15 credits) Tropical Ecology and Management (15 credits) Zoos and Zoo Animal Management (15 credits)

Assessment method

We’ll assess you in a number of ways, with most modules including a combination of written assignments and exams. For some modules, you may be asked to present or produce a poster, portfolio or workbook.

Professional bodies

Professionally accredited courses provide industry-wide recognition of the quality of your qualification.

Royal Society of Biology

How to apply

29Jan

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Application codes

Course code:: C120

Institution code:: A60

Campus name:: Cambridge Campus

Campus code:: C

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

Year 1

International applicants

We welcome applications from international and EU students, and accept a range of international qualifications.

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

UCAS Tariff - 112 points

GCSE/National 4/National 5

2025 entry requirements have been published using the current cycle information however, due to a current review these are subject to change. Please check back here for updates.

Please click the following link to find out more about qualification requirements for this course

https://aru.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/animal-behaviour#entry_requirements

Student Outcomes

Operated by the Office for Students

Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)

Go onto work and study

The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

England	£9535	Year 1
Northern Ireland	£9535	Year 1
Scotland	£9535	Year 1
Wales	£9535	Year 1
Channel Islands	£9535	Year 1
Republic of Ireland	£9535	Year 1

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .

Additional fee information

https://www.aru.ac.uk/student-life/preparing-for-study/help-with-finances/undergraduate https://www.aru.ac.uk/study/tuition-fees

Provider information

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Anglia Ruskin University
East Road
Cambridge
CB1 1PT

Course contact details

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Main Contact

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01245 686868

Anglia Ruskin University, Admissions Customer Services