Zoology

This module will give you an introduction to the principles of plant and animal physiology at the systems level with appropriate links to anatomy, cell biology, pathology, and behaviour.

This module provides you with an introduction to the principles, concepts and techniques in the study of biological molecules, cell biology and microbiology. Key themes are the structure and function of biomolecules and cells. Microbial life will be introduced, drawing examples from aquatic, terrestrial, food and medical microbiology, emphasising microbial friends and foes.

This module will provide you with an introduction to the variety of life on Earth, explore plant and animal diversity from both a functional and a systematic perspective, as well as introducing the major concepts underpinning genetics and evolution and the mechanisms of evolutionary change.

This module will introduce you to the principles and practical applications of ecology.

You will consider how you collect and analyse data and how you interpret and present your findings. Field data collection methods will be discussed and then implemented, and statistical methods will then be used to analyse this data.

In this module, you will explore key principles that underpin nucleic acid molecular methodologies. Topics will include in vitro and in vivo cloning methodologies, next-generation sequencing and bioinformatics techniques, which will be discussed in the context of medical and environmental science. Emerging molecular biology techniques will also be critically analysed.

This module covers the mechanisms and development of behaviour, or how brain and body combine to produce behaviour. The module consists of a series of lectures, practical sessions and tutorials.

The module will cover the principles of evolution, and explore the concept of behavioural traits as adaptations to an individual's environment.

This module introduces you to the professional skills involved with being a biologist. It develops your knowledge of key methodologies, skills and experiences needed for professional development.

This module will explore the ecology and evolution of species interactions. The key topics you will study include pollination, manipulation of reproduction, impacts of diseases and defence responses.

In this module you will explore the anatomical, developmental, physiological, ecological and behavioural characteristics and lifecycles of major invertebrate phyla and review their importance to ecosystem function and as parasites and vectors of disease.

This module will explore contemporary issues in landscape ecology, including connectivity, edge effects, disturbance, and fragmentation. Analytical GIS case-studies based on real-world examples will be fundamental to this module.

The field courses are the flagship components of our programmes where you will apply the theoretical knowledge you’ve acquired in the taught modules. You’ll develop, execute, analyse, and report on a small research project in the field.

This module will allow you to extend your knowledge of animal welfare, human-animal interactions and how these link to animal and human health.

You will plan, conduct and analyse data for a zoology project under the supervision of an academic member of staff.

In this module you will explore the patterns of loss of biodiversity, including megafaunal loss and invasion patterns and the effects of anthropogenic factors on biodiversity in a range of habitats.

In this module you will look at the characteristics of the main vertebrate groups and how and when those characteristics evolved.

Within the context of evolutionary genetics, this module will encompass topics in evolutionary biology, population genetics and the genetic basis of biological problems in conservation.

In this module you will study embedded plant and animal systems-level environmental physiology, exploring animal biomechanics, locomotion, sensing, navigation, and migration.

This module will discuss the variation in social behaviour and communication between and within species in relation to ecological requirements and the evolution of cognition. 

The tropic field course will provide experience of tropical habitats and the biodiversity that they support. There will be an emphasis on identification skills, the methods needed to study and carry out research in tropical habitats, and assess human impacts on these ecosystems. An integral element will be learning the skills to identify key plants, animals and habitats, particularly those which require conservation management.

You will examine the physiological, behavioural, ecological and distributional changes in species that result from global change, and consider community and ecosystem consequences of these. 

This module will explore current genetic and genomic bioinformatic methods including advances in genetic data acquisition and analysis of sequencing data.