Venues

Foresterhill Campus

Content

Animal Behaviour is an interdisciplinary degree and field of science that examines the interactions between behaviour and biology. An organism’s evolutionary history and current environmental conditions drive behaviour, and feedback from behavioural decisions in turn drives evolutionary processes.

Our Animal Behaviour degree differs from our Zoology degree because it includes courses from psychology in the first two years. It also differs from the Behavioural Biology degree as this programme focuses more on the organism as a whole and less on neuroscience.

Year 1:
Getting Started at the University of Aberdeen; Frontiers in Biological Sciences; Diversity of Life 1; Introductory Psychology I: Concepts and Theory; Ecology and Environmental Science; Diversity of Life 2; Introductory Psychology II: Concepts and Theory; The Cell.

Year 2:
Biological Enhanced Skills Training; Advanced Psychology A: Concepts and Theory; Introduction to Genetics; Ecology; Advanced Psychology B: Concepts and Theory; Comparative Physiology.

Year 3:
Statistical Analysis of Biological Data; Animal Evolution and Biodiversity; Animal Management and Welfare; Behavioural Biology; Practical Skills in Animal Behaviour.

Year 4:
Honours Project (Semester 1); Advanced Behavioural Ecology.

Entry Requirements

2026 entry requirements:

Standard entry:
4 Highers at BBBB including 2 maths or science subjects plus English, Maths and Chemistry or Physics at National 5.

For second year entry you would require the above plus 2 Advanced Highers at AB including Biology.

Widening access entry:
3 Highers at BBC including 2 maths or science subjects plus English, Maths and Chemistry or Physics at National 5.

1 Foundation Apprenticeship is accepted in place of a non-essential Higher.