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:
Frontiers in Biological Sciences; Introduction to Psychology 1 and 2; Diversity of Life 1 and 2; Ecology and Environmental Science; The Cell.

Year 2:
Biological Enhanced Skills Training; Advanced Psychology A: Concepts and Theory; Genes and Evolution; Ecology; Advanced Psychology B: Concepts and Theory; Principles of Animal Physiology;
One of the following field courses: Coastal Biodiversity; Parasitology; Freshwater and Terrestrial Ecology; Fish and Shellfish Biology.

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

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

Entry Requirements

2024 entry requirements:

Standard entry:
4 Highers at AABB (by end of S5) including 2 maths or science subjects by end S6 plus English, Maths and Chemistry or Physics at National 5. Those with Highers at BBB by end of S5 are encouraged to apply.

For second year entry you would require the above plus 3 Advanced Highers at ABB including Biology and another maths or science subject at AB or BA.

Widening access entry:
2 Highers at BB (by end of S5). Additional Highers/Advanced Highers in S6.