Animal Behaviour [with Foundation Year] BSc (Hons)

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. Our four-year course includes a foundation year when youll build up your scientific skills, before moving onto our BSc (Hons) Animal Behaviour<br/><br/>**Why study Animal Behaviour at ARU?**<br/>- Be part of the longest established animal behaviour course in the UK, accredited by the Royal Society of Biology.<br/><br/><br/>- 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.<br/><br/><br/>- 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.<br/><br/><br/>- Study in Cambridge – a hub of wildlife and conservation research, and home to our £45m Science Centre.<br/><br/><br/>- 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.<br/><br/><br/>Animal Behaviour is a practical subject with plenty of opportunities to hone your skills, both in the lab and out in the field. Youll observe and undertake animal handling and training and practise advanced behavioural data collection in the field and within captive environments.<br/><br/>Youll 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.<br/><br/>Within this course youll 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.<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>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.