Zoology
Entry requirements
A level
A-levels must include Biology. Where you are taking a science subject that has the separate science practical assessment, the University would normally expect a pass. If students are not able to take the science practical assessment, applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis. You will normally need GCSE (or equivalent) Mathematics and two Science subjects with grade 5 in each (or grade B).
Pass Diploma with at least 39 level 3 credits at Merit or above including 24-27 credits at Distinction. The Access to HE Diploma will need to contain substantial amounts of Level 3 credits in science subjects. You will normally need GCSE (or equivalent) Mathematics and two science subjects with grade 5 in each (or grade B).
We take the EPQ into account when considering your application and it can be useful in the summer when your results are released if you have narrowly missed the conditions of your offer. We do not routinely include the EPQ in the conditions of your offer but we sometimes offer alternative conditions that include the EPQ. If you wish to discuss this further please contact Admissions at [email protected]
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
This score should be from the full IB Diploma. Higher Levels must include Biology with a grade of 5.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
The BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma would normally need to be in Applied Science and you will need to have opted for substantial amounts of Level 3 credit in biology related science subjects. You will normally need GCSE (or equivalent) Mathematics and two science subjects with grade 5 in each (or grade B).
Scottish Higher
Highers must include one or two science subjects (other than Maths). Ideally, you will have at least one science subject (Biology, Chemistry or Physics) at Advanced Higher. You will also need Scottish National 5 in Mathematics and two sciences with grade B in each.
UCAS Tariff
We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.
About this course
**6th in the UK for Animal Science (The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023)**
**9th in the UK for Zoology (The Guardian University Guide 2023)**
**94% of our research overall in Biological Sciences was assessed to be world leading or internationally excellent (REF 2021)**
**About the course**
Are you fascinated by the way animals behave, evolve, influence and are influenced by the world around them? Are you concerned about the natural world and the threats it faces?
At Sussex, you’ll experience Zoology first-hand. We’re based in the South Downs National Park and moments from the UNESCO Living Coast Biosphere Reserve. You’ll be in the perfect place for studying a wide range of native wildlife. And you’ll have the opportunity to encounter other animals and natural environments on field trips. Our previous visits have included animals as diverse as puffins on Lundy and elephants in Zambia. Inside the classroom, you’ll explore a range of disciplines including biology, physiology and environmental science.
You’ll learn from experts with research interests ranging from bumblebees to sharks. Our researchers are active in conservation and rewilding projects at local, national and international levels. This includes influencing policies on the pesticides killing our wildlife, and rescuing the brown-headed spider monkey from extinction.
This course prepares you for a career where you can make a difference in protecting and restoring biodiversity. When you graduate, you could work in a range of sectors including:
- conservation
- environmental management
- rewilding
- environmental organisations.
You’ll also have data analysis and communication skills. This prepares you for a wide range of roles, from media and journalism, to public engagement and marketing.
And in addition, in your integrated Masters year, you gain a strong theoretical and practical foundation for a career in – or related to – research. You’ll spend a semester working on an individual research project in one of our Zoology research teams. In this year, you’ll develop advanced skills in technical, analytical and scientific communication skills.
**MSci or BSc?**
We also offer this course as a three-year BSc. Find out about the benefits of an integrated Masters year.
**About Sussex**
Sussex graduates change the world. Our students become the leaders of the future, making discoveries, improving lives and changing things for the better.
Study with us to join a welcoming and inspiring community of staff and students from more than 140 countries.
**Location**
We shape the world from a fantastic campus on the UK’s beautiful south coast.
We are the only UK university surrounded by a national park, so you can step off campus to explore the hills and woodlands of the South Downs. The vibrant, colourful and creative seaside city of Brighton & Hove is just nine minutes away.
With Brighton voted the happiest city in England for students, (Student Living Survey, Sodexo, 2018) there can be few better places to study.
Modules
See the modules you will study by year by going to the 'view course details' link.
Tuition fees
Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:
What students say
We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.
How do students rate their degree experience?
The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
Zoology
Teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
After graduation
The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
Zoology
What are graduates doing after six months?
This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.
Top job areas of graduates
Unsurprisingly, the most common job for a zoology graduate on leaving is to work in a zoo or similar organisation - but there are a lot of other options available if you take this subject. Nearly a quarter of graduates take some kind of further qualification when they leave — mostly Masters degrees in zoology or related subjects, like biology or ecology — but a graduate from a zoology course can go into pretty much anything, with science, conservation, management, finance and marketing some of the most popular areas. Zoology graduates are also rather more likely than others to get a job overseas so if an international career appeals to you, this might be a degree to consider.
What about your long term prospects?
Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.
Zoology
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£18k
£26k
£28k
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.
Explore these similar courses...
This is what the university has told Ucas about the criteria they expect applicants to satisfy; some may be compulsory, others may be preferable.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
This is the percentage of applicants to this course who received an offer last year, through Ucas.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
Course location and department:
This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):
We've received this information from the Department for Education, via Ucas. This is how the university as a whole has been rated for its quality of teaching: gold silver or bronze. Note, not all universities have taken part in the TEF.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).
This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.
You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
Post-six month graduation stats:
This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.
It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
Graduate field commentary:
The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.
While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?
Have a question about this info? Learn more here