Biological Sciences (Zoology)
BSc (Hons)
Key facts
UCAS code
C300
Start dates
September 2023 / September 2024
Course length
Full time: 3 years, 4 years sandwich
Part time: part-time study is possible
UCAS Tariff Points
104
Overview
Are you fascinated by animals? Our BSc Biological Sciences (Zoology) is a degree that explores the biology of animals.
You’ll study topics such as:
- evolution
- genetics
- development
- morphology
- behaviour
- molecular biology
- developmental biology
- bioinformatics
- neurobiology
- ecology
- conservation
Oxford Brookes has a reputation for outstanding research work. Oxford area is an important centre for the bioscience industry. World class research centres like the Nuffield and Churchill hospitals are on our doorstep.
This course equips you to work with data from molecular lab techniques. You'll handle and analyse genomes. You'll develop the skills bioscientists need for this new era of genomics and big data.
This degree provides you with the flexibility to tailor the course to suit you. You can choose modules within the course to focus on animals, humans or cells.
The Oxford Brookes Student Bio-innovation Hub is an initiative to enhance engagement with the Life Sciences industry. Improve your employability with active engagement in the local bioscience sector.

How to apply
Wherever possible we make our conditional offers using the UCAS Tariff. The combination of A-level grades listed here would be just one way of achieving the UCAS Tariff points for this course.
Standard offer
UCAS Tariff Points: 104
A Level: BCC
IB Points: 29
BTEC: DMM
Contextual offer
UCAS Tariff Points: 88
A Level: CCD
IB Points: 27
BTEC: MMM
Entry requirements
Specific entry requirements
A Level: Including one A Level or a comparable Level 3 qualification in a science subject (e.g. Physical Education, Biology, Chemistry, Maths, Physics, Psychology).
If you do not have a background in science, we encourage you to consider our Life Sciences foundation year taught at Abingdon and Witney College.
Please also see the University's general entry requirements.
English requirements for visas
If you need a student visa to enter the UK you will need to meet the UK Visas and Immigration minimum language requirements as well as the University's requirements. Find out more about English language requirements.
Pathways courses for international and EU students
If you do not meet the entry requirements for this degree, or if you would like more preparation before you start, you can take an international foundation course. Once you enrol, you will have a guaranteed pathway to this degree if you pass your foundation course with the required grades.
If you only need to meet the language requirements, you can take our pre-sessional English course. You will develop key language and study skills for academic success and you will not need to take an external language test to progress to your degree.
Terms and Conditions of Enrolment
When you accept our offer, you agree to the Terms and Conditions of Enrolment. You should therefore read those conditions before accepting the offer.
Credit transfer
Many of our courses consider applications for entry part-way through the course for students who have credit from previous learning or relevant professional experience.
Find out more about transferring to Brookes. If you'd like to talk through your options, please contact our Admissions team.
Application process
Full time Home (UK) applicants
Apply through UCASPart time Home (UK) applicants
Apply direct to the UniversityInternational applicants
Apply direct to the UniversityFull time international applicants can also apply through UCAS
Tuition fees
Questions about fees?
Contact Student Finance on:
Tuition fees
Please note tuition fees for Home students may increase in subsequent years both for new and continuing students in line with an inflationary amount determined by government. Tuition fees for International students may increase in subsequent years both for new and continuing students.
Oxford Brookes University intends to maintain its fees for new and returning Home students at the maximum permitted level.
Financial support and scholarships
Additional costs
Please be aware that some courses will involve some additional costs that are not covered by your fees. Specific additional costs for this course are detailed below.
There are some additional costs for the course including the purchase of a lab coat, safety goggles, stationery such as a lab notebook, printing and text books (though the library will have some copies). If the student opts for the placement year then there will be living costs associated with this year but we encourage students to seek a placement with a bursary or a paid placement to mitigate this. Work experience also may also incur travel costs.
Learning and assessment
This course reflects the wide ranging expertise in Zoology represented by staff in the department who will teach this course.
Studies in Year 1 aim to develop a firm understanding of core topics:
- cell biology
- basic science skills
In Year 2 and your Final Year you will specialise and choose modules to suit your own interests.
You will take compulsory modules such as Career development and Data Carpentry.
In the Professional Skills and Techniques module you will select three ‘podules’ from a list. A podule is a very short 'module within a module'. You can choose your podules from a list of skills and topics.
You can choose optional modules. These include topics such as Threatened Species.
You can also choose to undertake work experience or a one year placement. Work experience is optional, Industrial Experience Semesters are compulsory for Sandwich mode students only.

Study modules
Please note: As our courses are reviewed regularly as part of our quality assurance framework, the modules you can choose from may vary from that shown here. The structure of the course may also mean some modules are not available to you.
Learning and teaching
Throughout the course we focus on applying fundamental biology to real life issues. You will focus on applying your knowledge in practical settings, either in the lab or out in the field.
You have the opportunity to gain a wide range of skills. These include:
- molecular techniques
- bioinformatics
- advanced light and electron microscopy
- field-based methods for species and landscape assessment
- cutting edge methodologies for the study of evolution and developmental biology
Our teaching methods include:
- lectures
- practicals
- tutorials
- seminars
- surgeries
Field trips
There is a field-course module at the end of your first year where you experience one week of intensive practical field study in the Cevennes region of southern France, an area characterised by a rich natural history, habitat and landscape diversity. The field-work comprises various group activities focussing on identification of terrestrial and aquatic flora and fauna, ecological sampling techniques for terrestrial and aquatic environments, quantitative description and analysis of group data, and designing field investigations. You can thus broaden your UK experiences by encountering unfamiliar assemblages of plants and animals influenced by different regional cultural and social environmental attitudes. As the field trip is a compulsory module the cost is covered within the course fees. Depending on your choice of modules there will be other half-day visits and these are at no extra cost.
Assessment
Assessment methods used on this course
Assessment is designed to shape and develop learning, not simply measure it.
Our assessment methods include:
- essays
- reviews
- examinations
- laboratory or field notebooks
- scientific reports
- posters
- oral presentations
You’ll reflect on your progress with assignment feedback together with your diaries.
Study Abroad
You may be able to go on a European or international study exchange while you are at Brookes. Most exchanges take place in the second year. Although we will help as much as we can with your plans, ultimately you are responsible for organising and funding this study abroad.
After you graduate
Career prospects
The skills and knowledge gained on this course are directly relevant to a number of careers in the area of conservation of endangered species and habitats, animal education and welfare, controlling pests and diseases, drug development, journalism, teaching and research.
Others will find jobs in agricultural and biotechnology industries. There are other career paths in the civil service, forensic sciences, teaching, the food industry, commercial analytical laboratories, professions allied to medicine, and in government and industrial research laboratories.
A Biological Sciences (Zoology) degree also offers an excellent general university education and can provide a gateway to careers in management, journalism and the media, finance and other areas of commerce, law, computing and the leisure industry.
The Work Experience module gives the opportunity to work in a relevant organisation, often during part of a summer vacation, and in the process gain a module credit which counts towards the degree. There is also the option of doing a year in Industry.
Visiting speakers from relevant industries/professions also help create links with potential employers.
Further study
Many of our graduates have continued studying and gone on to gain postgraduate qualifications including PhDs or a MSc at other universities or here at Brookes including our MSc degree in Conservation Ecology or MSc Medical Genetics and Genomics.
Free language courses
Free language courses are available to full-time undergraduate and postgraduate students on many of our courses, and can be taken as a credit on some courses.
Related courses
Information from Discover Uni
Full-time study
Part-time study
Programme Changes:
On rare occasions we may need to make changes to our course programmes after they have been published on the website.For more information, please visit our Changes to programmes page.