Bachelor of Zoology

Zoology examines how animals of all kinds — from microscopic parasites to blue whales, and from tiny finches to dinosaurs — live (or lived) in every type of habitat on our planet. Through hands-on laboratory and fieldwork focused on the study of animal life, UNE's Bachelor of Zoology will equip you with the skills to think and act like a researcher in this specialist brand of biology.

You will advance your understanding of the many facets of zoology so that you can apply your knowledge in the real world in areas such as animal behaviour, molecular biology and genetics, conservation biology, herpetology, parasitology, animal physiology, wildlife ecology, freshwater ecology and physical anthropology.

Create a lifelong career with Australia's only zoology-specific degree.

Why study the Bachelor of Zoology with UNE?

UNE offers the only zoology-specific degree in Australia. If you love animals and want to study their biology, ecology, and natural history UNE’s Bachelor of Zoology is the course for you.

Throughout your degree, our Zoology in Practice core program helps you to forge connections in all aspects of your academic journey. The program ensures you will graduate with a solid foundation in pure science and core zoological knowledge and supports your learning and development with access to mentoring and research training.

Our majors are designed with future employability in mind, and we offer a range of multidisciplinary minors to extend and broaden your expertise. You can choose to major in applied zoology, natural history, animal ecology, or palaeobiology, and complement your study with minors including science communication, water science, museum studies, botany, spatial science, natural history, and zoological methods.

We have a strong research culture underpinned by high research training standards. Our research in zoology, as well as in many other specific fields of scientific research including ecology, evolutionary biology and genetics, is world class.

The academic staff of our zoology department are internationally recognised experts in their fields with many years of experience working with various types of animals. Their experience and research are incorporated into the teaching material in all units of our zoology course.

UNE's Armidale campus is surrounded by a range of landscapes and ecosystems including rainforests, coastal forests, semi-arid savannah, and freshwater environments that range from sub-tropical coastal ecosystems at sea-level to sub-alpine forests and woodlands at more than 1500m above sea level. Our close proximity to these diverse habitats provides easy access for field trips in which you will gain hands-on experience in zoology.

Whether you study zoology online or on campus, you will have opportunities to participate in fieldwork in our local area and internationally. UNE is the proud caretaker of the Newholme Field Station on the forested slopes of Mount Duval, providing an outdoor classroom with koalas, greater gliders and freshwater turtles on our doorstep. Our study tours visit locations such as Botswana in Africa, and Bhutan in the Himalayas of Asia. Local field trips vary from half-day excursions to week-long residential trips, while international study tours are several weeks in duration.

You will have opportunities to participate in cutting edge research with groups including:

• Animal Behavioural and Ecology Lab
• Behavioural and Physiological Ecology Lab
• Function, Evolution and Anatomy Research (FEAR) Lab
• Insect Ecology Lab
• Lab of Applied Zoology and Ecological Restoration (LAZER).

You will have access to UNE's Agriculture Education Building (AEB) which is host to a range of state-of-the-art research laboratories and teaching facilities custom-designed to provide you with an optimum practical experience during your science degree.

UNE's Natural History Museum, established in 1969, represents one of the largest collections of natural history specimens in New South Wales, and showcases the breadth of zoological sciences and natural history that enhances the learning experience. Students in the Bachelor of Zoology have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience working behind the scenes cataloguing the museum’s significant zoological collection.

We have formal and informal links with organisations including:

• NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service
• Australian Museum
• Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
• Commonwealth Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment
• NSW Department of Primary Industries
• Queensland Museum
• NSW Local Land Services
• Zoos Victoria.

Year after year, students award UNE the maximum 5-star ratings for Overall Experience and Student Support in The Good Universities Guide. We are proud to be Australia’s longest continuous provider of distance (now online) education.

What makes our course different?

As Australia’s only zoology-specific degree, our research-led course emphasises developing your practical laboratory and fieldwork skills with plenty of opportunities for hands-on experience.

You will have the opportunity to become a member of the UNE Zoology Society, a vibrant student-run society that organises social events, field activities like mammal spotlighting, and trips away to nearby national parks.

Whether you are studying online or on campus, you will have excellent access to our highly experienced teaching staff thanks to our small class sizes.

Our course emphasises fieldwork and practical experience within a diverse and flexible program of study. You will have opportunities to:

• Explore core topics such as natural history, evolution, animal conservation, vertebrate and invertebrate zoology, mammalogy, entomology, parasitology, ornithology, herpetology and palaeontology.
• Examine animal distribution, management, classification, physiology, biochemistry, molecular biology and genetics.
• Hone your research skills by completing ERS381 Project Report in Environmental and Rural Science as a capstone unit for your chosen major.
• Put your research skills into practice with hands-on laboratory work and field trips in a diverse range of natural habitats that are easily accessible from Armidale.
• Participate in international field trips to Africa and the Himalayas.
• Choose from a range of other units relating to botany, environmental science, geology, and animal production to customise your learning to meet your own goals.
• Progress to an Honours year with UNE's Bachelor of Science with Honours (Zoology) if you have an above average academic record and wish to continue with your studies.

To discuss individual options, you can consult with the course coordinator or a member of staff from a research area that interests you.

Study online

Most of our students choose to study online across three study periods with 24/7 tutor support* and fit study around work and family commitments. Uniquely, our online students are mostly over 30 and bring valuable experience with them. They form a community of adults juggling the same challenges and priorities and who bring their life and work experience together at UNE in order to become future-fit and better respond to a rapidly changing world.

Study on campus

Many of our students choose to take advantage of the on-campus lifestyle in Armidale, in the beautiful New England region, with access to unparalleled support, accommodation and sporting facilities. These students are often starting their first degree and have left school recently. Through access to academic and career support they get a fantastic start to their careers.

* 24/7 tutor support includes: essay feedback (within 24 hours); live chat 24/7 for generic feedback on academic writing; and subject-specific help at a foundation or first-year level for subjects including mathematics, chemistry, biology, physics, business, accounting, microeconomics, macroeconomics and statistics. There are also a wide range of workshops, resources and courses available in academic skills support to assist you and help you to succeed.