ZoologyMBiol Honours

UCAS code C3014 Years

www.ncl.ac.uk/ug/C301Printed from the web page above on 03/01/2020

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ZoologyMBiol HonoursUCAS code C3014 Years

Our four-year Zoology MBiol Honours degree isvery similar in content to our BSc but includesa year of Master's-level study, which offerssignificant research experience.

You will study specialist zoology topics, such as:

• animal behaviour• animal physiology• entomology• biodiversity• ecology and conservation• vertebrate biology

Through lab-based teaching you learn key laboratory skillsrequired by professional zoologists. You take these to ahigher professional level during your fourth year, where youwork alongside our research active staff to exploreadvanced topics in zoology.

You will also enjoy a bird and insect identification fieldcourse, as well as a week-long project-based residentialcourse.

Highlights of this degreeShared first yearThe first year is shared with other degrees in the School,providing all students with a thorough foundation in theessentials of the subject.

This shared first year provides you with a thoroughknowledge of the fundamentals of biology, through topicssuch as the diversity of form and function in animals, plantsand micro-organisms.

You also study modules in:

• ecology• evolution• biochemistry• cell biology• genetics• a topic from a choice in agriculture, marine biology or

psychology

You can transfer to one of our other degrees before thesecond year should your interests change (subject toachieving the appropriate grades).

Boost your employability with a work placementApply to spend a 9 to 12 months on an optional workplacement between Stages 3 and 4. You can apply tospend your placement year with any organisation and willreceive University support to do so.

You’ll gain first-hand experience of working in the sector,putting your learning into practice and developing yourprofessional expertise.

It will extend your degree by a year and is subject toavailability.

Find out more about Work Placements.

Study abroadYou have the opportunity to take part in a study abroadexchange in your second year through our non-EUexchange scheme.

Opportunities exist in Canada, the USA andAustralia. Alternatively you can arrange to study abroad forone semester.

Find out more about study abroad.

FieldworkAll of our Biology and Zoology degrees are designed toensure that you gain practical experience. As well aslaboratory-based practical classes, you have the opportunityto take part in a number of field courses including thecourses detailed below. 

Species identification field courseThis field course on insects and birds takes place in secondyear. It provides you with skills that are sought after in theenvironmental sector. 

Residential field courseThis project-based residential field course takes place inthird year. Current locations include Kielder, Millport andCrete. You can also take an optional mammal surveyingskills module in the UK or a tropical conservation researchmodule. 

Day excursionsDay excursions take advantage of our unique geographiclocation close to a variety of natural habitats, fromNorthumberland National Park to the stunning localcoastline.

We also offer a vocational placement module, which enablesyou to enhance your CV by gaining academic credit for workin biology off campus.

Facilities and supportThis degree is run by the School of Natural andEnvironmental Sciences.

FacilitiesFacilities include:

• a field station which has a glasshouse complex anddedicated teaching facilities

• two University farms in Northumberland, which are usedas demonstration facilities for students

• purpose-built teaching laboratories• an on-campus museum – the Great North Museum –

with many interesting and important biological collections

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SupportTo support you in your studies, all new students enteringyear 1 or year 2 will receive a tablet. This enables you todownload the online learning resources you'll need for yourcourse and helps us to make our campus more sustainable.

You will have an academic member of staff as a personaltutor throughout your degree. They can help with academicand personal issues.

Peer mentors will help you in your first year. They are fellowstudents who can help you settle in and answer anyquestions you have.

Social activitiesThere's a student-led society, BioSoc, which organisesregular social events and trips for its friendly cohort ofstudents.

The Robinson Library is at the heart of campus.

Course Details

Modules for 2019 entry

Please noteThe module and/or programme information below isfor 2019 entry. Our teaching is informed by research andmodules change periodically to reflect developments inthe discipline, the requirements of external bodies andpartners, student feedback, or insufficient numbers ofstudents interested (in an optional module). To find outmore read our terms and conditions.Module/programme information for 2020 entry will bepublished here as soon as it is available (end of May2020).Our degrees are divided into Stages. Each Stage lasts foran academic year and you need to complete modulestotalling 120 credits by the end of each Stage. Furtherinformation, including the credit value of the module, isavailable in each of the module descriptions below.

Stage 1

Compulsory modulesBIO1020 Genetics and EvolutionBIO1021 Diversity of Life: Form and FunctionBIO1022 Ecology and ConservationBIO1023 Cells and BiomoleculesMST1204 Academic and Professional Skills for theBiosciencesOptional modulesYou take 20 credits from the following modules:ACE1022 Crop PestsACE1042 Animal HealthCEG1603 Introduction to the Sedimentary RecordMST1203 The Marine EnvironmentMST1206 Marine Microbiology and Primary ProducersMST1207 Introductory OceanographyWith approval from the Degree Programme Director, analternative optional module to those listed above may beselected.

Stage 2

Compulsory modulesBIO2003 Field Identification Skills*BIO2013 Animal BehaviourBIO2014 Animal PhysiologyBIO2020 Experimental Design and Statistics for Biologists

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Stage 2

BIO2022 Molecular Biology and DevelopmentBIO2028 Biodiversity, Ecology & ConservationBIO2029 Vertebrate BiologyBIO2032 Residential Field Course *BIO2003 is taken prior to Stage 2You choose 20 credits from the following list:ACE2031 Animal ParasitologyBIO2006 EntomologyBIO2021 Employability Skills for BiologistsBIO2025 UK WildlifePSY2007 Biological Psychology: Sex, Drugs, Rhythmsand BluesWith approval from the Degree Programme Director, analternative optional module to those listed above may beselected.

Stage 3

Compulsory modulesBIO3001 Animal EcophysiologyBIO3037 Current ZoologyBIO3044 Behavioural EcologyBIO3046 Hormones and BehaviourOptional modulesYou choose one module from the following:BIO3197 Biological Literature Review BIO3198 Biological Information Project BIO3199 Biological Research ProjectYou also choose 40 credits from the following list:

ACE3049 Companion Animal BehaviourACE3208 Zoo Animal Science and Management BIO3003Ecological Modelling BIO3036 Mammal Surveying Skills*BIO3039 Biodiversity Science and Management BIO3040Applied Ecology BIO3041 Molecular Evolution andSystematics SUG3500 Creativity and Market Research inScience and Engineering BIO3047 Conservation andEcological Research in Human-modified Landscapes ofSub-Saharan Africa**Students can take either BIO3047 or BIO3036; both takeplace prior to Stage 3. Alternative modules may also beavailable.

Work Placement (optional)

You can apply to spend 9 to 12 months on an optionalwork placement between Stages 3 and 4. You can applyto spend your placement year with any organisation andwill receive University support to do so. It will extend yourdegree by a year and is subject to availability. Find outmore on about Work Placements.

If you choose this option, you will take the following:-

NCL3000 Careers Service Placement Year Module

Stage 4

Compulsory modulesYou will take one of the following compulsory modules:BIO8196 Research ProjectBIO8197 Research ProjectOptional modulesYou will take 60 credits from the following modules:BIO8054 Management of Wildlife Disease andEpidemiologyBIO8062  Global Species Conservation Principles andPracticeBIO8063 Invasive SpeciesBIO8067  Wildlife Research in PracticeBIO8069  Geographical Information Systems and RemoteSensingMMB8003 The Biological Study of BehaviourNES8006 Data Preparation, Analysis, Interpretation andPresentation for MSc*NES8007 Academic and Professional Skills for MScNES8010 Quantitative Ecological Research Methods*NES8009 Fundamentals of Cell and Molecular Biology*SPG8500 Ideas for Business Enterprise for Postgraduatesin SAgE*Should be discussed with the Module Leader first beforeselection.

Teaching and assessment

Study at the cutting edgeTeaching is strongly informed by the School of Natural andEnvironmental Sciences' research, meaning you aresupervised and taught by experts at the forefront ofdevelopments in their field, particularly in your third year.

During the final year you have the chance to conduct yourown research through one of our project modules. Yourindividual project can be:

• based on field or laboratory research• a detailed review of research publications on a special

topic• a project to enhance the public understanding of science

Teaching methodsOn average, you'll spend around a third of your time incontact with teaching staff for lectures, laboratory and fieldpractical classes, computer sessions and in tutorial activitiestied closely to key skills development.

You may find yourself spending as much time in thelaboratory as the lecture theatre, or be off campus forhalf-day field trips.

Assessment methodsAssessment is by examination and in-course assessmentsuch as essays, presentations and laboratory reports.

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Find out moreVisit our Teaching and Learning pages to read about theoutstanding learning experience available to all students atNewcastle University.

Careers

What our graduates go on to do:employment and further studychoicesSee what our recent graduates went on to do and viewgraduate destinations statistics. These statistics are basedon what graduates were doing on a specific date,approximately six months after graduation. Take a look atthe most recent data available for our graduates.

The destination data is available in varying levels, beginningwith the University and moving through Faculty and Schooldown to individual course reports. This final level may giveyou some useful ideas about possible options after yourcourse or a course you are considering.

Careers and employability atNewcastleNewcastle University consistently has one of the bestrecords for graduate employment in the UK.

96% of our 2017 UK-domiciled UG/PG graduatesprogressed to employment or further study within sixmonths of graduating.

85.5% of our graduates are in graduate level employment orfurther study within six months of graduating.

We provide an extensive range of opportunities to allstudents through an initiative called ncl+. This enables youto develop personal, employability and enterprise skills andto give you the edge in the employment market after yougraduate.

Our award-winning Careers Service is one of the largest andbest in the country, and we have strong links withemployers.

Fees & Funding

Tuition Fees (UK students)

2020 entry:£9,250

Tuition Fees (UK students)

For programmes where you can spend a year on a workplacement or studying abroad, you will receive asignificant fee reduction for that year.Some of our degrees involve additional costs which arenot covered by your tuition fees.Please note:The maximum fee that we are permitted to charge for UKstudents is set by the UK government.As a general principle, you should expect the tuition fee toincrease in each subsequent academic year of yourcourse, subject to government regulations on feeincreases and in line with inflation.See more information on all aspects of studentfinance relating to Newcastle University.

Tuition Fees (EU students)

2020 entry:£9,250 You will pay the same tuition fees as UK studentsfor the duration of your course.For programmes where you can spend a year on a workplacement or studying abroad, you will receive asignificant fee reduction for that year.Some of our degrees involve additional costs which arenot covered by your tuition fees.Please note:As a general principle, you should expect the tuition fee toincrease in each subsequent academic year of yourcourse, subject to government regulations on feeincreases and in line with inflation.See more information on all aspects of studentfinance relating to Newcastle University.

Tuition Fees (International students)

2020 entry*:£22,800*Please note:You will be charged tuition fees for each year of yourdegree programme (unless you are on a shorter exchangeprogramme).The tuition fee amount you will pay may increase slightlyyear on year as a result of inflation.If you spend a year on placement or studying abroad aspart of your degree you may pay a reduced fee for thatyear.See more information on all aspects of studentfinance relating to Newcastle University.

Scholarships and Financial Support (UKstudents)

You may be eligible for one of a range of NewcastleUniversity Scholarships in addition to government financialsupport.

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Scholarships and Financial Support (UKstudents)

Newcastle University ScholarshipsGovernment financial support

Scholarships and Financial Support (EUstudents)

You may be eligible for one of a range of NewcastleUniversity Scholarships in addition to government financialsupport.Newcastle University ScholarshipsGovernment financial support

Scholarships and Financial Support(International students)

We offer a range of scholarships to eligible internationalstudents:Vice-Chancellor's International ScholarshipsVice-Chancellor’s Excellence ScholarshipsVice-Chancellor’s Global ScholarshipsWe also offer International Family Discounts which areavailable for all international students with a close familymember who has graduated from or is now studying atNewcastle University.Newcastle University offers Sanctuary Scholarships foreligible undergraduate students (excludes MBBS andBDS students) from asylum-seeker and refugeebackgrounds. Some of our subject scholarships and sportsscholarships are also available for international students.

Apply

Applying to Newcastle Universitythrough UCASTo apply for undergraduate study at Newcastle you mustuse the online application system managed by theUniversities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).

UCAS codes for Newcastle University

• institution name - NEWC• institution code - N21

UCAS buzzwordAsk your teacher or adviser from your school or college forthe UCAS buzzword. You need the buzzword when youregister on the Apply system. This makes it clear whichschool or college you are applying from.

All UK schools and colleges and a small number of EU andinternational establishments are registered with UCAS.

If you are applying independently, or are applying from aschool or college which is not registered to manageapplications, you will still use the Apply system. You will notneed a buzzword.

Making your applicationOn the UCAS website you can also find out more about:

• application deadlines and other important dates• offers and tracking your application

Application decisions and enquiriesFind out more about our admissions process and who tocontact if you need help with your application.

Our Student Forum is a popular place to relax.