Bachelor of Science (Honours) - Zoology with Entomology (Placement Year) (Z002)

Through the programme students will specialist knowledge and skills in ecology, physiology, genetics, evolution, taxonomy and behaviour using the diversity of the Animal Kingdom as a focus, and in addition will allow students to develop their knowledge of ecosystems, conservation, and environmental protection. The programme recognises the importance of an understanding of both scientific principles and the socio-economic context to enable an intelligent application of policies, technologies, and management systems appropriate to wild, zoo, domestic, and agricultural animals, in the UK and internationally. Attention is given to specific strategies and key skills such as those emerging with respect to wildlife conservation, climate change adaptation and mitigation, disease and pest control, managing fisheries, improving livestock including through genetic modification, animal welfare on farms and in zoos, and the national and international legislation underpinning these subjects. As a Zoologist and an Environmental Manager, students will develop a broad knowledge of the complex interactions between biotic and abiotic factors in a variety of geographically diverse ecosystems and be able to apply a range of skills to solve practical problems and to undertake a wide variety of career opportunities. 

Through a range of teaching and learning methods including tutorials, laboratory and field classes, and residential field courses students will develop their key skills including field surveying, species identification, sampling procedures, data analysis and research methods. Opportunities to investigate the use of technologies in the studies of animals, including Geographical Information Systems and eDNA, will be explored. Graduates will possess practical skills in laboratory and field techniques, project management, data handling, analysis, and report writing, as well as the ability to engage in further study and postgraduate research. Finally, recognising the importance of the effective communication of scientific and related material to a wider audience of planners, policy-makers and the general public, students will acquire skills in report writing, oral presentations and critical and analytical thinking. 

A core first year, shared between Applied Zoology, Zoology with Entomology, and Zoology with Environmental Management allows students the freedom to transfer between these three course areas during their first year, once they have experienced some of the learning opportunities at Harper Adams University. Students will put into context their learning through the opportunity to select species to focus their studies on in a number of their modules throughout the programme. In Year 2 you will start to study their specialisations, allowing for further contextualization. The integrated placement year in Year 3 of the programme allows students to put into practice what they have learnt, and to develop both specialist and core skills that will increase employability as well as feeding into the final year of study. During the final year, students will explore their specialisation further and will undertake original research as part of their Honours Research Project.