Animal Behaviour – (M.Sc.)

Location

Streatham Campus, Exeter

The only programme in the United Kingdom allowing both psychology and biology students to investigate animal behaviour, our MSc in Animal Behaviour is designed to provide you with a strong background in a broad cross-section of research methods used by animal behaviourists and behavioural ecologists.

The purpose of the programme is to give you the opportunity to advance and expand your knowledge in the field of animal behaviour and to gain expertise in the research and statistical methods generally used in psychology. You will have the opportunity to learn how to formulate and test relevant research questions, as well as learning to critically evaluate the research carried out by others in the field.

The three-month research placement is a special benefit of our programme. It enables you to develop your research skills by working alongside experienced researchers and writing up their research in the form of a journal article for potential publishing. Many students do their placement with researchers in the School of Psychology or with other researchers at Paignton Zoo, Bristol Zoo or other organisations.

The programme will give you an insight into the varied means of performing animal behaviour research in a wide array of locations – zoo, laboratory and in the wild. On successful completion of the MSc you will have the skills to pursue a PhD or follow a career working in zoos, wildlife offices, research centres and the expanding field of eco-tourism.

The teaching and learning methods are a mix of lectures, seminars, practicals and field courses. Overall there is a strong practical and demonstration element to the programme utilising innovative teaching practices. For full-time students course work should occupy about four days a week, leaving you a fifth day for preparatory work on your research placement.