University of Exeter, BSc (Hons), Animal Behaviour

Year 1: Core modules include introductions to animal behaviour and its sub-disciplines, including, ethics and animal welfare: animal diversity and behaviour; biological determinants of behaviour (physiology, neurophysiology, genetics); evolution of behaviour; research methods and key skills; and statistical methods; practical classes give training in quantitative, field and laboratory-based, observational and experimental methodology, covering the broad range of subject areas across the core modules; core modules include practical classes and small group academic tutorials. Year 2: Core modules cover topics that all animal behaviourists should know: concepts in animal behaviour; sensory ecology and behaviour; neuroethology; evolution and behaviour; learning and memory; animal cognition; advanced field, laboratory and quantitative methods; advanced statistical methods; constructing and testing scientific hypotheses in animal behaviour; the practical module includes a week-long residential field trip to a field centre such as Lundy Island, where students have an opportunity to apply their new-found knowledge of methods and concepts to the behaviour of wild animals. Year 3: 3 seminar options, most of which are in areas where the seminar leader has an active research programme; students may choose no more than 1 seminar in each of the 5 general subject areas: ethology and behavioural ecology; sensory ecology and neuroethology; behaviour and evolution; animal cognition and decision-making; and cognitive and comparative psychology; practical work is carried out in a supervised research project; research project topics are developed in conjunction with staff and usually take advantage of their research interests and expertise.