Masters degrees in Behavioural Biology explore the behavioural strategies which organisms employ in response to influences from their natural environment, to maximise survival. This includes training postgraduates in the advanced study of social and reproductive behaviour, foraging patterns, predator response, communication, and migration.
Research programmes such as MRes and MPhil courses are highly popular in this field, though taught MSc degrees are also available.
Plants, animals, and microbes all play a key role in the sustainability of life on Earth. The Master's programme in Environmental Biology offers you the opportunity to explore different organisational levels of life – from genes, cells, and organisms to populations and entire ecosystems.
In this programme, you will study the fundamental life processes of plants and microbes. The interdisciplinary course content also offers you the chance to examine animal behaviour from an ecological and evolutionary perspective.
Within the Environmental Biology Master, you can select a specialised track from the following:
Alternatively, you can develop an individualised curriculum suited to your unique interests. We offer you considerable flexibility in choosing specific subfields or topics within Environmental Biology. See the study programme and courses page.
Learning how to make new discoveries that will contribute to a better understanding of normal and dysfunctional human behaviour and how to influence that behaviour.
Have you always wanted to discover what it is that makes people tick? Do you have questions about human behaviour that have not yet been tackled? Whether you are driven by scientific curiosity or are intrigued by the potential for more accurate diagnoses and for effective interventions in health or education, the Research Master’s in Behavioural Science is for you.
See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/bs
At Radboud University, we believe that a multidisciplinary approach is necessary to gain the best understanding of human behaviour. We combine knowledge and research methods from the fields of psychology, educational sciences and communication science. These disciplines are not taught separately but instead are brought together in most of our courses, making our approach unique.
Half of the programme consists of research experience. There are many issues you could tackle and a large research faculty you could work with. For example, there are over fifty staff members at the Behavioural Science Institute. The institute has internationally renowned researchers with expertise in a very wide range of topics. And that's not counting the other top scientists we invite to give workshops.
- Students get substantial hands-on research with a minor and major research project on different topics.
- We teach our students research methods and statistics, which we bring to life by revealing their applications to current hot issues in the field.
- Students are free to choose courses and research topics to create their own unique programme.
- Students can do the internship for their major research project abroad. Financial support for international research internships is available within Radboud University and the Behavioural Science Institute.
- You will participate in group-oriented education and be part of a small, select group of highly motivated national and international students.
- Master’s students are free to use any of the state-of-the-art equipment and labs found on campus, including the Virtual Reality Lab, Observational Lab and eye-tracking equipment.
- We have three Faculty Assistant positions for ambitious students to work alongside their course.
- A majority of our graduates gain PhD and other research positions and many students publish their Master’s thesis in peer-reviewed journals.
Due to our interdisciplinary approach, we accept Bachelor’s students from a wide variety of related fields, like psychology, pedagogy, educational science, biology, artificial intelligence and communication science. Simply put, this programme is for social scientists who want to discover the how and why behind human behaviour.
The staff of the Behavioural Science Institute at Radboud University originate from the fields of psychology, educational sciences and communication science. Together they tackle issues regarding human behaviour. We believe that in order to fully understand human behaviour you need to use knowledge from all these fields together instead of separately. For example, looking at a psychological issue from a communication perspective could offer new and valuable insights that will lead to better diagnosis or interventions.
At Radboud University we will not just teach you existing research methods in the different fields. You will also learn to look beyond conventions and combine or adjust methods from other disciplines to enable you to do research that will answer your questions. You will not only become a highly skilled researcher but also an innovative one.
More than half of the Master’s programme in Behavioural Science consists of research. In the first year you’ll do a minor project in which you choose from a list research themes that are provided by staff members or PhD students.
In the second year, you’ll do a major project in the form of a nine month internship which provides you with the experience - and data - needed to write your Master’s thesis. Most internships are carried out within the Behavioural Science Institute (BSI), working closely with colleagues, many of whom are internationally renowned researchers. However, there is also the option to arrange an internship abroad.
To broaden your scope, we expect you to choose different research themes for the minor and major projects, preferably in different groups within the BSI.
Examples of Major Projects in the field of Behavioural Science
- Differential behaviours of teachers toward boys and girls in science classes
- The role of maternal pregnancy stress and other general children’s health issues
- The recovery potential of within-workday break activities
- The effectiveness of an intervention promoting water consumption via children’s social networks
- The effectiveness of video games to reduce anxiety in children using a randomised controlled trail
- The role of experience on clinical diagnostic decision-making
- Exploring the underlying cognitive mechanisms to learn more about the ability to learn to categorise new face groups
The career prospects of a graduate of Behavioural Science are good; almost 100% of our alumni have a job.
- Skills and knowledge
Besides the necessary theoretical knowledge about behavioural science and training in advanced quantitative data analysis, this programme also offers courses (7 EC in total) that will teach you additional skills that every researcher needs: to understand the ethics of research, to understand the process of academic publishing and grant proposals, and to comment on papers and proposals of others. We also encourage students to participate in workshops, colloquia, symposia and conferences to gain experience in the international academic field of behavioural science.
See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/bs
The Applied Ethology and Animal Biology master’s programme deals with animal behaviour and biology from an applied perspective, including problems associated with keeping animals in captivity. The aim is to provide students with a solid understanding of theory and methods of applied ethology.
You gain a good working knowledge of the programme’s central issues, such as the biology of stress and its role in animal welfare, the effects of domestication on animal behaviour, the physiology of behaviour, and conservation biology. The programme is taught in collaboration with Kolmården Wildlife Park, one of the largest and most highly renowned zoos in Sweden. Several teaching sessions are held at the zoo where you acquire first-hand knowledge from experienced zoologists.
The programme provides a solid understanding of theory and methods of applied ethology and broadens their understanding of animal biology through courses such as:
In addition to classroom lectures and seminars, you participate in hands-on projects involving studies of animals in captive environments. A key part of the programme is a one-year degree project in which you apply their theoretical and methodological knowledge.
After completing the programme, you will be well-acquainted with the theoretical background of animal behaviour and biology. You will have a deep understanding of animal welfare and conservation, and learn how to plan, implement and present a research project within the scientific field of the programme.
The Master of Science by Research degree in Marine Biology is a 12-month, research only degree, in which the candidate will undertake a supervised research project in the area of Marine Biology, in the School of Biology, University of St Andrews.
The candidate will be based in the interdisciplinary Scottish Oceans Institute (SOI), based at East Sands, St Andrews. The SOI is home to the world famous Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU), and hosts a wide-range of researchers with interests ranging from the deep oceans to the coasts, and from the people who use and interact with the sea, to the biological and physical processes that make the oceans function.
There are four research themes running through the SOI: Global Change and Planetary Evolution; Ecology, Fisheries and Resource management; Developmental and Evolutionary Genomics; the Sea Mammal Research Unit. As such, the SOI brings together behavioural and population ecologists, evolutionary biologists, geneticists, conservationists, mathematicians and environmental scientists to contribute towards understanding and managing the future of our oceans and the organisms, big and small, that live within them. Further details about the SOI can be found here: http://soi.st-andrews.ac.uk/.
Candidates may approach potential supervisors in the SOI directly (https://synergy.st-andrews.ac.uk/research/phd-study/phd-study-supervisors/phd-study-soi-supervisors/) or via advertised projects listed here (https://synergy.st-andrews.ac.uk/research/mscres/). We strongly recommend that potential candidates make contact with a potential supervisor before applying.
The School of Biology provides a unique and supportive environment for scholarship, amid a beautiful setting for university life. We are a highly research active School, with a diverse and vigorous post-graduate community. The School comprises a large number of research groups organised into three interdisciplinary Research Centres: the Scottish Oceans Institute (SOI), the Biomedical Sciences Research Complex (BSRC) and the Centre for Biological Diversity (CBD). Together these centres encompass the full spectrum of research in biological sciences, spanning investigations on the properties and behaviour of individual molecules through to planetary environmental dynamics. Our postgraduate students enjoy a supportive and welcoming environment, including the student-led ‘Bionet’ society that provides a wide range of networking and social opportunities.
Students in the MSc(Res) program will be assigned an Internal Examiner (IE) and Post-Graduate Tutor by the School. There will be a progress review meeting at three months to monitor and evaluate student progression, convened by the IE, with the student and Tutor in attendance.
In addition to the project-specific training that you will receive during your degree, Msc(Res) students will also have access to a wide range of training in transferable skills through the award-winning University of St Andrews GradSkills program, run by our Professional Development Unit CAPOD. Specific post-graduate programs run within the School of Biology may also offer additional training, for instance in statistical, bioinformatics or molecular techniques.
The degree requires submission and examination of a dissertation at the end of the one-year program. This thesis will consist of up to 30,000 words. The thesis will be evaluated by the IE and an External Examiner appointed at time of submission. Evaluation will be based on the written submission and there is no requirement for a viva voce examination.
For details of post-graduate tuition fees relevant to our research degrees including the MSc(Res), please visit:
http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/study/pg/fees-and-funding/research-fees/
Please apply via the University’s Post-Graduate Application portal: https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/pgr/home.htm
This Masters degree is taught by the Centre for Ecology and Conservation (CEC), whose evolutionary and behaviour research groups are amongst the most dynamic in the UK. You will be integrated into these groups and conduct cutting-edge research projects that can make genuine contributions to the field of evolutionary and behavioural ecology and prepare you for a career in research.
The Centre is the fastest growing institute of its kind in the UK. Research is almost exclusively organismal, with particular emphasis on social mammals, birds, turtles and insects. We also specialise in modelling animal behaviour and species interactions and see this as essential and complementary to our whole approach. The other area of emphasis which underpins much of our work is quantitative and molecular genetics, which is fundamental to the evolutionary process and to conservation biology and policy issues.
This programme includes a two week field course in Kenya, during which you will go on safari in areas of incredible biodiversity, allowing you to study the behaviour of a variety of wild animals. You will have an opportunity to follow in the footsteps of pioneering evolutionary biologists, visiting their field sites, observing their study species, and discussing their ground breaking research. These experiences will allow you to develop your own research questions and undertake a short project while in the field. Travel and subsistence costs for this part of the programme are included in the programme fee.
Find out more about our field course modules.
You can also keep up to date and share the experiences of our students in the field on our Field Course Fortnight website.
The taught component of this programme is delivered in the first five months, during which time you will be encouraged to develop your census research projects. The rest of the academic year is dedicated to these projects.
All material is designed for Masters level and will involve fieldwork, seminars and group discussion. Within modules there is considerable scope for you to direct your learning towards fields of particular interest, especially through your choice of research project. Students are located in the Centre for Ecology and Conservation laboratories, where close working relationships are fostered. Every student has the personal and academic support of the programme director, as well as their academic tutor, module leaders and project supervisors. Because of the layout of our research laboratory, postdoctoral researchers and PhD students interact closely with postgraduates to provide more personal support during the research phase of the programme.
The programme is made up of compulsory modules. Constituent modules may be updated, deleted or replaced as a consequence of the annual programme review of this programme.
The compulsory modules can include;
Visit our website for more information on fees, scholarships, postgraduate loans and other funding options to study Biosciences at Swansea University - 'Welsh University of the Year 2017' (Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2017).
This MRes in Biosciences programme will provide you with research training in one or more of our Research Pathways and you will benefit from training in our Specialist Research Facilities. Research staff will share their expertise and assist you in developing the skills necessary to do independent research, leading to a dissertation written as a scientific paper.
All research students in Biosciences undertake taught modules followed by a major research project under the guidance of academic staff in one or more of our Research Pathways, and benefitting from training in our specialist research facilities.
The MRes Biosciences is a one-year programme. All research students undertake taught modules followed by a major research project under the guidance of academic staff in one or more of our Research Pathways , and benefiting from training in our Specialist Research Facilities.
Biosciences at Swansea has a good relationship with a wide range of external partners, including SMEs, Government Agencies, Local Government, UK and overseas research institutes and universities.
1) Behavioural and Movement Ecology
Studying adaptations, and the selective pressures in the social and ecological environment that bring them about. We specialise in the movement ecology of individuals and collectives and can provide specialist research training to understand the role of the environment in structuring the properties of animal movement and behaviour.
2) Evolutionary and Molecular Biology
Understanding the diversity of life from a molecular perspective. We use the latest genetic and genomics techniques to address key questions in ecology, behaviour and conservation from an evolutionary perspective in a range of non-model organisms, from fungi to plants and animals.
3) Marine Biology, Fisheries and Aquaculture
From developing new techniques in fish husbandry and rearing of commercially important aquaculture species, to research in food and fuel security, low carbon technologies, biogeochemical cycles and climate change. Specialist research training can be provided on a diverse range of temperate to tropical aquatic organisms, from microplankton to invertebrates to fish, inhabiting marine to freshwater environments.
4) Mathematical and Statistical Ecology
Research that complements the full range of our academic expertise, from theoretical investigations of ecosystem complexity, stoichiometric ecology, pattern formation and animal movement, to practical agricultural applications and the operation of micro-algal biotechnology.
5) Population and Community Ecology
Combining experimental and theoretical approaches to develop our understanding of how species interactions with their environment (including other species) generate the spatial-temporal biodiversity patterns we observe in nature. Study systems include plankton ecosystems, coastal ecosystem functioning, disease control, conservation, and the impact of spatial-temporal environmental variation on community dynamics.
6) Whole Organism Biology
Our staff comprises world-leading experts on a range of organisms studied around the world, and welcome students who want to develop projects around such species.
7) Wildlife Diseases and Pest Control
Research focused on developing natural agents and solutions for the control of wildlife diseases and invertebrate pests that impact on food security and human and animal health. Research training provided in disease detection methods, disease management, and the socioeconomic benefits of pest control.
As a student on the MRes Biosciences programme, you will benefit from a range of facilities such as:
Our excellent facilities include a unique built Animal Movement Visualisation Suite (£1.35m), incorporating an electronic wall linked to a computer-tesla cluster for high-speed processing and visualisation of complex accelerometry and magnetometry data derived from animals. Coupled with this facility is the Electronics Lab with capacity for research, development and realisation of animal tags with new capacities (sensors, energy-harvesting systems, miniaturization, 3-D printing of housings etc.); a custom-designed 18m on coastal research vessel; a recent investment of £4.2m on a new suite of state-of-the art Science laboratories; and the £2m unique Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Research (CSAR) with a 750 m2 controlled environment building, with programmable recirculating aquatic systems, unique within the UK’s higher-education sector. These are tailored for research on a diverse range of organisms, ranging from temperate to tropical and marine to freshwater. Coupled with this are nutrient and biochemical analytical capabilities.
Theoretical/mathematical research uses advanced university computing facilities that includes high-end graphics workstations, high-speed network links and the Blue Ice supercomputer located at the Mike Barnsley Centre for Climatic Change Research.
Several dedicated Bioscience labs housed within our grade 2 listed Wallace Building recently benefitted from a £4.2 million renovation programme, providing world-class research facilities that includes a specialist molecular ecology lab and a dedicated arthropod facility.
We are 7th in the UK and top in Wales for research excellence (REF 2014)
93.8% of our research outputs were regarded as world-leading or internationally excellent and Swansea Biosciences had the highest percentage of publications judged ‘world-leading’ in the sector. This is a great achievement for the Department, for the College of Science and indeed for Swansea University.
Learn about primate behaviour, welfare and conservation on this masters course delivered by Liverpool John Moores University. You will be taught by world-leading experts and have access to excellent facilities in the UK and research sites overseas.
* The air fare, site accommodation and site costs are paid by Liverpool John Moores University. You will be required to meet other potential costs, such as field clothing, visas and immunisations if required.
What you will study on this degree
* Includes an overseas field trip to Tanzania, which is included in your course fees. This is a fantastic opportunity to observe primates in the wild. You will practice and develop advanced skills in behavioural observation, non-invasive sampling of health and welfare indicators and conservation monitoring. The field trip air fare, site accommodation and site costs are paid by Liverpool John Moores University. You will be required to meet other potential costs, such as field clothing, visas and immunisations if required.
Further guidance on modules
The information listed in the section entitled ‘What you will study’ is an overview of the academic content of the programme that will take the form of either core or option modules. Modules are designated as core or option in accordance with professional body requirements and internal Academic Framework review, so may be subject to change. Students will be required to undertake modules that the University designates as core and will have a choice of designated option modules. Additionally, option modules may be offered subject to meeting minimum student numbers.
Please email [email protected] if you require further guidance or clarification.
This programme provides flexible postgraduate study designed to specifically address the demand for online clinical animal behaviour teaching within a supported learning environment. The programme will utilise an evidence based approach to explore the potential motivations, management and treatment options for abnormal and/or problem behaviours commonly expressed by companion animal species living within a domestic environment.
The subject involves a multidisciplinary approach, drawing on knowledge and techniques from the fields of psychology, ethology, neurobiology, pharmacology and veterinary science. This programme will contain teaching and learning that is aimed at your academic preparation for a professional career working with companion animals in a variety of settings, including clinical animal behaviour counselling.
Our online learning technology is fully interactive, award-winning and enables you to communicate with our highly qualified teaching staff from the comfort of your own home or workplace.
Our online students not only have access to Edinburgh's excellent resources, but also become part of a supportive online community, bringing together students and tutors from around the world.
This MSc programme is modular in structure, offering a flexible student-centred approach to the choice of courses studied. You must complete a sufficient number of course credits to achieve the following awards:
You may undertake this programme by intermittent study (flexible progression route), accruing credits within the following maximum time limits:
Year 1: Certificate Courses
You will study Principles of Applied Animal Behaviour and Clinical Animal Behaviour along with either Anthrozoology (recommended for those continuing to Diploma/MSc) or one of two other elective courses.
Year 2: Diploma Courses
You will study Clinical Animal Behaviour in Practice along with two elective courses from a choice of 4.
Year 3: Masters
The dissertation element of the programme will allow further development of scientific skills and may take the form of a short research project, case studies relating to relevant professional experience or an extended literature review.
Postgraduate Professional Development
Postgraduate Professional Development (PPD) is aimed at working professionals who want to advance their knowledge through a postgraduate-level course(s), without the time or financial commitment of a full Masters, Postgraduate Diploma or Postgraduate Certificate.
You may take a maximum of 50 credits worth of courses over two years through our PPD scheme. These lead to a University of Edinburgh postgraduate award of academic credit. Alternatively, after one year of taking courses you can choose to transfer your credits and continue on to studying towards a higher award on a Masters, Postgraduate Diploma or Postgraduate Certificate programme. Although PPD courses have various start dates throughout a year you may only start a Masters, Postgraduate Diploma or Postgraduate Certificate programme in the month of September. Any time spent studying PPD will be deducted from the amount of time you will have left to complete a Masters, Postgraduate Diploma or Postgraduate Certificate programme.
Alongside the subject content, the programme will also enable the acquisition of a range of transferable skills, such as computer skills, report writing, giving online presentations and time and project management.
You will be able to:
Students are expected to find work in the field of companion animal behaviour and welfare as well as working in education, or as advisors with non-governmental organisations and governments.
Embark on an incredible journey with a course that focuses on studying the biology, behaviour and conservation of primates. You will gain the skills required to carry out theoretical and field research in primatology, to advance your career or further study.
Primatology is a discipline that has its roots in anatomy, biology, anthropology and psychology. This course covers a comprehensive range of topics within primatology and combines theoretical investigation with fieldwork and laboratory sessions. It also offers intensive training in research methods and statistics.
Recent examples of topics covered include social behaviour, cognition, endocrinology, ranging and habitat use, social networks, human-wildlife conflict, morphology and brain size evolution.
The University of Roehampton has established networks with leading institutions and field sites including the Zoological Society of London , German Primate Centre, Gashaka Primate Project (Nigeria), Trentham Monkey Forest (UK), and Berenty Reserve (Madagascar).
You will be taught by leading experts in the field who carry out their own world-leading research.
You will begin the year by studying an in-depth a range of topics in primatology, as well as learning the theory and practice of primatological research. After your first semester, the emphasis will be on independent study, where you will be undertaking a substantial piece of original research. You will develop your intellectual, practical and analytical skills to devise a viable project proposal. You will carry out your project and produce both a dissertation and a paper suitable for submission to a peer-reviewed scientific journal. Many of our graduates have subsequently published their work in international journals such as Biology Letters, American Journal of Primatology, International Journal of Primatology, Animal Behaviour and Biological Conservation.
Students’ field work lasts for three months, usually from March to May. You will have the support of your supervisor in arranging data collection for your research project. In the laboratory, students have used geographic information systems to explore ranging behaviour, analysed parasites from wild primates and performed non-invasive hormone analysis.
Compulsory modules
Compulsory and Required modules
Compulsory and/or required modules may change when we review and update programmes. Above is a list of modules offered this academic year.
Optional modules
Optional modules, when offered as part of a programme, may vary from year to year and are subject to viability.
Careers in conservation projects, research institutions, animal welfare groups or agencies, zoos, parks, environmental and animal charities; in roles such as researcher, conservation biologist and ecologist.
