BSc

Ecology

Key Facts

C18F

  • UCAS Tariff

  • Course duration

    4 years

Available for September start 2025

Further details on entry requirements

Due to the urgent need to document, understand and ultimately prevent the decline of biodiversity, graduate ecologists are in high demand. The Ecology degree at Aberystwyth University aims to provide you with the academic knowledge and practical skills to meet this demand.

On the Ecology degree, you will study the interactions between organisms and their environment, building the essential foundation on which to develop your understanding of how wildlife will respond to current and future environmental threats, including pollution, climate change, invasive species and habitat destruction.

Our aim is to train you to be part of the next generation of ecologists who will respond to environmental threats, identify solutions and help conserve biodiversity into the future.

This course includes an integrated foundation year.

Course Overview

This four-year course includes an integrated foundation year, after which the syllabus follows that of the standard three-year course, BSc Ecology (C180).

At Aberystwyth you will be studying in an area rich in a variety of stunning landscapes, providing excellent fieldwork opportunities in natural and semi-natural habitats and ecosystems including the Cardigan Bay coastline, freshwater environments, woodlands, heaths, moorland and alpine habitats. Many nature reserves are within easy reach, including Snowdonia (Eryri) and the Brecon Beacons (Bannau Brycheiniog) National Parks. 

Fieldwork and practical classes form an integral part of the course throughout, and you'll engage with local fieldwork using a wealth of local habitats. You'll also have the option of an eight-day residential field course in Ireland.

Overseas field courses are available too, depending on module choice, enabling you to learn about tropical ecology first-hand. 

Our teaching staff conduct research in all areas of ecology and in different parts of the world. We have established links with the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers, National Botanic Garden of Wales, Natural Resources Wales, Snowdonia National Park Authority, the RSPB and various wildlife and woodland trusts.

Our Staff

The majority of teaching staff in the Department of Life Sciences are qualified to PhD level and are research active. Vocational courses also have staff whose background lies within industry. The Department has a large number of research only staff with whom students may have contact.

Modules September start - 2025

Please note: The modules listed below are those currently intended for delivery during the next academic year and may be subject to change. They are included here to give an indication of how the course is structured.

Core

Module Name Module Code Credit Value
Communication Skills BR01520 20
Molecules and Cells BR01340 40
Organisms and the Environment BR01440 40
Practical Skills for Biologists BR01220 20

Core

Module Name Module Code Credit Value
Climate and Climate Change BR16620 20
Comparative Animal Physiology BR16720 20
Ecology and Conservation * BR19320 20
Genetics, Evolution and Diversity BR17120 20
Microbial and Plant Diversity * BR19920 20
Skills for Wildlife Scientists * BR15720 20

Core

Module Name Module Code Credit Value
An Introduction to Landscape Ecology and Geographic Information Systems BR25520 20
Climate Change: Plants, Animals and Ecosystems BR21120 20
Research Methods * BR27520 20
Wildlife Surveying * BR29620 20

Options

Module Name Module Code Credit Value
Environmental Microbiology and Monitoring BR26020 20
Freshwater Biology BR22020 20
Invertebrate Zoology BR25420 20
Marine Biology BR22620 20
Vertebrate Zoology BR26820 20

Core

Module Name Module Code Credit Value
Environmental Regulation and Consultancy BR35620 20
Population and Community Ecology BR33920 20
Research Project * BR36440 40

Options

Module Name Module Code Credit Value
Advances in Crop and Grassland Production BR37220 20
Behavioural Neurobiology BR35320 20
Global Biodiversity Conservation BR33420 20
Sustainable Land Management BR30420 20
Terrestrial Ecology Fieldcourse BR36620 20
Wildlife Conservation BR34520 20

* Also available partially or entirely through the medium of Welsh

Careers

Many of our graduates find employment in conservation and environmental protection, or in environmental education in schools, colleges or nature reserves. Our graduates can be found working for organisations such as DEFRA (Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs), the Environment Agency, Natural Resources Wales, Natural England, ADAS, Forestry Commission, wildlife trusts, the Wales Environment Link, the National Grid and water authorities. 

How will my degree prepare me for the future?

Employability is embedded in our teaching. Our students leave Aberystwyth University with: 

  • research and data analysis skills
  • enhanced mathematical and computational skills
  • effective problem-solving and creative thinking skills
  • a thorough grounding in information technology skills
  • the ability to work independently
  • time-management and organisational skills, including the ability to meet deadlines
  • the ability to express ideas and communicate information in a clear and structured manner, in both written and oral form
  • self-motivation and self-reliance
  • team-working, with the ability to discuss concepts in groups, accommodating different ideas and reaching agreement.

What work experience opportunities are available to me while I study?  

Find out about the various opportunities that our Careers Service offers. Enhance your employability prospects with our Year in Employment Scheme.

Teaching & Learning

What will I learn?

In the first year you'll undertake a range of lab and field procedures and gain the appropriate skills and knowledge for further study in ecology.

In the scond year you'll explore the amazing diversity of life on Earth. You'll be introduced to fundamental and topical elements of ecology and will consider future challenges such as responding to global climate and conserving biodiversity. You'll consider the importance of conserving biodiversity at a range of scales, from genetic diversity to biomes and ecosystems, and will look at the science underpinning climate and climate change. You'll learn about land flora and British habitats and gain the skills and knowledge necessary to underpin careers in ecological surveying or management. 

In the third year you'll consider habitats, landscapes and the communities of species that reside within them, and gain the practical skills required by today’s professional ecologists. You'll receive a thorough grounding in the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to investigate spatial distribution patterns of habitats and understand their ecological implications. You'll further investigate the impact of climate change as one of the major future challenges to global biodiversity, and apply your learning to problems and solutions through field excursions and practical classes. Optional modules in aquatic biology, zoology and environmental microbiology enable you to specialise in particular areas, and you'll have the opportunity to visit some of the world’s key biodiversity hotspots through an optional tropical field course. 

In your final year you'll look at environmental protection and sustainability and will consider the legislation and principles governing the regulation of the environment in the UK, including Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). You'll explore population and community ecology and undertake a compulsory research project, which will allow you to perform in-depth research under the guidance of a supervisor. Your project may be based on laboratory experiments or fieldwork exercises, comprise a computer modelling exercise or involve data analysis. You'll also take optional modules from a selection available, which include wildlife conservation, studying the impacts of intensive, extensive and organic agriculture and other forms of agricultural system on the environment, global biodiversity conservation, and a variety of anthropogenic impacts on the biosphere, including pollution, climate change and over-exploitation of resources. You'll have the opportunity to go on field courses, including a tropical rainforest ecology study trip. 

How will I be taught? 

The course will be delivered through lectures, workshops, tutorials, seminars, field courses and practicals.  

Assessment 

You'll be assessed through essays, practical exercises, oral presentations, worksheets, experiments reports, conservation plans, statistical exercises, posters, wikis, literature reviews, field notebooks and exams. 

Student Testimonials

"The Ecology course at Aberystwyth has provided me with a good set of skills which I can utilise and apply to my current role. The field work part of many modules within the Ecology degree scheme has ensured that I have experience of working in outdoor environments, a necessity for many ecological careers." Pippa

"I am very pleased I chose the degree scheme. Interesting content throughout, great support from the lecturers, and comprehensive feedback. A great choice, no regrets." Alex


Typical Entry Requirements

UCAS Tariff

A Levels Available to candidates without formal qualifications who have suitable background education, experience and motivation

GCSE requirements (minimum grade C/4):
English or Welsh, Mathematics and Science (minimum grade C/4)

BTEC National Diploma:
Available to candidates without formal qualifications who have suitable background education, experience and motivation

International Baccalaureate:
Available to candidates without formal qualifications who have suitable background education, experience and motivation

European Baccalaureate:
Available to candidates without formal qualifications who have suitable background education, experience and motivation

English Language Requirements:
See our Undergraduate English Language Requirements for this course. Pre-sessional English Programmes are also available for students who do not meet our English Language Requirements.

Country Specific Entry Requirements:
International students whose qualification is not listed on this page, can check our Country Specific Entry Requirements for further information.

The University welcomes undergraduate applications from students studying the Access to Higher Education Diploma or T-level qualifications, provided that relevant subject content and learning outcomes are met. We are not able to accept Access to Higher Education Diplomas or T-levels as a general qualification for every undergraduate degree course.
Our inclusive admissions policy values breadth as well as depth of study. Applicants are selected on their own individual merits and offers can vary. If you would like to check the eligibility of your qualifications before submitting an application, please contact the Undergraduate Admissions Office for advice and guidance.

Back to the top