Zoology Vs Biology

Ever since I was little I always wanted to work with animals- whether that be studying their behaviour, campaigning for their protection or travelling to research certain species.
The thing is, in the UK the prospects are quite limited as there aren’t too many endangered animals- I also want to work in more diverse ecosystems like rainforests for a while in my career.
The purpose of this post was to ask whether or not I should do Zoology or Biology at university- and which one has a better possibility of getting me a decent job where I can work alongside animals.
I’ve heard a zoology degree usually ends up with people going into different fields due to a lack of jobs- but if anyone can share their own experiences that would be great

Good morning @Cozzymic ,
It's great to hear you are contemplating an animal-based career!
I am currently studying Ecology and wildlife conservation at the University of Reading. Many of my friends are also studying Zoology or biology. All three of these courses overlap, but I will try to explain the subtle differences to you.
Zoology is very animal-based, but you don't learn how to care for animals; many people think that it prepares you for jobs within zoos or aquariums, but I would say it is more about animals' anatomical and physiological structures. For example, this year, one of the core modules for zoology students was Animal diversity; this module was about the phyla, Classes and Orders of all organisms on Earth ( e.g. on the Tree of Life). Then, in the 2nd year, the students learn about the organism's genus and species in further detail.
Similarly, there are the basics of animal behaviour, such as camouflage and animal defences. Many of my friends plan on working in museums once they graduate, and others plan on doing research Ph.D.s. So these are a few ideas for careers in Zoology. Further information on zoology at the University of Reading can be found here.
If you would like to know more about the zoology course, you can speak to Lily, a 2nd-year Zoology student, via this link.
On the other hand, biology is focused on microbiology and smaller internal processes such as digestion. At the University of Reading, you have the choice to specialise in either Ecology and wildlife or human biology. Students choose their optional modules from these sectors.If you are undecided whether you want to focus on biology skills or zoology, this is a great idea, as you will get a cross-over of both. More information on this can be found here.
Have you thought about Ecology and Wildlife conservation?
I wanted to do a subject that would lead to a well-paid career but one that was concerned with the well-being of animals and the environment. So, I decided to do Ecology and wildlife conservation, as it is more heavily focused on UK field skills and research. This will allow me to learn about animals and how to protect them. The course also has optional modules, which include field courses in South Africa, so you will have the chance to learn about foreign conservation methods. Also, I can choose optional modules from the Zoology, Agriculture and Environmental Management courses; this broadens my horizons and is going to lead to the best job options for me. If you have any Ecology-based questions, you can contact me on unibuddie via this link. Further information on the Ecology course can be accessed here.
I hope this helps; if you have any questions, please get in touch!
Ella 😃
BSc Ecology and Wildlife Conservation.

Ever since I was little I always wanted to work with animals- whether that be studying their behaviour, campaigning for their protection or travelling to research certain species.
The thing is, in the UK the prospects are quite limited as there aren’t too many endangered animals- I also want to work in more diverse ecosystems like rainforests for a while in my career.
The purpose of this post was to ask whether or not I should do Zoology or Biology at university- and which one has a better possibility of getting me a decent job where I can work alongside animals.
I’ve heard a zoology degree usually ends up with people going into different fields due to a lack of jobs- but if anyone can share their own experiences that would be great