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Study Zoology at Otago

Animals, how they live and interact.

Did you know that New Zealand’s only mammals were bats and seals, until about 1000 years ago? Animals are fascinating and there is so much to learn about them – the Zoology courses at Otago will blow your mind.

Zoology is the study of animals, their behaviour, their physiology and evolution, as well as their interactions with each other and with their environment. Zoologists also study how animals evolved and the impact of environmental change on their survival. They search for ways to manage wildlife populations and to conserve rare and endangered species, such as takahe, frogs and tuatara. They study costs and benefits of conservation and ways to enhance species survival.

Why study Zoology?

You get to work in all sorts of spectacular environments and have the opportunity to explore all sorts of places where there is animal life, like mountains, grasslands, oceans, fiords and wetlands. There are lots of travel opportunities with Zoology – check out our graduate profiles! Zoology is a global science that will take you to all corners of the world.

New Zealand has its own unique animal life and it's a great place to study zoology and other environmental sciences. It's also one of the most interdisciplinary subjects. Staff in Zoology include ecologists, physiologists, developmental biologists, geneticists, evolutionary biologists, mathematicians, and even film makers. In our modern world, it is more important than ever that we restore and manage our environment. Zoologists can help to do that.

Career opportunities

A degree in Zoology opens the door to a wide variety of jobs and career options. There are opportunities in government departments and ministries, such as the Department of Conservation, and the Ministries of Fisheries, Agriculture and Forestry, and Environment. In these areas, Zoology graduates are involved with research, harvest management and pest control, as well as writing reports and developing and monitoring policy. Graduates can find careers where they are responsible for the use and care of our natural resources and environment with Regional and District Boards. There are also jobs for Zoology graduates with Crown Research Institutes (e.g. Landcare, NIWA) and private research organisations (e.g. Cawthron Institute). Zoology graduates are also employed in medical, veterinary and biotechnology laboratories.

There are increasing opportunities to develop careers in eco-tourism as advisers, guides and managers. Some Zoology graduates are working in fisheries and aquaculture with private companies, while others have found jobs as environmental consultants. You may decide that you want to share your interest and knowledge of animals and their environments in a position as a curator, an information officer, or a guide for a museum, nature park or zoo. There are also teaching opportunities for graduates and Zoology is an important major subject for those wishing to become secondary school biology teachers.

Discover the world of animals

Dive into hands-on research and fieldwork with Otago’s unique Zoology degree options. Learn from world-class lecturers in New Zealand’s wildlife capital and explore diverse animal sciences.

Read transcript

Lachie Scarsbrook:

Hi, I’m Lachie, and I study Zoology at the University of Otago. When I was growing up, I was obsessed with animals like most kids, which meant studying Zoology at Otago was the natural selection.

Studying Zoology at Otago gives you the chance to be a part of a wide variety of undergraduate research projects. Whether it be neurobiology, animal behaviour, or physiology, you’ll get involved in some hands-on research that will enable you to understand how animals work, but also the wider implications of why they work.

Another amazing part about Zoology is the lecturing staff. They’re all really approachable, really friendly, and you get to develop personal relationships with them, which is unlike any other course.

Dr Nic Rawlence:

So, my name is Dr Nic Rawlence. I run the Ancient DNA Lab in the Zoology Department at the University of Otago. I basically do Jurassic Park. While we can’t get DNA out of fossils, recreate dinosaurs, and let them run amok and eat lawyers, we can use that ancient DNA to basically work out how New Zealand’s ecosystem and prehistoric wildlife functioned before humans arrived in New Zealand, how it was impacted, and how we can use that to save what we’ve got left.

Otago’s really unique in New Zealand. It’s the only place where you can do Zoology in the country – an actual specific Zoology degree. And that’s really good because we’re in the wildlife capital of New Zealand. We’ve got Orokonui with takahē up over near Port Chalmers. We’ve got the Otago Peninsula with little blue penguins, sea lions, and the yellow-eyed penguin – the world’s rarest penguin.

Our lecturers actually work throughout New Zealand and around the world doing fieldwork. So, when you come to Otago, you’ll be learning from these world-class lecturers and taking papers right from conservation of our endangered wildlife, ecology – how animals function within the environment – through to physiology – how all their internal systems function – right through to the building blocks of life, DNA (or Mr DNA out of Jurassic Park), and how we can use that to work out if the kākāpō in the North Island was genetically different to the kākāpō that we have in the South Island.

Our degrees are very, very hands-on. You’ll be taking lots and lots of labs, learning from the best, but you’ll also be doing fieldwork, not just as part of your course. All of our lecturers and researchers are looking for volunteers, so you can actually become part of the research and contribute to that.

We’ve had undergraduate students contribute to my lab’s research, and we’ve put their names on papers and published with them. With a Zoology degree, it’s world-class, especially if you go ahead and do postgraduate honours, a master’s, or a PhD. Our Zoology graduates are wanted the world over for their expertise, for their knowledge, and for that specific Zoology degree that is unique in New Zealand.

Zoology at Otago

Zoology is a modern science set not only in the mountains, grasslands, oceans, fiords and wetlands of the world, but also in the controlled environment of the laboratory. The Department of Zoology has an international reputation for research in freshwater ecology, wildlife and conservation biology, neurobiology and animal behaviour, parasitology, genetics, environmental physiology and evolutionary studies.

What will I learn?

In your first year you will learn about the biology of cells, the biology of animals and the basics of statistics. You will cover topics such as molecular biology, cell ultrastructure and function, genetics, bacteria and viruses and theories of evolution. The courses have a strong New Zealand flavour with an emphasis on the unique nature of the animals of New Zealand and their conservation problems. In your second and third years, you will continue your study of animal diversity, physiology and evolution, with the option of including papers from subjects such as Ecology, Genetics, Statistics and Computer Modelling, and Marine Science.

How will I study?

In your first year your CELS 191 and BIOL 112 lectures and laboratory classes will be supplemented with student study groups, computer-based self-assessment tests, CAL (computer-aided learning) laboratories, and many in-house designed computer exercises. Your lectures will be accompanied by a set of notes (often interactive) and other course materials that are accessible via the internet. Laboratory classes and field trips will complement your lectures in Zoology in your second and third years. Internal assessment forms 40–50 per cent of the final grade for papers in Zoology, and the rest is derived from final examinations.

Can I combine my Zoology study with other subjects?

Many Zoology students also major in another subject such as botany, ecology and genetics. Other students complete a double degree in areas like Law, Commerce and Arts.

What about further study?

A Zoology major can lead on to a further degree, including an MSc, PhD or Postgraduate Diplomas in Natural History Filmmaking and Communication, Environmental Science or Wildlife Management.

Recommended background

There is no first-year course in Zoology. Students who intend to major in Zoology should enrol in Biology (CELS 191, BIOL 112) and Statistics (STAT 110) in their first year. There are no special requirements, but it is recommended that you take NCEA Level 3 biology or its equivalent.

Choose a study option

Whether you're embarking on your academic journey with our comprehensive undergraduate programmes or aiming to reach new heights through our advanced postgraduate offerings, Otago is here to support your aspirations.

Undergraduate qualifications

For new and current students studying towards a Bachelor's or other first degree. Explore undergraduate qualifications at Otago, designed to build a strong foundation in your chosen field, preparing you for a successful career or further study.

Note: this subject can also be studied as a minor.

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Further study opportunities

Whether you are looking to bridge your undergraduate studies to advanced knowledge or aiming to specialise in a specific field, Otago offers a range of graduate and postgraduate options to suit your aspirations.

Programme details

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Papers

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