University Degree: Zoology

"It is a good morning exercise for a research scientist to discard a pet hypothesis every day before breakfast. It keeps him young."

-Konrad Lorenz

If flowers and bacteria make you yawn, but orangutans and elephants thrill you, then a university degree in zoology might be the right choice for you. From microbiology and genetics to animal behaviour and evolution, students of zoology can study anything related to the animal kingdom. But before you can study bee swarms, or discover a new carnivore like the olinguito, you'll have to put in years of hard work.

To do well, you'll need to explain complicated ideas with streamlined simplicity, and keep your writing organised. If you need guidance, check out Marked by Teachers' collection of biological sciences essays. Here, you'll find all the techniques you need to reshape your writing into something truly elegant.

Depending on the degree and the university, you might spend hours in the lab, or go wading out into the field. Some degrees even offer a year's placement in industry. At the end of your studies, you'll be ready to get a higher degree in the field, or pursue any number of careers in government and conservation.