Below is a list of undergraduate courses running in UK Higher Education institutions that are relevant to primatology. At the undergraduate level, there are no degree programmes in Britain that focus solely on Primatology. Instead, a wider variety of programmes are offered, each comprising individual modules that may be of relevance to primatologists. Typically, these programmes are Bachelor's degrees in Archaeology, Anthropology, Biology, Psychology and Zoology. Relevant modules might include those in primate behaviour, ecology and conservation.
The list below is by no means exhaustive - we would like to update this list to try to be as inclusive as possible. If your institution has a course, or courses, that should be included, please email details to Lindsay at [email protected].
Bangor University
Bangor University’s School of Natural Sciences offers Britain’s only specialist degree in Primatology, as either a BSc (3 years) or an MZool (4 years) in Zoology with Primatology. These degrees, which started in 2019-20, offer specialist tuition in primatology throughout including first-year tutorials with a Primatology lecturer, specialist modules in primatology in second and third year, an optional field course to Madagascar, and primate-focused research projects for third and fourth year students. Alongside this focus, students will have access to a range of other Zoology modules including modules on animal behaviour, conservation, ecology and human evolution. Find out more here.
The University of Bristol
The School of Biological Sciences offers degree programmes in Zoology and Psychology, either as single subjects or as a combined degree. Relevant modules cover mammalian biology and socio-biology, and include primate ecology topics. Find out more here.
The University of Cambridge
Most sciences at Cambridge are taught within the multi-disciplinary framework of the Natural Sciences Tripos, which offers the B.A. Natural Sciences degree. Students are able to take a wide variety of courses from multiple departments, including the Department of Zoology, and to specialise according to their interests. For further information, contact the Tripos secretary [email protected]. The Department of Archaeology and Anthropology offers its own degree, during which students specialise in one of three disciplines: archaeology, biological anthropology, or social anthropology. Several academic staff specialise in primatology and are able to supervise students in this field. Find out more here.
Durham University
Durham offers various undergraduate programmes in Anthropology, with a strong primatology element. The Evolutionary Anthropology group includes several primatologists and hosts the International Journal of Primatology. Find out more here.
The University of Exeter
The University of Exeter offers a combined degree, titled B.A. Archaeology and Anthropology. A B.Sc. Psychology programme is also available - relevant modules include, 'Introduction to Animal Behaviour', 'Animal Diversity and Behaviour' and ‘Applied Animal Behaviour'. The University's Cornwall campus offers other degrees: B.Sc. Animal Behaviour, B.Sc. Zoology and B.Sc. Evolutionary Biology. These programmes include multiple modules in animal behaviour, ecology and sociobiology. Find out more here.
Hull York Medical School
HYMS is a medical school and at the moment only offers undergraduate medical degrees (with little or no primatology content) and BSc degrees for intercalating medical students. If you are a medical student interested in intercalating on a BSc with primatology content, the HYMS Centre for Anatomical and Human Sciences offers a BSc in Medical Sciences (Anatomical Sciences). Hull York also offers an MSc in Human Anatomy Evolution. Contact Dr Sam Cobb for further details.
The University of Kent
The School of Anthropology and Conservation offers multiple degree programmes, including B.Sc. (Hons) Anthropology, B.Sc. Biological Anthropology and B.Sc. (Hons) Wildlife Conservation. Many modules include primatological topics, including 'Primate Behaviour and Ecology'. Find out more here.
The University of Liverpool
Liverpool offers a B.Sc. (Hons) Zoology programme, with modules in Animal Behaviour and Sociobiology, Cognitive Evolution and Conservation Biology. The B.Sc. (Hons) in Anatomy and Human Biology includes a whole module on Primate Biology in the third year. For further information, visit the Enquiries Service.
Liverpool John Moores University
The BSc Biology program offers modules in primatology. LJMU also has a MSc Primate Behaviour and Conservation. Find out more here.
University College London
The Department of Anthropology offers a three-year B.Sc. Anthropology programme. Relevant modules might include, 'Primate Behaviour and Ecology', 'Man and Animals', 'Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology', 'Evolution and Human Behaviour', and 'Primate Evolutions and Environments'. Professor Volker Sommer teaches the primatology modules and is Director of The Gashaka Primate Project. Find out more here.
The University of Oxford
The University of Oxford offers a degree in Biological Sciences and has a diverse Biological Anthropology research network, with multiple undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. Find out more here.
Oxford Brookes University
B.Sc. (Hons) Animal Biology and Conservation and B.Sc. (Hons) Anthropology are both offered at Oxford Brookes. Both include modules in Primate Societies. Find out more here.
The University of Portsmouth
Portsmouth offers a B.Sc. (Hons) Psychology programme. The University is also home to the Centre for Comparative and Evolutionary Psychology, which aims to better understand human and animal behaviour and cognition through comparison with other animals and consideration of evolutionary process.
The University of Salford
The University of Salford offers two Wildlife Conservation and one Zoology degree: The Wildlife Conservation with Zoo Biology degree allows some students to take their second year of study at Otterbein University in the USA as part of their programme. Salford modules in Primate Behaviour & Conservation and Animal Cognition & Social Complexity will be of particular interest. Other relevant modules include: ‘Wildlife Behavioural Ecology’, ‘Conservation Biology’, ‘Animal Welfare’, ‘Introduction to Zoo Biology’, ‘Conservation in Zoos’ and ‘Tropical Ecology & Conservation’. An MSc Wildlife Conservation is also available to postgraduate students offering primatological possibilities.
Relevant degree programmes are also available at the following institutions:
Anglia Ruskin University
Lincoln University
The University of Abertay
Goldsmiths
The University of Birmingham
The University of St Andrews
Sussex University
University of Chester
University of Winchester