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Higher Education

Do you want to make a difference for wildlife?

We offer a range of undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in conservation and zoological management in partnership with leading local universities, as well as opportunities to undertake conservation research and PhD projects at Bristol Zoo Project, Bristol Zoo Gardens, and around the world at our field conservation sites.

Studying with Bristol Zoological Society

We offer exceptional learning facilities at our two sites (Bristol Zoo Gardens and Bristol Zoo Project), including lecture theatres, a dedicated library specialising in conservation literature, a computer suite, a student common room, and laboratory.

As a student, you will also have full access to Bristol Zoo Project, and its beautiful grounds of meadows and ancient woodland. Additional teaching may be undertaken at our HE partner institutions’ facilities.

Each BZS lecturer leads an applied field conservation or animal welfare project, and students find tremendous value in being taught by real-world conservation, animal welfare, and veterinary practitioners who integrate examples from their field conservation and animal welfare work into their taught content.

Undergraduate Degrees

Offered in collaboration with UWE Bristol

Offered in collaboration with South Gloucestershire and Stroud College and University of Gloucestershire.

Offered in collaboration with UWE Bristol.

Postgraduate Degrees

We currently offer three taught MSc Degrees as well as opportunities for Masters by Research students supervised by BZS Conservation Science Department staff.

Offered in collaboration with UWE Bristol, commencing in September 2024.

Offered in collaboration with UWE Bristol.

Offered in collaboration with University of Bristol.

Offered in collaboration with UWE Bristol, we host Masters by Research projects, both at our field conservation project sites and our two sites, Bristol Zoo Project and Bristol Zoo Gardens. These projects will be supervised by BZS Conservation Science Department staff. For further information about research opportunities at Bristol Zoological Society, please see the Conservation Research page.

Registration for these degree programmes is through the collaborating institutions. All prospective students are strongly encouraged to attend the affiliated institution’s Open Days to receive more detailed information about these courses.

Sandwich placements

Bristol Zoological Society, Bristol Zoo Gardens and Bristol Zoo Project offer sandwich year placements to dedicated students wishing to gain valuable work experience in preparation for their future career.

Find out more on our Sandwich Placements page.

Veterinary externships

Bristol Zoological Society is a Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Approved Centre for Zoological Medicine. Established in 1999, the on-site veterinary department currently consists of the Head of Veterinary Services Michelle Barrows, Veterinary Resident Charlotte Day, part-time Staff Vets Richard Saunders and Sara Shopland, part-time Veterinary Nurse Helen Harris and full-time Veterinary Nurse Teresa Horspool.

In May 2022, the decision was made that the veterinary externship will NOT run during the transition period to the BZP site due to our existing commitment to final year students from Bristol Veterinary School.

We understand this will be disappointing for those of you hoping to apply for the next few years.

Any updates will be posted here.

Student feedback

"Thanks to my supervisor for their professional guidance, support, and insightful contributions throughout this project."

"Much of the advice I will take with me for the rest of my career, so thank you for having such a huge impact in such a short timeframe."

"It has been a fantastic privilege to work alongside the immensely talented staff of this organisation."

Our sites

Bristol Zoo Project

Bristol Zoo Project, Blackhorse Hill, Bristol BS10 7TP

There is lots of free parking within the main visitor car park.

Bristol Zoo Gardens

Conservation Education Centre, Guthrie Rd, Clifton, Bristol BS8 3EZ

Look for the green ‘Conservation Education Centre’ sign on Guthrie Road.

There is no free parking at this site. However, there is free parking on Ladies Mile on the Downs opposite Bristol Zoo Gardens for 5 hours each day, and paid road parking around the site.

Bristol Zoological Society Library

Our library contains over 4,500 books and 2,500 journals on a vast array of zoological topics including ecology, animal behaviour and welfare, zoo management, veterinary science, research methods, and much more. It is also the first point of contact for archive enquiries.