Evolutionary Biology

About this programme

Evolutionary Biology is a vibrant contemporary research field offering insight into the processes that are responsible for the history of life on Earth and all of biodiversity. Darwinian natural selection drives the process, but life is also influenced by chance and abiotic events such as climate change and extinctions. Major topics addressed in Evolutionary Biology are genetics and genomics, ecology, behaviour and behavioural ecology, human evolution, coevolution, biogeography and biodiversity. As Dobzhansky famously said in 1964, "Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution". The BSc (Hons) in Evolutionary Biology is a four-year course run by the School of Biology. Evolutionary Biology at St Andrews provides students with high-tech equipment, laboratories and expertise to facilitate learning and to develop the skill set of a modern evolutionary biologist. In first year and second year, modules introduce you to core subject material relevant to all degree programmes in areas such as animal and plant biology, evolution and ecology, molecular biology, cell biology and genetics. Alongside biology, in the first year of your studies, you will be required to study an additional two subjects. In the second year, you might carry on at least one of these subjects, sometimes two. Find out more about how academic years are organised . In third year, there is a shift from core, broad-themed modules to more specialised modules which allow students to prepare for their Honours degree. In fourth year, students continue specific research in their chosen area throu