Studying Animal Physiology at Canterbury
Animal physiology is the study of the physical and chemical processes that occur within animals—in other words, how animals work!
Animal physiology is concerned with such topics as gas exchange, blood and circulation, osmoregulation, digestion, nervous and muscle systems and endocrinology.
Career paths
Graduates specialising in Animal Physiology can find teaching and research
careers in hospitals, schools of medicine, universities, pharmaceutical
laboratories and crown research institutes.
They may also work in fields as diverse as conservation, the food industry,
fisheries and aquaculture concerns and in the sports industry.
Postgraduate
BSc (Hons) - Students complete a fourth year of study
comprising four 400-level papers and a research project.
PGDipSc - Students complete a fourth year of study comprising
four 400-level papers.
MSc - Students complete a fourth year of study comprising
four 400-level papers (part I), then proceed to a research project (part
II), written up as a thesis.
PhD - Students complete a 3-4 year research project written
up as a thesis. Entry is after successful completion of either BSc(Hons)
or an MSc.
Planning Your Degree
Below is a guide to help you select courses that will give you a well rounded degree in animal physiology.
Year 1
Essential
BIOL
111 Cellular Biology & Biochemistry
BIOL
112 Ecology, Evolution & Conservation
BIOL
113 Diversity of Life
CHEM 112 General Chemistry B *
MATH 101 Methods of Mathematics **
* Unless
you have 9 NCEA level 3 credits in chemistry
it is essential that you take a CHEM 114 before
CHEM 111 and CHEM 112.
** Note: Unless you have good NCEA level 3 credits
in maths, it is essential that you take a minimum
of 15 points in MATH (MATH101).
Recommended
CHEM
111 General Chemistry A
BIOL
116 Human Biology
Optional
STAT 101 Statistics 1 ***
*** Biology majors are required to take BIOL
209 Introduction to Biological Data Analysis (or
equivalent preparation e.g. STAT 201, PSYC 206).
Entry to this course does not require STAT 101,
but if you haven’t done maths or stats at level
12 or 13, then think about doing STAT 101 in your
first year.
Year 2
Essential
BIOL
209 Introduction to Biological Data Analysis
BIOL
250 Principles of Physiology
BIOL 251 Exercise and Health
Recommended
BCHM 221 Biochemistry A - Biomolecules
and their interactions
BIOL
210 Vertebrate Biology
BIOL 212 Marine Biology
BIOL 231 Foundations in Molecular
Biology
BIOL 253 Cell Biology 1
BIOL
271 Evolution
BIOL 272 Principles of Animal Behaviour
Year 3
Essential
BIOL
309 Experimental Design and Data Analysis for Biologists *
BIOL
351 Cell Biology 2
BIOL
355 Neurons, Hormones and Behaviour
BIOL
354 Animal Ecophysiology
Optional
BIOL
330 Advanced Concepts in Genetics
BIOL
373 Behavioural Ecology
* Students wishing to progress to 4th year in any Biology major are expected to have taken BIOL309.