Evolutionary Biology
Evolutionary biology is the study of how life on Earth has changed over time, examining the mechanisms that produce diversity, adaptation, and speciation and applying them to questions that span from the molecular level to entire ecosystems. Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection remains the unifying principle of modern biology, and evolutionary biology extends and deepens it through the tools of genetics, molecular biology, ecology, and computational analysis. Understanding evolution is not just of academic interest: it is essential for making sense of infectious disease, the development of antibiotic resistance, conservation challenges, and many aspects of human health and behaviour.
At St Andrews this four-year BSc (Hons) programme covers a broad and ambitious curriculum, including evolutionary theory and genetics, environmental physiology, terrestrial and aquatic ecology, the evolution of behaviour, biodiversity and conservation, computational genomics, human evolution, and evolutionary ecology. This breadth reflects the centrality of evolutionary thinking to all of biology, and the programme develops both the conceptual foundations and the empirical and computational skills that modern evolutionary research requires. The programme includes a year abroad, giving you the opportunity to study at an international institution and bring a wider perspective to the questions of evolutionary biology.
Evolutionary biology graduates work in research at universities, natural history museums, botanical gardens, and conservation organisations. They contribute to ecological monitoring, biodiversity assessment, genomics, and the study of host-pathogen evolution in medical and veterinary contexts. Roles in conservation biology, environmental consultancy, wildlife management, and science communication are also common career paths.
Many graduates pursue postgraduate study at master's or doctoral level, developing specialist expertise in areas ranging from population genetics and phylogenetics to behavioural ecology and computational genomics.