Clare
Sims

What do you enjoy most about your course?

The variety of modules that are covered and the practical sessions.

How do you find your modules and what have you most enjoyed studying?

The modules are interesting and very detailed. I most enjoyed animal cognition and training and physiology of behaviour.

What do you think about the facilities available on your course and what do you use the most?

The facilities are great and easy to access. The facility I use the most is the library because of the study rooms which are available and easy to book.

What do you think about Brackenhurst Campus? What do you get up to in your spare time? 

I love Brackenhurst Campus; it is beautiful and so nice to get out into the countryside. In my spare time, I go for walks to see the variety of animals that are on the campus. I have volunteered at the Poultry Unit since my first year and will spend some time in The Orangery when I am not in the library.

What is your top tip for someone considering studying/ living at Brackenhurst Campus?

Enjoy the scenery, and get out into the countryside when you can. I would also volunteer as the experience you gain from this is amazing and will build up your confidence no end.

Have you been involved in any placements, work experience or volunteering as part of your course? If so, what company did you do it for, what was your role/responsibilities and what did you achieve?

I have been on placement for two different companies, my first one was a company called Shades of Hope which is based in Pefferlaw, Canada. I was there for six months where I learnt to handle a wide range of animals from squirrels to porcupines. I prepared and administered medicines, assisted in the clinical work, put my husbandry knowledge into practice, prepared and administrated feeds, provided enrichment and released animals that were in our care.

My second placement was in South Africa, I was there for three months for a company called Alldays Wildlife and Communities Research Centre. This placement was very different to my first as here I was out in the field following and recording behavioural data of Chacma Baboons and Rock Hyraxs (Dassies). I carried out other projects which involved recording bird distribution data, predator tracking and going onto another farm and carrying out snare sweeps. Along with a couple of the projects, I created a bird and a predator identification guide to help future students. I was lucky to assist an external company called Cheetah Outreach Trust in checking camera traps on a wide range of farms around the Limpopo region. We also attended weekly visits to the local school to teach them about animals and their environments.

Both my placements were amazing experiences and so different from each other. I gained so many skills and so much confidence as firstly I had to travel to these countries alone and get used to being in countries I have never been to before, which is a big shock, especially in South Africa as their way of life is very different to the UK.

If you completed a placement, would you recommend completing one and why?

Every student should go on a placement and go abroad if this is possible as you can go anywhere in the world as long as the company meets the requirements of NTU. The experiences you gain will stay with you forever and they give you a chance to see what it is like in different areas of the industry. You get to meet amazing people who have so much knowledge and experience and who will help you achieve what you want out of a placement.

Why would you recommend your course to someone considering studying it? 

Zoo Biology is a very interesting course; you can get hands-on experience in your first year with the animals on campus. The lecturers are amazing and will go above and beyond to help you succeed in your ambition and the knowledge they have in the modules they provide is unbelievable. The facilities on Brackenhurst Campus are great and easy to access; just being in the countryside is  the perfect place to study.

What are your plans for after the course and how do you feel your course has/ will help you to achieve that goal?

I am considering a Masters course after I have completed my degree, alongside working in the industry. With the knowledge and experience I have gained from this course I feel I am able to find the area of work I would like to go into which is field work and research.

Any additional comments:

Brackenhurst is such an amazing campus with some beautiful views, it is nice to come away from the city and be in the countryside in less than an hour. The support I have had at this campus has been unbelievable, everyone is happy to help in any way they can and the opportunities that are available here are brilliant.