Master Ethologie

Master Éthologie, offered by Université de Rennes in Rennes, France, is a two-year master's program taught in French, starting in September, with tuition of EUR 250 per year. Ethology is the scientific study of animal behavior, examining how and why animals act as they do in natural and controlled settings, drawing on biology, psychology, and evolutionary theory. Students in this discipline typically study animal cognition, communication, and social behavior, along with the methods used to observe and record behavior systematically, such as behavioral coding and experimental design. Coursework often covers the evolutionary and physiological bases of behavior, examining how behaviors develop over an animal's lifetime and how they are shaped by genetics, environment, and learning. Students also study specific behavioral topics such as mating systems, parental care, group dynamics, and the ways animals adapt behaviorally to changing environments, including human-altered habitats. Fieldwork and laboratory observation form a significant part of training in this field, with students learning to design studies that minimize bias and disturbance while collecting reliable behavioral data. Some programs also address applied ethology, covering topics such as animal welfare in captivity or agriculture, and how behavioral science informs the management and care of animals in zoos, farms, or conservation settings. Graduates from ethology programs pursue careers as researchers in animal behavior, roles in conservation organizations, positions in zoos or wildlife parks, and work supporting animal welfare assessment in agricultural or laboratory settings. Others continue toward doctoral research in behavioral biology. Because instruction is delivered in French, students should be prepared to study technical and scientific material in that language while based in Rennes.