Applied Animal Behaviour & Welfare (Top-up)

If you are looking to top-up your degree to help you on your career journey, this is the ideal course for you - especially if you are looking to work within an animal rescue centre, animal welfare organisation or zoological institution. This Top-up degree focuses on developing a critical understanding of key issues within animal behaviour and welfare science, providing you with the knowledge and skills required to progress into a range of management, consultancy and husbandry roles within the animal industry. The programme will enable you to critically examine the global challenges facing key stakeholders and organisations working in the sector, with an opportunity to meet industry professionals and evaluate real-world case studies. This degree emphasises the development of critical thinking skills, and will enable you to effectively assess and manage the behaviour and welfare of animals within a variety of different contexts.

Please note this course is not currently accepting applications for 25/26, please consider our Zoology top-up degree as an alternative.

Why choose us?

1. Develop a critical understanding of current and significant issues in animal behaviour and welfare science.
2. Learn how to effectively assess the behaviour and welfare of a range of different taxa and generate innovative solutions to complex problems.
3. Gain confidence in applying theory to practical scenarios, giving you the qualities and skills needed to progress into employment or academia.
4. Build your professional network through engaging with industry experts and guest speakers from a range of animal organisations

The programme is delivered by a team of highly experienced and dedicated staff, with expertise in a range of disciplines within the animal sciences and related fields. Staff teaching on the programme benefit from maintaining strong professional links to organisations in the animal industry, operating at both a local and national level.

Core Modules:
• Research Project
• Animal Cognition and Neuroscience
• Animal Welfare and the Law

Elective Modules (2 of the following modules can be chosen):
• Human-animal Interactions
• Companion Animal Behaviour Counselling
• Contemporary Advances in Animal Behaviour

Please note, depending on cohort size not all optional modules may be available, please speak to the Course Leader for more information.

Students are assessed through a combination of assessment methods depending on the modules chosen such as and examinations. All students will have the opportunity to complete a dissertation project, undertaking guided research on a project which aligns with their interests.

Other assessment approaches include essays, case study reports, scientific posters and presentations. All modules are designed to contain formative (practice) assessment activities, which are ungraded, enabling students to build their confidence and understanding in advance of formal assessment submission.