Animal Management (Behaviour & Welfare)

Do you want to explore a career with captive domestic or exotic animals that aspires to the highest standards of welfare and behavioural diversity?

Students have regular access to the zoo-licensed animal centre facilities at University Centre Reaseheath, which boasts a range of exotic zoo species, in addition to domestic species. Additionally, you can expect an interactive and personable learning experience that draws upon the expertise of our team of industry experienced staff.

As part of this course, you will develop a range of academic and professional skills, related to the behaviour and welfare of captive animals. Through practical husbandry sessions, ethical debates and behavioural observations, you will gain a greater appreciation for the goals and challenges of managing animals in a captive situation. This knowledge can be applied to a diversity of careers, with transferable skills working with animals in large or small-scale collections.

Course Features

• Ethical debates on animal welfare, including guest speakers from a range of backgrounds

• Opportunities to specialise in domestic or exotic species

• Access to our on-campus zoo, which houses over 1,000 animals and 125 species including ring-tailed lemurs, porcupines, raccoon dogs, otters, tapir, capybaras, owls, hawks, bearded dragons, kingsnakes, dart frogs, marine fish and much more

• Opportunity to engage in overseas field courses to a range of localities in Africa and Europe

Career Options

• Animal welfare officers

• Animal behaviourists

• Animal therapy and rehabilitation

• Rescue centre animal care

• Scientific research

• Zoo-based husbandry and research

The course can be followed by the one year BSc (Hons) Animal Management top-up to gain a full honours degree. This will allow you to work with lecturing staff on relevant unique research projects.

Level 4
• Introduction to Scientific Communication
• Animal Husbandry and Handling
• Animal Welfare Issues
• Animal Anatomy and Physiology
• Evolution and Adaptation
• Introduction to Animal Behaviour

Level 5
• Experiential Learning
• Research Methods
• Animal Nutrition
• Welfare: Evaluation and Impact
• Behavioural Ecology*
• Animal Health and Disease*
• Domestic Animal Husbandry and Welfare*
• Exotic Animal Husbandry and Management*

• Denotes optional modules

Assessments are designed to encourage both academic skills and skills valued in the workplace. They include a combination of coursework and time-restrained assessments.

Coursework may take many forms including essays, reports, data processing, presentations, academic posters, seminar discussions, interviews, critical reviews, portfolios of evidence and practical competency assessments. The timed online assessments vary, depending on the nature of the module, but may take the form of multiple-choice papers, essays, practical assessments, data handling questions, short answer quizzes, and in class examinations.