Animal Management (Top-Up)

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

As a student on the course, you will 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 range of careers, with transferable skills working with animals in large- or small-scale collections.

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.

This course is designed for students who wish to enhance their academic/vocational study beyond the scope of a foundation degree (or equivalent), to include highly specialized learning specific to Animal Management with a behaviour and welfare focus, developing subject specialisms and skills applicable to industry.

Students are expected to study and complete 120 credits, comprising five modules of study at this level. This will include a 40 credit Dissertation module, designed for students to showcase their skills through independent research, but also a diverse range of mandatory and optional modules to enable highly specialist, industry specific skills and knowledge to be developed.

At this level, students will both engage with and apply research-informed study concerning a range of disciplines associated with the successful captive management of domestic or exotic species. This will include themes in specialist realms of animal behaviour and intelligence, behavioural & physical rehabilitation zoo research and education, and advanced animal husbandry practices.

Course Features

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

• Opportunities to specialise in domestic or exotic species

• On-site zoo, home to over 1,000 animals and 150 species including ring-tailed lemurs, porcupines, marmosets, otters, capybaras, owls, bearded dragons, kingsnakes, dart frogs, marine fish and much more.

• Overseas field courses to a range of localities including Kenya and European countries.

Career Options

• Animal welfare officers

• Animal behaviourists

• Animal therapy and rehabilitation

• Rescue centre animal care

• Scientific research

• Zoo-based husbandry and research