Royal Agricultural University - open day event
1 Jul 2026, 11:14
Cirencester
If you aspire to have a career in the thoroughbred or sports horse industry, our specialist Bloodstock and Equine Performance Management course will teach you all you need to know about training, breeding, racecourse management and enterprise.
Industry experience is at the heart of this degree with a work placement in your second year, and visits to leading racing businesses. Our graduates have secured high profile positions in the racing industry, including organisations such as Godolphin, Juddmonte, The Jockey Club, Weatherbys and The National Trainers Federation and you could join them.
This specialist course compares science and business practices to those within the sports horse industry and equips you with the skills to step into the professional world.
Course structure
Gain a solid grounding in all aspects of the horse racing industry through lectures, seminars, visiting speakers and field trips. Modules will be assessed through a range of methods including reports, business plans, examinations, case studies and presentations.
The Research Project is an integral part of the course and provides essential experience in both design and execution of a piece of research. You can choose to focus on either science or business and you could also see your Research Project featured in one of the many academic journals that regularly publish our students’ work.
Work placement
You will complete a 15-week work placement in the second year. Students have completed placements at prestigious companies such as Highclere Stud, France Galop, Newsells Park Stud, Jockey Club Estates and Arena Racing Company. If you wish to undertake an extended period of work there is the option to complete a year in the workplace by choosing course W632 with Professional Placement Year
For up to date module information, please see our website: https://www.rau.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate
The programme has a variety of assessment styles to encourage the application of knowledge in ways appropriate to the industry or to develop core graduate skills. Many of the assessments occurs via coursework or practical assessment rather than traditional examinations. Coursework exercises include (but are not limited to) written essays and reports, practical application of skills, reflective portfolios and oral presentations which may also include using audio visual media. Where examinations are utilised, these are generally ‘seen’ scenarios whereby the paper is made available to students 2 weeks before the assessment date or open book where students can take their course notes into the exam room. The open book or seen exams are looking for students to analyse, evaluate and apply, rather than just to retain knowledge.
Overall, the programme is assessed through*:
Learning and Teaching Assessment
Directed Independent Placement Exam Practical Coursework
Year 1 23.50% 76.50% 0.00% 20.00% 2.50% 77.50%
Year 2 21.00% 72.75% 6.25% 12.50% 0.00% 87.50%
Year 3 22.28% 77.72% 0.00% 12.50% 2.50% 85.00%
The following entry points are available for this course:
https://www.rau.ac.uk/student-life/international-students
Find out more about qualification requirements for this course.
At the Royal Agricultural University we want to encourage students from a wide range of backgrounds to participate in higher education. The additional insight gained through contextual information allows us to recognise a student’s achievements and identify their potential to succeed in the context of their background and experience.
We are committed to offering all eligible students a contextual offer. See details on our website
This section shows the range of grades students (with UK A-Levels or Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diplomas) who received offers were previously accepted with (learn more). It is designed to support your research but does not guarantee whether you will or won't get a place. Admissions teams consider various factors, including interviews, subject requirements, and entrance tests. Check all course entry requirements for eligibility.
We are unable to show previous accepted grades for this course. This could be because the course is new, it's a postgraduate course, there isn't enough historical data, or the provider has opted out of sharing their entry grades data for this course - learn more.
| Location | Fee | Year |
|---|---|---|
| England | £9535 | Year 1 |
| Northern Ireland | £9535 | Year 1 |
| Scotland | £9535 | Year 1 |
| Wales | £9535 | Year 1 |
| Channel Islands | £9535 | Year 1 |
| Republic of Ireland | £9535 | Year 1 |
| EU | £16950 | Year 1 |
| International | £16950 | Year 1 |
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.
No additional fees or cost information has been supplied for this course, please contact the provider directly.
Stroud Road
Cirencester
GL7 6JS
Visit our website Visit our course page
Email:admissions@rau.ac.uk
Phone:01285 889912
At Royal Agricultural University