Animal Welfare & Management

The ability to identify and solve animal behaviour problems is advantageous to anyone wishing to pursue a career in behaviour modification work, and the principles of ethology (studying animals in the wild) are also included for those wishing to pursue a career in the field. An awareness of current animal welfare, management and ethical issues will be of benefit to any career in the sector.

Equally, an understanding of why people perceive and behave towards animals as they do, and why animals behave as they do towards us, will be of considerable advantage when working with diverse groups of both people and animals. This applies to careers within the animal sector, such as such as in zoos, animal sanctuaries, pet shops, boarding kennels, laboratories, wildlife parks, or with charities such as the Blue Cross, PDSA and RSPCA, or in education and educational support roles.

The communication and presentation skills gained mean opportunities may also be pursued in marketing, sales, retail, management and advisory roles. Developing your ability and confidence in using technological software and packages will boost your employability profile across multiple career sectors. For those of you wishing to continue your studies, the course includes opportunities to discuss studying at Masters level, and advice from staff and alumni in terms of these next steps.

Course Modules

You will study modules including:

- Applied Animal Behaviour\

• Human-Animal Interactions\
• Sustainable Management\
• Reviewing Current Issues within the Animal Sector

In addition, you will design and undertake an industry project as part of your dissertation.

The programme uses predominantly face to face sessions with online and practical work where appropriate. The learning and teaching methods typically used by tutors include lectures, seminars, guest speakers, workshops, practical sessions, practical projects, case studies, and tutorials.

A significant amount of personal study time is expected to be undertaken by you, comprising of, for example, background reading, assignment work, and preparation for seminars and practical case studies. A social learning community, including a peer support programme, will further enhance this.

When not attending scheduled learning activities you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-study.

The BSc Top Up teaching team consists of a range of experienced higher education tutors with a strong industry background and interest in ethical practice and sustainability. All tutors have postgraduate qualifications, which include equine science, psychology, animal behaviour, environmental conservation, and leadership and management.

Assessment tasks are linked to the learning outcomes of each module and are scheduled throughout the modules. Assessment typically consists of practical and theoretical work and is carefully designed to enhance knowledge and critical thinking, alongside a range of practical and transferable skills. Assessments include presentations, written assignments and project work, with embedded application of technology as appropriate to develop digital skills.

You will have formative assessment opportunities to help you learn and develop your knowledge and skills, as well as summative assessments on which you will be graded.