Equine Business Management [with Foundation Year]

Turn your passion for horses into a successful business career by gaining the essential skills needed to thrive in this commercial world.

At ARU Writtle, you’ll develop essential skills in management, leadership, marketing, event planning and sustainable business practices.

While your studies will be grounded in the equine sector, the knowledge and experience you’ll gain on this course are designed to be very transferable, opening doors to careers not only in equine business and consultancy but also to the wider business world. In addition, our optional modules enable you to tailor your degree to the areas you're most passionate about, giving you the flexibility to shape your learning around your career goals.

Why ARU?

• Develop essential business skills with specialist equine industry knowledge

• Learn key professional skills in leadership, project management and research

• Bring the world of work to life through Live Briefs; developed with employers to give you exposure to ‘real world’ problem-solving

• Gain hands-on experience applying business skills in real-world equine settings while developing your career plan and employability skills

• Build professional networks by collaborating with industry partners on a range of business-focused projects

• Join our Equine Academy for elite coaching and bring your horse to university with our DIY livery packages

In your first year, you’ll gain a broad introduction to the equine industry, including its sectors, laws, ethics and science, alongside practical skills in equine care and core business principals.
In your second and final year, you’ll advance your professional skills as well as your research and critical thinking through placements and projects. You’ll also explore the commercial, ethical and sustainable challenges in equine performance, training, health and management, while developing transferable skills in leadership, strategic business and digital marketing. Your final-year major research project will showcase your expertise and readiness for a career in the equine world or wider business landscape.

Modules are subject to change and availability. If you have the choice of optional modules, these are indicated with a *.

Year 1:
Academic and Personal Management Skills (20 credits)
Biological Concepts (Introduction to Laboratory Skills) (20 credits)
Maths for IT and Science (15 credits)
Chemistry for Life Sciences (15 credits)
Independent (Themed) Project (20 credits)
Applied Industry Techniques (30 credits)

Year 2
Fundamentals of the Equine Industry (30 credits)
Foundations of Equine Science (30 credits)
Scientific Approaches to Equine Husbandry and Welfare (30 credits)
Integrated Project and Business Management (30 credits)

Year 3
Professional Business Project (30 credits)
Ruskin Module (15 credits)
Research Methods (15 credits)
Commercial Influence on Equine Performance (15 credits)
Sustainable Approaches to Equestrian Enterprise (15 credits)
Financial Management (30 credits) *
Business Innovation (15 credits) *
Developing Professional Practice (15 credits) *
Horse & Rider Development (30 credits) *
Veterinary Interventions and Diagnostics (30 credits) *

Year 4
Major Project (30 credits)
Strategic Business Leadership (15 credits)
Commercial and Digital Marketing (15 credits)
Ethical and Sustainable Approaches to Equine Welfare (30 credits)
International Intercultural Management (30 credits) *
The Reflective and Empathetic Entrepreneur (30 credits) *
Employment Law and Relations (30 credits) *
Performance Analysis (15 credits) *
Developments in Veterinary Science (30 credits) *

We encourage critical thinking, practical skills and professional readiness. Each assessment is delivered in the form of real-world tasks like live briefs, case studies, oral presentations, practical evaluations, scientific reports and a dissertation on a subject of your choice. This ensures you’ll graduate with both a theoretical understanding of equine science and the practical competencies expected by employers.