Course summary

The Animal Management and Welfare top up degree is tailored for students who wish to develop skills in animal management acquired at level 5 and specialise in an area of the industry of their choosing. The course encourages students to develop their analytical and critical evaluation skills through the application of behaviour, captive breeding and welfare assessments to enhance animal management for health, welfare, conservation and rehabilitation. Students will also be able to enhance their practical skills of animal husbandry, behaviour modification, breeding for conservation, animal nursing and welfare improvement. Student will learn about the essentials of experimental design and data analysis in preparation for their dissertation, in which students will undertake an independent research project to analyse a specific research question/hypothesis. Students on the course will have a unique opportunity to enhance their practical animal management skills and contextualise their learning by working behind the scenes with a range of rare and endangered species at Whipsnade Zoo (part of the Zoological Society of London). Students will undertake a series of visits throughout the year to learn about exotic animal management and its challenges and get hands on with enrichment building, accommodation maintenance, feeding, handling and undertaking essential research. Students will also have the opportunity to study in the on-site Animal Management Centre which is home to over a hundred species of exotic and domestic animals ranging from hamsters, rats and budgies to tenrecs, meerkats and pythons. What can this course lead to? Graduates in Animal Management and Welfare at this level will typically acquire employment in managerial or supervisory roles within the industry e.g. section heads and education officers in zoos, senior animal technicians in research facilities, kennel/shelter/farm managers, conservation officers, veterinary technicians, research assistants and animal management tutors/lecturers.