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Applied Animal Behaviour (Top-up) at University Centre Sparsholt - UCAS

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2026 - 2027
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Course summary

What Makes This Course Unique?

  • Part‑time blended top‑up degree course – attend on site for 6, week‑long block weeks and follow additional activities to continue your learning remotely in between.
  • Our living collection – use our extensive facilities to carry out innovative research as part of your course on a wide range of industry‑led projects including novel species ethological studies, cognitive and human‑animal interactions research. Students can utilise the state‑of‑the‑art kennels which are licensed for up to 40 dogs on a day care or full board basis and our cattery for practical training and behaviour observations, as well as our Animal Health and Welfare Research Centre which is home to a variety of small mammals and exotic species to widen the range of species to work with
  • Delivered by staff who are active in the field, as clinical animal behaviourists, ABTC assessors and members of the relevant behaviour and clinician societies, publishing regularly on topics of animal cognition, behaviour and welfare.
What makes UCS special? Our staff and graduates are highly regarded by industry. The lecturers’ experience, knowledge and industry links can give you the head start you need. We are an accredited member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and work closely with them. We have also worked with the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) on a funded project to define a competence framework for zoo keepers, which is at the heart of our National Zoo Academy. Sparsholt is the hub for the industry recognised professional zookeeper qualification, the DMZAA (Diploma in the Management of Zoo and Aquarium Animals).Our lecturers bring their expertise to your learning from their work with world‑leading zoos and nationally‑recognised organisations. They also advise research committees, welfare groups and awarding bodies within the industry. We have strong links with a range of wildlife, conservation and commercial organisations, allowing you to access work placements and to carry out industry relevant research that can feed into your career. What will I learn? You will gain a critical evaluation of animal ethology, health and welfare, learning theory, law and ethics and clinical practice. Practical learning to ensure you graduate job‑ready:
  • Behavioural observations of a variety of species
  • Safe training practices with different species
  • Conduct welfare assessments
  • Contribute to live research projects, such as goat animal interactions, canine communication comprehension and feline cognition.
How will I be assessed? Our assessments mirror the challenges you will face in your career, combining academic depth with practical application:
  • Research dissertations that address real‑world animal science problems
  • Field‑based assignments allow you to showcase your skills to employers
  • A range of presentation types and written assignments that develop key graduate skills such as communication expertise.
Focused on Your Future: This degree opens doors to diverse career paths in a rapidly growing sector, such as behaviourist or animal trainer in rescue and animal welfare charities and will allow you to progress on to gaining the practical competency to gain the Clinical Animal Behaviourist title. How our graduates are shaping the future:
  • Working with charities such as Dogs Trust and Blue Cross
  • Undertaking animal care and welfare research for wildlife charities and laboratory institutes
  • Self‑employed as feline/canine behaviourist
  • Pushing the frontiers of animal behaviour research by working in postgraduate education such as Master’s and Doctoral level degrees.

Modules

LEVEL SIX – YEAR ONE Animal Communication Learning and Training, Ethology Domestication and Anthrozoology, Mechanisms of Behaviour, Ethics Welfare and Law. LEVEL SIX – YEAR TWO Human Psychology and Clinical Practice, Dissertation and Data Analysis.

Assessment method

You will showcase your knowledge through a combination of written assignments, case studies, seminar presentations and constrained assessments. At Level 6 the Dissertation module will prove your skills within the field of research and we encourage students to present this work to other organisations.

How to apply

To apply for this course you will be taken to the provider's website, where you can find out more information and make an application.

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1

International applicants

We welcome applications from international students who have permissions to study on a part-time course. For further details on the English language requirements, visa requirements and student life, please see our website https://www.sparsholt.ac.uk/international/.

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

Diploma of Higher Education, FdSc or HND in a relevant subject, plus GCSE Maths and English at grade C/4 or above (or level 2 equivalents).

Additional entry requirements

Other

GCSE Maths and English @ Grade C/4 or above (or level 2 equivalents)

English language requirements

TestGradeAdditional details
IELTS (Academic)6Overall score of 6.0 with minimum scores of 5.5 in any of Speaking, Reading, Writing and Listening (CEFR B2) www.ielts.org/about-ielts/ielts-for-migration/united-kingdom
Trinity ISEPassPass in each of Speaking, Reading, Writing and Listening (CEFR B2) www.trinitycollege.com/qualifications/SELT/UKVI
PTE Academic60Minimum score of 60 or higher in each of Speaking, Reading, Writing and Listening (CEFR B2) www.pearsonpte.com/selt-tests/pte-academic-ukvi

We will also accept the following qualification: LanguageCert International ESOL SELT - minimum score of 33/50 in each of Speaking, Reading, Writing and Listening (CEFR B2) https://www.languagecert.org/en/uk-visa-exams/study-in-the-uk

Please email [email protected] for details

https://www.sparsholt.ac.uk/international/english-language-requirements/

Student Outcomes

Operated by the Office for Students

There is no data available for this course. For further information visit the Discover Uni website.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

Republic of Ireland £4638 Year 1
England £4638 Year 1
Northern Ireland £4638 Year 1
Scotland £4638 Year 1
Wales £4638 Year 1
Channel Islands £4638 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 .

Additional fee information

www.sparsholt.ac.uk/university-centre/additional-costs/

Sponsorship information

University Centre Sparsholt (UCS) will award bursaries of £4,500 to up to four new students each academic year. There is flexibility in how these bursaries can be used, but they are intended to help with the cost of studying in order to make university more affordable. The recipients of the bursaries will continue to receive the same amount for each year of their studies, as long as expectations for attendance and engagement are met. The bursaries are a part of the University Centre's Access and Participation Plan , and therefore priority will be given to students whose backgrounds are traditionally underrepresented among the UCS student body. Further details regarding how to apply will be supplied to all offer holders who have accepted an offer to study with us when they complete their 'Next Steps' registration form in the Summer term.

Applied Animal Behaviour (Top-up) at University Centre Sparsholt - UCAS