COURSE CURRICULUM

The Applied Animal Behaviour and Welfare program offers a comprehensive curriculum designed to equip students with advanced knowledge and practical skills in animal welfare science. Core modules explore contemporary welfare concerns, including evidence for animal sentience and positive welfare states, and examine strategies to overcome real-world barriers to improving welfare. Students study advances in animal behaviour, focusing on cognition, personality, social interactions, and communication, while considering ethical frameworks that guide human responsibility toward non-human animals. Practical assessment skills are developed through applied welfare assessment, integrating ethical, behavioural, and scientific principles to evaluate animal wellbeing in diverse settings. The program also addresses specific contexts such as companion animals, exploring how human-animal interactions influence welfare and how positive changes can be implemented. Online modules provide insight into regulations governing agriculture, food production, companion animals, and working animals, including transport, disease control, and use in sporting, therapeutic, educational, and service roles. Research skills are a key focus, with modules on research methodologies and their application, preparing students to undertake evidence-based practice and critical evaluation. MSc students culminate their studies with a substantial dissertation project, allowing independent research under supervision. The program blends theory, ethics, practical assessment, and regulation to prepare graduates for careers in research, industry, policy, and animal welfare advocacy.