BSc (Hons) Animal Behaviour and Welfare

Are you passionate about understanding animal behaviour and applying it to improve welfare? Do you want to understand the evolution of behaviour across a range of organisms? Applying an understanding of animal health and metabolism, you will understand a broad range of aspects of behaviour and welfare. Designing and carrying out behavioural studies in a range of settings - working within legal frameworks to protect welfare - and analysing your data, you will gain skills sought by employers.* You will build a strong foundation in the fundamental science that underpins the study and understanding of behaviour and welfare - including ecology, evolution, microbiology, physiology, nutrition, health and disease. You will then build onto this with in-depth study of behaviour, welfare and their links in your second and final years of study.* You will take part in residential field courses in South Devon and the Netherlands, allowing you to develop and apply the understanding you gain through lectures and to study animal behaviour in both wild and captive settings - the latter including zoos and agricultural settings.* You will benefit from our collaborations with Dartmoor Zoo, Paignton Zoo, Newquay Zoo, the Donkey Sanctuary and National Marine Aquarium, which enable a number of field-trips throughout your course to look at captive animal behaviour, welfare, conservation and rehabilitation.* You will have opportunity to boost your employability by taking a Placement Year between your second and final years of study, working in the industry, anywhere in the world - you can read more about this in the 'course details' section of this page.* You can broaden your horizons by taking your second year at one of a range of universities overseas offered in our Year Abroad scheme.* You will be supported pastorally and academically by a Personal Tutor throughout your studies, and will have regular 1:1 meetings to discuss your progress formally.* You will interact with and be lectured by academic staff who are research-active and well regarded in their fields.* You will undertake self-study throughout your course, using our well-equipped Library and range of online scientific journals, as well as LABPlus, our unique laboratory and resource centre designed for science and engineering students, which will provide you with flexible workspace, computing facilities, specialist software and bioinformatic applications, access to microscopes, cameras and bespoke resources designed by academic staff to support specific modules as well as more general self-study.