Applied Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare MSc
Edinburgh, United Kingdom
DURATION
1 up to 3 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Request application deadline *
EARLIEST START DATE
Request earliest startdate
TUITION FEES
GBP 12,500 / per year **
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* round 1 application deadline: 1 March 2024, round 2 application deadline: 12 July 2024, round 3 application deadline: 30 August 2024 (final selection round is only open to applicants who are eligible for the UK/scotland fee rate, including the EU/EEA pre-settled scotland fee rate)
** for scotland, rest of UK | £24,700/year for international tuition fees
Introduction
This highly respected MSc program will enable you to develop the skills, knowledge, and scientific understanding to pursue a career addressing local and global challenges to animal welfare.
Our multi-disciplinary program is delivered by an internationally renowned research-led team, specializing in applied animal behaviour.
During this MSc, you will:
- demonstrate a critical understanding of the principal theories, principles, and concepts in animal behaviour and animal welfare
- plan and execute a significant project of research on applied animal behaviour or animal welfare by applying knowledge and a range of specialized techniques
- to critically review, consolidate, and synthesize knowledge to address contemporary issues in animal welfare.
- communicate about animal welfare and animal behaviour, using appropriate methods, to a range of audiences with different levels of knowledge/expertise
- exercise substantial autonomy and initiative in your work and make informed judgments, on your own or collectively, on challenging animal welfare issues
Why study this program?
International reputation
We established the first animal welfare MSc in the UK in 1990. The program was initiated by Professor David Wood-Gush, one of the first scientists to investigate the effects of factory farming on animals.
Set up in collaboration with SRUC, the Jeanne Marchig International Centre for Animal Welfare Education (JMICAWE), and Edinburgh Zoo, the program is taught by academics and experts from all these institutions.
Today, our MSc has a strong international reputation and the support of well-known animal welfare organizations in the UK and Europe, including:
- The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA)
- The Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA)
- The Universities Federation for Animal Welfare (UFAW)
- World Animal Protection
- The Brooke
Rankings
This Master in Applied Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare programme gives you the opportunity to study at the 15th-ranked university in the world (QS World University Rankings 2023).
Gallery
Ideal Students
This programme in Applied Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare is suitable for:
- Those who wish to further their career in the animal behaviour and welfare community
- Those who wish to study an established MSc programme spanning over 30 years with a strong international reputation
Program Outcome
With this degree, you will have the opportunity to:
- demonstrate a critical understanding of the principal theories, principles, and concepts in animal behavior and animal welfare.
- plan and execute a significant project of research on applied animal behavior or animal welfare by applying knowledge and a range of specialized techniques.
- critically review, consolidate, and synthesize knowledge to address contemporary issues in animal welfare.
- communicate about animal welfare and animal behavior, using appropriate methods, to a range of audiences with different levels of knowledge/expertise.
- exercise substantial autonomy and initiative in your work and make informed judgments, on your own or collectively, on challenging animal welfare issues.
Career Opportunities
Graduates move on to a variety of jobs such as research technicians, scientific advisors and lecturers. Many will also continue their study and enrol in a PhD.
Curriculum
The program involves taught courses and your dissertation.
Throughout the taught courses you will take part in many visits to farms and animal facilities. You will study the following courses:
- Introduction to Applied Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare
- Biology of Animal Welfare
- Animal Cognition and Consciousness
- Scientific Methodology
- Animal Welfare Applications
You can complete the program over one, two, or three years.
Dissertation
From March until August, you will work on a research project.
Admissions
Program Tuition Fee
Scholarships and Funding
SRUC alumni discount
The SRUC alumni discount aims to encourage SRUC graduates to take up opportunities to study on taught master (MSc) degree programs run by SRUC in conjunction with the University of Edinburgh by providing a financial contribution towards the program tuition fees to eligible applicants.
Eligible applicants will:
- have graduated, or be expecting to graduate, with an honors degree delivered through SRUC, and awarded by either the University of Glasgow or the University of Edinburgh, within five years before the commencement of the master's program
- have been accepted for admission to one of the following MSc programs:
- Applied Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare
- Applied Poultry Science (Online Learning)
- Ecological Economics
- Environmental Protection and Management
- Food Security
- International Animal Welfare, Ethics, and Law (Online Learning)
- Soils and Sustainability
- have been offered a place for the next academic session
- have firmly accepted that offer, or intend to do so
We will inform you if you are eligible to receive the discount on tuition fees during the application and admissions process. (Please tell us on your application if you are an SRUC graduate, as this will help speed up the process.) For further information please contact the Programme Secretary.
UK government postgraduate loans
If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK’s governments.
The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on:
- your programme
- the duration of your studies
- your tuition fee status
Programs studied on a part-time intermittent basis are not eligible.