BSc (Hons) in Animal Behaviour and Welfare

Delivered at University of Chester

• Research Methods
• Experiential Learning*
• Behavioural Ecology*
• Adaptations to the Environment*
• Wildlife Crime and Conservation*
• Welfare and Behaviour Management
• Marine Animal Behaviour*
• Learning in the Wider World*
• The Study Abroad Experience (120 credits)*
• Enhancing your Employability through Work Based Learning*

* Denotes optional modules

Delivered at University of Chester

• Dissertation^†
• Animal Behaviour and Conservation*
• Physiology and Behaviour*
• Zoo Biology and Management
• Stress and Welfare Assessment in Animals
• Applied Conservation Genetics*
• Managing Marine Environmental Impacts*
• Behavioural & Evolutionary Ecology*
• Domestic Animal Behaviour and Welfare*
• Parasitology*

* Denotes optional modules

† Dissertation is a double-weighted module, worth 40 credits. Therefore, only five modules are selected for study at Level 6 (Year 3).

Click here to view the module descriptors.

Please note that availability of optional modules is subject to availability of subject-specialist staff and the recruitment of the minimum viable student number (7 individuals). Should a module not be deemed viable for operation then all students who selected that module will be communicated to in writing in advance of the academic year, and will be informed of the alternative options available to select from. 

Students will be expected to make their module choices for the following academic year during March/April, via a module selection service. Confirmation of module selections will be provided via email following approval. 

Your overall workload consists of class contact hours, independent learning and assessment activity, plus field trips. Your actual contact hours may depend on which optional modules you select, but the following information gives an indication of how much time you will need to allocate to different activities at each year of the course: 

15% of your time is spent in timetabled teaching and learning activity 

Teaching, Learning and Assessment:         174 hours 

Independent Study:                                       1026 hours 

Class sizes average between 8-35 for modules exclusively delivered on the programme. For those modules offered across several programmes, class size could be as high as 90 individual learners. 

Assessment Methods

Assessments are designed to encourage both academic skills and skills valued in the workplace. They include a combination of coursework and examinations. Coursework may take many forms including: essays, reports, data processing, presentations, academic posters, seminar discussions, interviews, critical reviews, portfolios of evidence and practical competency assessments. The examinations vary, depending on the nature of the module, but may take the form of multiple-choice papers, essays, practical assessments, data handling questions, short answer quizzes, and in class examinations. 

The balance of assessment by examination and assessment by coursework depends to some extent on the optional modules you choose. The approximate percentage of the course assessed by coursework is as follows: 

80% coursework 

20% written exams 

Feedback

Feedback is supplied via Turnitin or directly from the module tutor. The majority of submissions are made via Turnitin and feedback for coursework is provided within twenty working days after the submission date. 

Written feedback will be supported verbally should the student require clarification. Formative assessment feedback will be provided at the time of completion where possible, with more detailed summative feedback for reports. 

Students are given the opportunity to study an optional module at level 5 (Year 2) entitled Enhancing your Employability through Work Based Learning. Students are expected to source their own placement, and complete a minimum of 150 hours of work, completed in a 5-week block period. When selecting a placement, students should consider the financial implications associated with accommodation, travel/commuting and the possible need for a Disclosure Barring service (DBS) check, as the University of Chester may not be able to subsidise such costs.