BSc (Hons) in Animal Behaviour and Welfare (including Foundation Year)

This course is all about building your confidence and giving you the skills and knowledge required to progress on to study the BSc (Hons) Animal Behaviour and Welfare.

Supported by a team of dedicated staff, you will develop your study skills and gain plenty of guidance through regular one-to-ones and small tutorial group sessions.

University Centre Reaseheath is an academic partner of the University of Chester. Foundation degrees, Honours degrees, and Cert Ed are awarded by the University of Chester.

How to apply

Apply directly to the University of Chester

UCAS Entry Points

72 UCAS points

Start Date

September 2021

September 2022

Course Length

Full-time: 4 years

Throughout your first year of study, you will cover a range of topics such as an introduction to environmental science and animal form and function, along with enhancing your numeracy skills through practical data handling and analysis.

Through hands-on sessions in our licensed zoo, you will explore key principles in animal husbandry, including animal health and welfare, enclosure design, nutrition and feeding.

You will also study vital scientific principles in the animal sciences such as cell types, genetic principles and inheritance, working in our dedicated science laboratories.

Your second, third and fourth years will cover the same modules as the BSc (Hons) Animal Behaviour and Welfare.

The course features:

Member of British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA)
Purpose-built animal management training centre with £3 million upgrade
Student will have the opportunity to engage in overseas field courses to a range of localities including southern Africa, South America and Europe
Centre houses over 1,000 animals and 125 species inc:
Mammals: serval cats, tapirs, ring-tailed lemurs, porcupines, tamarin monkeys, otters, capybara, meerkats, mara and wallabies, among others
Birds: birds of prey, chickens, ducks, finches, cockatiels, cockatoos, and budgerigars
Reptiles: snakes, bearded dragons, tortoises and chameleons
Fish: a range of freshwater and marine fish Invertebrates: tarantulas, scorpions and insects Amphibians: frogs, toads and newts.

Please note: Students are based at Reaseheath during their first year. You will then be based at the University of Chester during your second and third years. For students wishing to live in, you will live in Halls of Residence at Reaseheath College during your first year.

What will I study?

Foundation Year

Academic Skills for the Animal Sciences
Introduction to Environmental Science
Introduction to Data Handling and Analysis
Practical Skills in Animal Husbandry
Scientific Principles in the Animal Sciences
Animal Form and Function

Click here for the module descriptor

Level 4

Introduction to Behaviour in Animals
Animal Husbandry and Handling
Animal Welfare Issues
Animal Anatomy and Physiology
Principles of Evolutionary Biology
Behavioural Data Analysis and Project Design

Click here to view the module descriptors.

Level 5

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

Level 6

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.

Teaching and Learning

Teaching and Learning

Overall workload

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:

Year 1: 36% of your time is spent in timetabled teaching and learning activity

Teaching, Learning and Assessment: 432 hours

Independent Study: 768 hours

Year 2: 30% of your time is spent in timetabled teaching and learning activity

Teaching, Learning and Assessment: 364 hours

Independent Study: 836 hours

Assessment and Feedback

Percentage of course assessed by coursework

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:

Year 1

85% coursework

15% written exams

Year 2

65% coursework

35% written exams

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.

Entry requirements

72 UCAS points from GCE A Levels or other Level 3 qualification (minimum 2 years in length) in relevant subject preferably including biological sciences (or equivalent)
BTEC Diploma (Applied Science or equivalent): DD
OCR National Extended/Diploma: merit profile plus one of the GCE A level subjects listed above
Mature students (aged 21+) will be considered on an individual basis.

Further study

Postgraduate study.

Career Options

Animal behaviourist
Animal welfare/conservation
Wildlife management
Teaching/eduction officers
Scientific research and technical support
Animal behaviour counselling/training
Teaching and lecturing
Animal health product development
Rescue centre animal care
Animal behaviour research.

Useful Information

How much will this course cost?

Tuition Fees

As a Higher Education student you will have two main costs to meet; your tuition fees and living costs.

Our full-time tuition fees for UK and EU students, entering University, can be found on the student finance page. These fees are charged for each academic year of a course and are set by the college annually.

If you are an international student or for the latest information on tuition fees visit the student finance page on our website.

Equipment Costs

Boiler suit: £20-£30 OR UCR Polo shirt (£12)/UCR Sweatshirt (£16) + work trousers (£15-£20)
Steel toe capped boots: from £30
Lab coat: £13-£20
USB drive: from £5

Prices of equipment are subject to change dependent on retailer.

Additional financial support

University Centre Reaseheath is committed to providing additional financial support to those who need it. To find out about the bursary schemes available visit the additional financial support pages on our website.

Accommodation

All Higher Education students are given the opportunity to apply for residential accommodation. First year students are guaranteed accommodation and this offer is made to all applicants who live more than a reasonable daily travelling distance from Reaseheath and who apply before 31st July of the year they intend to start their course. For full details on our halls of residence visit the accommodation pages.

Student support

We have a team of dedicated professionals on hand to offer you support when and if you need it during your time with us. These include our Student Services team, Higher Education Support Team (HEST), Library and Learning Resources and the Reaseheath Careers Service. You will find more information on the support provided at Reaseheath here.

How do I apply?

Before you apply you can come and visit us at one of our HE Open Events to see what we have to offer. Once we have received your application we will invite you to attend an Offer Holder Day.

Applications for full-time Degrees and Foundation Degrees are made through UCAS. Applications for all other full-time courses such as Access to HE and Level 4 Diplomas should be made directly to Reaseheath via the online application form. You can find out more here.

Student contract

For students to get the best out of their time at University Centre Reaseheath, we must both recognise that we owe obligations to each other. These obligations are set out in our Higher Education Student Contract. Before you accept an offer of a place at University Centre Reaseheath, it is important that you read these contract conditions. If you are going to be living in Halls of Residence, you will also need to read the Student Accommodation Licence Conditions. Both of these contracts can be found here.

Click here to view the University Centre Reaseheath Student Protection Plan.