BSc (Hons) Animal Behaviour and Welfare

Students will normally have gained a minimum of 220 UCAS Tariff points achieved by two or more A Level passes (A2 level subjects or a double award Advanced VCE) (Advanced Higher and Highers for Scottish students) or a BTEC National Diploma with a Merit profile or a BTEC National Certificate with Distinctions.

The College also welcomes applications from students on Level 3 Diploma programmes (with a Distinction profile) and Level 3 Extended Diploma programmes (with a Merit profile), introduced as part of the recent nationwide ‘QCF’ curriculum restructure.

For Irish students, 4 grade 'B' and 'C' Highers in the Leaving Certificate or equivalent.

Transferable/Key Skills, AS levels and Scottish Intermediate 2s may be used to contribute to entry requirements but they are not sufficient for entry on their own. Alternative equivalent qualifications will also be treated positively.

Consideration will be given to non-traditional qualifications and relevant work experience. Applicants are encouraged to produce evidence of their potential to benefit from the course. Applicants who believe they may be eligible for Accreditation of Prior Certificated and/or Experiential Learning (APCL/APEL) for certain modules will be considered on an individual basis.

First Year Animal Science:

• Anatomy, physiology and behaviour are introduced in this module. 
• Animal Health: This module introduces you to the principles of animal health and what the implications of health are for their welfare state. 
• Data Handling (half module): The module is intended to introduce students to scientific methodology, experimental philosophy, writing styles, data collection and handling, results presentation techniques and some key statistical methods.
• Introduction to Animal Behaviour and Welfare: This module covers aspects of animal behaviour and learning particularly related to training animals for specific roles, eg guide dogs for the blind. 
• Introduction to Pharmacology: An introduction to some key pharmacological principles. 
• Animal Philosophy and Ethics: This module will provide an insight into the moral, ethical, cultural and philosophical aspects of animal welfare. 
• Elective.

• Breeding and Genetics (half module): The main aim of this module is to develop a broad understanding of the biological principles which underlie animal breeding. 
• Biological Basis of Behaviour (half module): This module aims to introduce students to the physiological processes that allow organisms to demonstrate a co-ordinated response to both internal and external stimuli. 
• Animal Welfare Legislation (half module): This module will give you an understanding of the legal issues associated with animal welfare. 
• Animal Welfare Studies: This module is used to relate studies in animal behaviour to its welfare. It explores key concepts in welfare including husbandry systems, pain and suffering in animals, people / animal interactions, education and the welfare debates. 
• Research Methods: The module will examine, experimental design, the validity of the findings, who is carrying out research and into what areas. Experimental design will be taught so that data and observations can be assessed for accuracy and reliability. The appropriateness of investigational methods will be explored together with suitable data analytical techniques. Methods of reporting the results of scientific investigations will be appraised. 
• Animal Nutrition: This will cover aspects of biochemistry, genetics and laboratory techniques in order to enable a greater understanding of feeding systems and breeding programmes. This is building on work carried out in Animal Science. This will allow you to consider the welfare implications of providing suitable/unsuitable diets as well as reviewing the effects of breeding animals using traditional and new breeding technologies such as MAS and cloning.
• Human/Animal Interface (half module): The effects of the relationship between people and animals will be evaluated. 
• Elective.

• Research Project (double module): This allows you to carry out a major practical investigation. 
• Advances in Animal Behaviour and Welfare: This module examines current scientific advances in the field of animal behaviour. ¨
• Behavioural Ecology: This module examines the survival value of behaviour by exploiting resources, avoiding predators and maximising reproductive success. 
• Applied Behavioural Studies: This module encourages the development of practical skills with analysis and evaluation of animal behaviour. 
• Canine and Feline Behaviour: This module is specific to the behaviour of cats and dogs. 
• Industrial / Work Experience There is no formal industry placement on this course but there is the option to intercalate and take a gap year to work in the industry anywhere in the world. This enables students to gain experience in a real working environment as well as increasing employment prospects