FdSc Animal Welfare and Management

You will need 48 UCAS points. GCSEs in English, Maths and a Science at grade 4/C or above. Suitable animal husbandry experience and a passion for animal management and welfare, and commitment to an intellectual challenge.

Students are assessed in a variety of ways to develop graduate level skills. Assessment methods include scientific reports, essays, reflective reports, written examinations, practical examinations, portfolios and individual and group presentations.

GCSE 4/C or above or equivalent

You will be required to undertake 150 hours of work experience in a vocationally relevant external placement(s) of your choosing.

You will have access to Northumberland College Zoo, as well as the working farm, equine yard and dog groomers on site at our Kirkley Hall campus to gain hands-on experience.

You'll also be able to learn from profressional land-based organisations that we have links with, such as Tynemouth Aquarium, Pets Corner in Jesmond, wildlife rehabilitators and fishery officers.

The course incorporates 150 hours of work placement over the two-year period. In addition to direct contact hours a further 10-15 hours of independent study is expected on a weekly basis.

Attendance on campus is required 2-3 days a week (Monday-Friday, timetable TBC), with self-directed study and/or work experience comprising the remainder of the working week.

Timetables are normally available at enrolment. Please note that while we make every effort to ensure that timetables are as friendly as possible, scheduled teaching can take place on any day of the week.

With a strong emphasis on both animal welfare and work-based learning, the course aims to develop new and enhance existing practical skills (such as animal handling, husbandry and training), alongside providing graduates with the scientific knowledge base that underpins effective and ethical professional animal management practice (this will involve learning about concepts in animal anatomy and physiology, taxonomy, health and disease, nutrition and behaviour).

The course aims to prepare graduates for immediate entry into employment (for instance working with animal charities/NGOs, sanctuaries, zoos, pet shops, kennels, wildlife parks or self-employment) or progression onto ‘Top Up’ degree study, whether that be BSc (Hons) Animal Management at Northumberland College or a related subject elsewhere. It is also suitable for students wishing to pursue a career in the wider animal sector (for instance in sales or laboratories) or progress onto working in education.

Year one is deliberately designed to develop the essential knowledge, academic and practical skills needed to study and pursue work across the animal management and wildlife conservation sectors. As such, modules that form the first year of the Animal Welfare and Management course are also those that form the first year of the Foundation Degree in Wildlife Conservation. This has the advantage of permitting a switch of programmes after successful completion of year one, should students develop a strong interest in the wildlife conservation sector during this time and wish to pursue modules more suited to their change in interests.

As the FdSc Animal Welfare and Management programme specialises more in year two, students will learn the fundamentals of animal learning theory, and how to apply this knowledge to modify animal behaviour, both effectively and ethically. Here, students will undertake a practical animal training project to put their knowledge and skills into practice. Students will also consider the ethics and acceptability of animal use across different human societies and cultures, and in so doing foster a professional skillset of restraint, tolerance and resilience, to ultimately improve their ability to work with diverse kinds of people.

Ultimately, the course is geared towards developing the knowledge and essential practical and transferable skills that we know employers in our sector value. Academic skills development modules run over both years to develop research, academic communication, information technology, project management and critical evaluation skills. Laboratory skills are also developed. Equally, students are introduced to entrepreneurship: a business skills module run in the second year provides practical experience of event management and commercial enterprise, to give graduates a competitive edge and broader career horizons should they wish to pursue self-employed work. Career prospects are enhanced further through a mandatory 150 hours’ work experience component, to be completed at a placement(s) of the student’s choosing and at times to suit the individual and placement provider.

Modules:

Year 1 -

- Introduction to Academic skills
- Pre-Industry Skills
- Mammalian Anatomy, Physiology and Nutrition
- Animal Health Management
- Principles of Biodiversity
- Evolution and Genetics

Year 2 -
- Industrial Experience
- Event Management
- Research Methods
- Ethics and Animal Welfare
- Animal Behaviour and Training
- Zoo Conservation

The entire qualification is worth 240 Credits - 120 credits per year, with each module worth 20 credits.