Full time
1 year
OCT-24
MSc - Master of Science
Animal Protection / Welfare Animal Pathology
Taught
Explore the emerging discipline of animal welfare science with leaders in this field and learn how evidence informs practice.
Course overview
The assessment and enhancement of animal welfare are key to a variety of industries including farming, scientific research, zoos, the pet trade, and service animal training. On this course you will learn from experts in industry and research how this is achieved using modern techniques.
Why study this course with us?
You will assess how an evidence-based approach can be applied to improve a range of scenarios such as housing, training, and transport practices. You will gain an understanding of key ethical dilemmas in the field, can improve your research skills, and explore a topic of interest to you in a personal dissertation project.
At Chester you will learn directly from leaders in the field of animal welfare research. Regular research seminars and approachable, supportive staff make our department a friendly, welcoming community to students from a range of backgrounds. From hormone assays to genetic analysis, we have the facilities you will need to develop key laboratory skills. Staff also collaborate with a range of industrial partners such as farms, veterinarians, and zoos, so can provide real-life case studies to students.
Various long-term departmental research projects, both in the UK and abroad, allow a diverse range of dissertation opportunities and participation in ground-breaking research. Our teaching team also has strong links to industry; your dissertation project could provide you with valuable networking opportunities and experience in a specialist field such as production animal welfare assessment or laboratory animal management. Our department also has close links with zoos, aquaria, charities and NGOs - invaluable for helping you on your future career path.
There is a key focus on practical applications in this course. Problem-solving skills will be targeted by authentic coursework, and you will build a careers portfolio with help from a designated personal tutor. Tasks such as grant application writing, evaluative reports, oral and poster presentations are both engaging and highly applicable to a range of employment opportunities.
Assessment
Assessment methods are varied and are targeted towards future employment. These could include poster presentations, grant applications, oral presentations, synthetic reviews, or laboratory reports.
Job prospects
Our course is specifically targeted at giving you the skills you need to pursue a successful career. Whether this is in a welfare-related field (perhaps managing wild or captive animals, assessing welfare in a professional capacity, or in academic research) or in a broader career (journalism, teaching or policy making perhaps), we will help you stand out from the crowd in your applications.
For this course (per year)
£9,360
For this course (per year)
£14,750
Applicants should normally possess an honours degree (minimum 2:1) in a biological/behavioural/ecological science (e.g., animal behaviour, conservation biology, zoology) including components of experimental design and statistical analysis. Applicants will also have relevant animal-related experience. Students with a minimum of a 2:1 undergraduate degree in an unrelated area must demonstrate on application that they have equivalent experience in a related field, e.g., wildlife conservation, captive animal management. They must also demonstrate on application evidence of experimental design and basic statistical analysis skills, perhaps during completion of a research dissertation.
The University of Chester is a 21st century university which traces its roots back to 1839, placing it among the oldest higher education institutions in England. With a modern outlook, a strong research pedigree and guiding principles of supportiveness and inclusiveness, it’s an academic community that has stood the test of time. Today, it attracts thousands of students from around the world and is known for its commitment to helping students...more