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Animal Science (Pet Behaviour and Welfare)

ARU Writtle (formally Writtle University College)

UCAS Code: D314 | Diploma of Higher Education - DipHE

Entry requirements


45 credits at level 3 with a mix of Distinction and Merit in relevant science-based subject to meet the overall UCAS entry tariff.

80 UCAS tariff points, to include 2 x B1 or H2 higher

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

MMP

To include 4 GCSEs to include English, Maths and Science grade C/4

80 UCAS tariff points, to include 2 x B

80 UCAS tariff points, to include one GCE A level grade C or above To include 4 GCSEs to include English, Maths and Science grade C/4

About this course


Course option

2years

Full-time | 2024

Subject

Animal science

We are pleased to confirm that Writtle University College and ARU (Anglia Ruskin University) have joined together as of 29 February 2024. Writtle’s full range of Higher and Further Education courses will continue to be delivered on site at the new ARU Writtle campus, enhanced by resources available at nearby ARU Chelmsford If you are starting your course in September 2024, your degree will be awarded by ARU. Find out more about ARU, including our recent Gold rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework, at www.aru.ac.uk

This biological science-based 2 year Diploma of Higher Education course combines both pure and applied sciences in the study of animals. Alongside practical animal management skills are topics relating to the underlying biological principles of biochemistry, genetics and animal growth, together with core subjects of behaviour and nutrition. This course is for those wishing to have a strong scientific understanding of animal biology and how it relates to animal health and disease, animal growth and their development. Option routes outlined below provide specialist teaching of pet behaviour and welfare, zoo and wildlife conservation, and farm livestock technology.

If you are passionate about companion animals and looking for a course to learn about their behaviour and welfare then this is the option for you. Complementing the holistic approach of the Animal Management programme or the core scientific principles of the Animal Science programme, this course particularly prepares students for employment in the range of companion animal roles including pet behaviour councillors, pet nutritionists and pet animal welfare charities.

Modules

• Professional Skills for the Animal Industry
• Animal Biology
• Ethics of animal use Animals in Society
• Animal Husbandry
• Ecology and Evolution

Assessment methods

This course provides a mix of assessment methods including.
• Practical assessments with companion and zoo animals, farm livestock and horses
• Examinations - both multiple choice and essay questions
• Presentations - both individually and in small groups
• Essays and technical reports
• Assessed seminars
• Case studies
• Experimental work and laboratory reports
• Poster presentations
• Debates
• Dissertation

Tuition fees

Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:

Channel Islands
£9,250
per year
England
£9,250
per year
EU
£14,000
per year
International
£14,000
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,250
per year
Republic of Ireland
£9,250
per year
Scotland
£9,250
per year
Wales
£9,250
per year

The Uni


Course location:

ARU Writtle (formally Writtle University College)

Department:

Animal Science and Management

Read full university profile

What students say


We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.

89%
Animal science

How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Animal science

Teaching and learning

91%
Staff make the subject interesting
87%
Staff are good at explaining things
78%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
84%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

81%
Library resources
87%
IT resources
87%
Course specific equipment and facilities
62%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

97%
UK students
3%
International students
8%
Male students
92%
Female students
42%
2:1 or above
9%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

C
B
D

After graduation


The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Animal science

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£15,000
low
Average annual salary
96%
med
Employed or in further education
57%
med
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

46%
Animal care and control services
9%
Other elementary services occupations
7%
Sales assistants and retail cashiers

These stats refer to the prospects for graduates from both general animal studies courses and those for particular animals (such as equine science). Graduates don't generally get jobs as vets when they graduate; much the most common jobs tend to be roles caring for animals, such as veterinary nurses. Some of these jobs are not currently classified as professional level occupations, but in reality, you need a degree to get these jobs (and probably always have done), and graduates in them report that they got the jobs that they wanted. So the stats you see might not completely represent just how useful these degrees are for getting into animal care careers.

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

Animal science

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£18k

£18k

£22k

£22k

£22k

£22k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

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Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

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Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

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Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

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