MSc in Animal Welfare, Behaviour, Ethics and Law University of Winchester

• Examine and communicate the importance of animal welfare to academic and other audiences
• Programme partly based on the theoretical syllabus required for the European and US animal welfare speciality qualifications for veterinarians
• Learn from highly qualified, enthusiastic and renowned teachers

Animal Welfare, Behaviour, Ethics and Law at Winchester critically reflects upon contemporary uses of animals and provides the academic skills and expertise needed to protect animals and advance their welfare. Winchester is a world leader in terms of the values held and discussed, such as compassion and social justice, which are central to the ethos of this course.

You consider animal rights and the ethics around using animals for food, sport, and scientific research. How should society reflect those rights and ethics in our law-making and public policies? We scrutinise the many forms of animal use in different settings, such as farming, transportation and slaughter, laboratories, homes, zoos and various other entertainment locales, and about free-ranging animals in natural environments. As you progress through the programme, you master the skills and knowledge involved in assessing and ensuring the welfare of animals using a range of data and sound scientific processes.

The course is different from other comparable programmes in part because of the range of animals covered, including wild, free-ranging animals, invertebrates, pest animals, and the welfare problems associated with them. You are encouraged to develop communication skills in a range of styles, including posters, blogs, and multimedia presentations, and to share ideas about animal welfare outside of the academic setting.

Modules include Animals and Society, Animal Issues, Animal Psychology and Behaviour, Research Methods, and a 10,000-word dissertation on your chosen topic. Classes are taught using the online virtual learning platform, in the form of core notes with additional readings, videos and lecture notes, making this course accessible to students anywhere in the world.

Graduates work as animal behaviourists, within animal welfare and advocacy organisations, zoos, sanctuaries and other organisations requiring knowledge of animal management and welfare, with governmental departments working on animal issues, with agencies aiming to uphold welfare standards, and with commercial organisations seeking to introduce such standards to their agricultural suppliers.

Accreditation

For any veterinarians pursuing specialist qualifications in animal welfare, this programme is partly based on the theoretical syllabus required for the European and US qualifications.

Year 1 (Level 7)

• Animals and Society 20
• Animal Welfare Issues I 20
• Ethically Significant Animal Characteristics 20
• Animal Welfare Issues II 20
• Animal Psychology and Behaviour 20
• Research Methods 20
• Dissertation 60

Graduates may enter careers within animal advocacy, welfare and conservation organisations; zoos, sanctuaries and other organisations requiring knowledge of animal management and welfare; governmental departments working on animal issues; assurance, inspection and enforcement agencies; and commercial organisations seeking to implement and monitor the animal welfare standards of their agricultural suppliers.

Pre-approved for a Masters

If you study for a Bachelor's Honours degree with us, you will be pre-approved to start a Master's degree at Winchester. To be eligible, you will need to apply by the end of March in the final year of your degree and meet the entry requirements of your chosen Master's degree.