- Designed to provide students with the theoretical knowledge and practical skills required within industry - Utilising a range of research, practical and laboratory skills to apply theoretical knowledge to real world situations - Benefit from a diverse and exciting collection of animals in our

As a UCS student you will benefit from lecturers with a wealth of industry experience that comes from working with

research committees/ working groups and a wide range of zoos. UCS is also supporting member of the

and staff are members of the

. Our teaching staff have experience and expertise in all areas of animal work including veterinary nursing, health and welfare, research, zoo industry and husbandry and animal behaviour and training.UCS has an unrivalled collection of animals and species in its purpose-built

and was one of the first colleges in the country to be awarded a zoo licence and is part of

The centre offers a wide variety of habitat styles and management systems to maximise the student learning potential and experience.

The course is designed to combine knowledge and research techniques in aspects of animal welfare and behaviour, the animal industry and wildlife management.In both years students will be required to complete 111 hours of work placement in an area of the animal industry of their choice. Work placements are a key feature and benefit from the University centre’s strong links with a variety of relevant organisations. We offer optional overseas study tours as well as UK trips allowing students to experience a range of different animal related industries and develop key practical and transferable skills to support future employment. Students have also undertaken work placement with the RSPCA, HART wildlife, Dogs Trust, bird of prey centres including the Hawk Conservancy, Orangutan Appeal and also placements at several local farms. In the final year you will undertake a research project using the animals in our collection in conjunction with industry links. Prior projects have worked with Pet Remedy, Vitacress, ORCA or on our very own Animal Health and Welfare Research Centre.

Much of the assessment is coursework based – essays, reports, practical portfolios and seminar presentations. Practical activities, in-class assessments and a limited number of exams also play a part.

You can progress onto the BSc (Hons) Applied Animal Behaviour, BSc (Hons) Applied Animal Science or BSc (Hons) Zoo Biology Top-up courses at University Centre Sparsholt or other organisations. Sparsholt graduates now work in a range of industries such as animal charities and zoological collections.