- Benefit from working with expert lecturers and a diverse and exciting collection of animals in our

. - A focus on zoo culture, promotion of natural environments and behaviours to support conservation and meet the growing awareness of the needs of exotic species collections, taught by industry experts. - Extensive industry contacts and development of employability skills. - Use tools such as record-keeping software that are used by zoos and aquaria globally.

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.

You will develop research techniques in aspects of zoo animal welfare, behaviour and population management and consider the wider roles of the modern zoo in conservation and education.Students undertake a work placement in each year of the programme and will develop their theoretical knowledge through practical application. Previous student placements have included* Finkley Down Farm, Cotswold Wildlife Park, Birdworld* and the

. You will have the opportunity to develop your academic research through the Year 2 module on Applied Industrial Research, collecting data on a current exotic animal project.

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

This programme will provide progression to

and potentially onto

.Sparsholt graduates now work in a variety of roles in the zoo and conservation sectors including keeper, nutritionist, education, media and marketing.