Postgraduate study
Edinburgh: Extraordinary futures await.

Applied Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare MSc

Awards: MSc

Study modes: Full-time, Part-time

Funding opportunities

The MSc provides an excellent all round and up-to-date education in animal behaviour and animal welfare science. The taught part of the course not only provided me with the opportunity to think critically about animal welfare issues in the classroom, but also to visit various establishments at the center of these issues.

Duncan Wilson Applied Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare MSc Graduate
Duncan Wilson               Applied Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare MSc Graduate

This highly respected MSc programme will enable you to develop the skills, knowledge and scientific understanding to pursue a career addressing local and global challenges to animal welfare.

Our multi-disciplinary programme is delivered by an internationally renowned research-led team, specialising in applied animal behaviour.

During this MSc you will:

  • demonstrate a critical understanding of the principal theories, principles and concepts in animal behaviour and animal welfare
  • plan and execute a significant project of research on applied animal behaviour or animal welfare by applying knowledge and a range of specialised techniques
  • critically review, consolidate and synthesise knowledge to address contemporary issues in animal welfare.
  • communicate about animal welfare and animal behaviour, using appropriate methods, to a range of audiences with different levels of knowledge/expertise
  • exercise substantial autonomy and initiative in your own work and make informed judgements, on your own or collectively, on challenging animal welfare issues

  • Why study Applied Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare?

The programme involves taught courses and your own dissertation.

Throughout the taught courses you will take part in many visits to farms and animal facilities. You will study the following courses:

  • Introduction to Applied Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare
  • Biology of Animal Welfare
  • Animal Cognition and Consciousness
  • Scientific Methodology
  • Animal Welfare Applications

  • Read more about the taught courses

You can complete the programme over one, two or three years.

Dissertation

From April until August, you will work on a research project.

Find out more about compulsory and optional courses

We link to the latest information available. Please note that this may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

AwardTitleDurationStudy mode
MScApplied Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare1 YearFull-timeProgramme structure 2023/24
MScApplied Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare3 YearsPart-timeProgramme structure 2023/24
MScApplied Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare2 YearsPart-timeProgramme structure 2023/24

Graduates move on to a variety of jobs such as research technicians, scientific advisors and lecturers. Many will also continue their study and enrol in a PhD.

These entry requirements are for the 2024/25 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2025/26 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2024.

A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in animal science, biology, psychology, zoology or veterinary science.

Students from China

This degree is Band D.

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

  • IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.5 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
  • TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 23 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
  • C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 with at least 176 in each component.
  • Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components.
  • PTE Academic: total 70 with at least 62 in each component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old* at the beginning of your programme of study. (*Revised 05 March 2024 to extend degree validity to five years.) .

Find out more about our language requirements:

Additional programme costs

You will be responsible for additional programme costs for the duration of your studies.

Living costs

You will be responsible for living costs for the duration of your studies.

For guidelines on living costs see:

Tuition fees

AwardTitleDurationStudy mode
MScApplied Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare1 YearFull-timeTuition fees
MScApplied Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare3 YearsPart-timeTuition fees
MScApplied Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare2 YearsPart-timeTuition fees

SRUC alumni discount

The SRUC alumni discount aims to encourage SRUC graduates to take up opportunities to study on taught masters (MSc) degree programmes run by SRUC in conjunction with the University of Edinburgh by providing a financial contribution towards the programme tuition fees to eligible applicants.

Eligible applicants will:

  1. have graduated, or be expecting to graduate, with an honours degree delivered through SRUC, and awarded by either the University of Glasgow or the University of Edinburgh, within five years prior to the commencement of the masters programme
  2. have been accepted for admission to one of the following MSc programmes:

  3. have been offered a place for the next academic session

  4. have firmly accepted that offer, or be intending to do so

We will inform you if you are eligible to receive the discount on tuition fees during the application and admissions process. (Please tell us on your application if you are a SRUC graduate, as this will help speed up the process.) For further information please contact the Programme Secretary.

UK government postgraduate loans

If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK’s governments.

The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on:

  • your programme
  • the duration of your studies
  • your tuition fee status

Programmes studied on a part-time intermittent basis are not eligible.

Other funding opportunities

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

  • Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies
  • Easter Bush Veterinary Centre
  • Easter Bush
  • Roslin
  • EH25 9RG
Programme start date Application deadline
9 September 2024 23 August 2024

Due to high demand, we operate a number of selection deadlines for this programme.

Applicants who are not made an offer at a specific selection deadline will either be notified that they have been unsuccessful in securing a place on the programme, or that their application will be carried forward to the next selection deadline for further consideration at that time.

Selection deadlines

Round Application Deadline Places awarded by
1 1 March 2024 29 March 2024
2 12 July 2024 26 July 2024

Final UK/Scotland fee rate only selection deadline

This final selection round is only open to applicants who are eligible for the UK/Scotland fee rate, including the EU/EEA Pre-settled Scotland fee rate. Overseas and EU-EEA Overseas fee rate applicants will not be considered for this round.

Round Application Deadline Places awarded by
3 23 August 2024 30 August 2024

You must submit one reference with your application.

Find out more about the general application process for postgraduate programmes:

Further information

  • Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies
  • Easter Bush Veterinary Centre
  • Easter Bush
  • Roslin
  • EH25 9RG