Page 37 - RVC Undergraduate Prospectus 2026-7

RVET 3 D390 CAMDEN &
R84 YEARS (D391) HAWKSHEAD f www.rvc.ac.uk/bscabbwe

INSTITUTION DURATION UCAS CODE CAMPUS
(WITH PLACEMENT
YEAR)
CAREERS BSc ANIMAL BIOLOGY, BEHAVIOUR,

IN BIOLOGICAL WELFARE AND ETHICS

SCIENCES Are you interested in why animals behave the During the course, you will explore animal behaviour in terms

way they do? Would you enjoy using biology of its evolutionary history, the animal’s cognition and sensory
to understand animal bodies and minds? processes, and its genetic and environmental triggers.
Do you want to improve animal welfare in ways Animal welfare is about mental as well as physical health, so you
that really work? Then this is the course for you. will learn techniques from neuroscience, psychology, physiology
and more, as well as information about real-world animal welfare
Animal welfare is at the heart of RVC’s mission, scenarios. This evidence is used to inform legislation and ethical
and it is a growing, multidisciplinary field of decision-making, so you will use logical frameworks and debate
science. This course builds on our international to draw your own informed conclusions about what is ‘right’.
reputation in this field. You will develop practical skills in a range of field and laboratory
techniques to address fundamental biological questions in animal
behaviour and welfare. You will study welfare and behaviour
COURSE OVERVIEW across a range of species including farm, companion, wild,
laboratory and zoo animals.
On this degree you will start with fundamental biology, learning
about how animal cells and bodies work, both when healthy Part of the final year will be devoted to your own research project
and during disease. As you specialise, you will increasingly on animal behaviour, welfare or ethics. Your research project will
use science to understand animal behaviour and welfare, and be conducted with supervision from a specialist member of RVC
learn how to use evidence to make your own ethical evaluations academic staff. Some projects are located at RVC, whilst others
about animal use in society. take place at a relevant establishment, such as a farm, zoo or
animal sanctuary. This experience builds upon a six-week animal
behaviour/welfare research project in the second year.

MODULES – Please note that these are indicative modules and may be subject to change. All modules are 15 credits unless stated
otherwise, and most are based at Camden Campus except for the Year 2 research project and the Year 3 Animal Behaviour, Welfare and
1
Ethics modules, which are at Hawkshead Campus. First Year modules are the same for all Biological Pathways. Please see page 33
for a list of first year modules.
2 degeneration research project 3 and cognition metabolic syndromes
YEAR COMPULSORY welfare and ethics YEAR CORE MODULES OPTIONAL
• Animal behaviour
MODULES
MODULES INCLUDE
• Animal behaviour
• Endocrine and
• Basis of disease
(30 credits)
• Science of
• Ageing and

• Epidemiology:
animal welfare
the bigger picture

• Applied animal welfare •
• Principles of
Parasitology of human
infectious disease
(select one)
• Animals and
diseases
• Control of infectious OPTIONAL MODULES human society and veterinary tropical
• Principles of
• Practical investigative
disease pharmacology • Animal behaviour biology
• Introduction to animal • Wild animal biology welfare and ethics • Advanced concepts
behaviour, welfare research project in biobusiness
and ethics (60 credits) • Omic approaches
to biology
• Comparative anatomy
RVC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES 37