Level 4 core modules

• Biology and Behaviour

  This module will foster the student's understanding of a broad range of key biological concepts and techniques. Aspects of animal and plant biology will be covered in both a broad sense and as they apply particularly to the study of horses and domestic animals. Students will gain an understanding of the relative contributions of evolutionary processes, genetics and environmental influences on the behavioural characteristics of animals within both their natural and domestic environments. They will study the learning, cognitive and perceptual capabilities of different species and explore the proximate (developmental and mechanistic) and ultimate (functional and phylogenetic) explanations for species-typical behaviours. In addition this module will help students to develop some fundamental laboratory skills such that they will be able to design experiments and conduct them competently and safely within both the laboratory and the field.

• Biomeasurement:

  This module is a student-focused introduction to the use of statistics and computing software in the study of the biosciences. Students are shown how to use information, or data, to answer questions about biological systems. They gain knowledge of a range of visual and statistical techniques and the ability to use spreadsheet and statistical software to carry out these techniques. Students are shown (1) how to choose the appropriate technique for a range of data types and circumstances; (2) perform and interpret analyses correctly and (3) communicate the results of these analyses honestly and clearly. The spreadsheet package introduced is Excel. Students use this software to produce a variety of graph types, manipulate data and calculate descriptive statistics. The statistical package introduced is SPSS. They learn how to use this software to present data and carry out a variety of inferential statistical procedures. The inferential statistical procedures cover both estimation and hypothesis testing. The range of hypothesis-testing techniques taught covers parametric and nonparametric procedures for datasets involving up to two variables (e.g., chi-squared test, t-test, Wilcoxon matched-pairs test, one-way Anova, regression, correlation). Material introduced during lectures is reinforced in subsequent small group tutorial and hands-on computer practical sessions. There is an emphasis throughout on the use of real datasets and examples of the presentation of results in the scientific literature.

• Companion Animal Handling, Husbandry and Welfare

  This module will equip the student with both theoretical and practical knowledge of the natural behaviours and needs in captivity of a wide range of common and exotic species kept as human companions. They will be introduced to a wide variety of commercial housing and husbandry regimes and will evaluate their impact on animal welfare. Students will become familiar with the gross anatomy of a range of companion animal species to allow you to undertake the safe handling of a variety of animals, using a range of safe practices, equipment and restraints. Through this practical experience they will become proficient in a range of animal handling and husbandry techniques, including methods for the safe and effective restraint of a range of species and the conduction of routine health checks. Matters of Health and Safety as well as the legislative requirements of keeping animals, both as domestic pets and within commercial animal exhibitions, will be covered. Through an assessment of the resources within the Small Animal Unit you will reflect on the factors which influence the performance of husbandry tasks and suggest evidence-based modifications to improve animal welfare, particularly with respect to an animal's natural behavioural requirements. Delivery of the module will involve a large amount of practical work with animals within the Small Animal and Equine Units, including the Equine Rehabilitation Centre at CWA.

• Animal Anatomy and Physiology

  This module is designed to introduce study of basic physiological principles in mammals. Mammalian body systems themselves, differ very little amongst mammalian species, where there are important differences, a variety of different mammals will be studied in detail as using specific examples. Since this module has a comparative approach it is also suitable for students on environmental pathways. The student will be introduced to the cellular level of organisation and this will be followed by a practical study of functional histology and a detailed examination of the mammalian organ systems including the integument (skin), pulmonary and cardiovascular systems, nervous system, muscle, bone and kidney. Sensory endocrine, reproductive and digestive physiology will also be considered with regular reference to environmental interactions using both non human and human examples. As well as providing students with subject specific knowledge, this module helps develop a number of transferable skills including practical (laboratory) techniques and skills relevant to employment including literacy and numerical skills.

• Issues in the Animal Industry:

  This module will develop a student's understanding of animal industries in the UK and worldwide, including the environments in which animal organisations operate, their performance within these contexts and factors that influence their operation. Students will explore the impact of political, social and economic factors on the diverse uses of animals internationally, for leisure, competition, tourism and motive power etc. They will consider legal and ethical frameworks which govern and inform the industry and the role of the various stakeholders. Throughout the module students will be encouraged to identify and suggest solutions to problematic issues relating to the industry and reflect on their current role or potential roles within this work sector. Insight into working practices gained through their work based learning module, Companion Animal Handling, Husbandry and Welfare and educational visits to a range of animal sector charities and business establishments will help contextualise their learning within this module and assist them in the preparation for their work placement.

• Learning & Skills Development for HE and Work:

  This module will equip the student with the essential study skills to enable them to maximise their learning potential and take advantage of opportunities available both in the academic setting and the workplace. Particular emphasis will be given to developing self-confidence in learning skills such as note-taking, basic report writing, referenced essays and assessment skills. Special attention will be given to developing the ability to communicate effectively with others, both orally and through the use of presentation technologies, such as PowerPoint. The student will be introduced to the appropriate scientific framing of questions and hypotheses as a starting point for the scientific investigation of behaviour. They will learn to acquire, evaluate and summarise scientific communication (e.g. peer-reviewed journal articles) effectively in support of degree level coursework.

Level 5 core modules

• Animal Health and Nutrition:

  This module will introduce students to the study of animal health and nutrition, with particular emphasis on the relationship between health, disease and animal welfare. The agents of significant animal diseases, including epizootics and zoonoses, will be examined, as will transmission, management and prevention of disease. The impact of appropriate and inappropriate nutrition on animal health and welfare will be studied, and the influence of stress and poor welfare on health investigated. The use of veterinary intervention, drugs, feed supplements and euthanasia will be discussed, and the impact of these measures on welfare will be considered, as will the ethical implications of their deployment in problems of animal disease. Along with study of the activities of veterinarians, the role of other animal health practitioners will be evaluated. The module is assessed through examination and production of a workbook as coursework assessment. Study of this module will be valuable in employment in various animal-based industries, whether directly in animal breeding, keeping and growing, or in the ancillary industries which service the sector.

• Animal Therapy and Rehabilitation:

  In this module students will build on the knowledge they have gained within previous modules to develop a wider understanding of the range of disease and injury found in animal species. They will explore and rehearse handling, husbandry and rehabilitation techniques, including the use of the state of the art equipment within our new Equine Therapy Centre, designed to maintain and improve animal health. Through expert presentations and practical sessions students will become familiar with the range of therapeutic and rehabilitation techniques that may be prescribed by veterinary personnel to combat a range of common illnesses and injuries in animal species. Video recording equipment and specialist analysis software will allow detailed observation of the movement patterns of both fit and injured animals. This will facilitate the understanding of the differential diagnosis of injury and the application of therapeutic programmes carried out by or under the auspices of qualified Veterinary Surgeons and Animal Physiotherapists. Lectures and practical sessions will be complimented by a range of visits to specialist centres such as the Animal Health Trust and veterinary hospitals. Guest lecturers from rehabilitation specialists will also be arranged. Assessment for the module will include a case study to demonstrate understanding of appropriate assessment techniques and immediate first-aid for an animal suffering from an illness or injury. Students will be required to describe the likely content and schedule of handling, husbandry and therapeutic techniques that may be prescribed and executed under the auspices of a Veterinary Surgeon, to maintain or improve health and welfare.

• Applied Ethology and Animal Welfare:

  This module addresses applied aspects of the science of animal behaviour and shows how behavioural theory and research can be applied to a wide range of practical problems, from pest control to captive breeding and the management of wild populations. A key aspect of the module is the application of behavioural research to vertebrate and invertebrate husbandry. The course also considers the history, philosophy and development of the relatively recent science of animal welfare, including the variety of ethical approaches to the use of animals by humans for varying purposes. The controversial issue of how to assess animal welfare through behavioural and physiological indicators is addressed, and specialist techniques which may support such assessments are introduced. While undertaking this module students will study and critically evaluate the captive management of animals and how this may support or impinge on their welfare, covering farm, companion, laboratory, sport and zoo animals. Current legislation and regulations governing captive breeding and animal welfare are reviewed and evaluated. This module will prepare students for careers in animal-related or ancillary industries, including postgraduate scientific research. It will develop a student's understanding of the application of the scientific study of animal behaviour and its relationship with other measures (particularly with respect to the evaluation of welfare) in a range of animal management scenarios.

• Business & Event Management:

  This module provides investigation into the fundamental principles of business and event planning and management. This module will also provide a mechanism through which students will be able to explore issues arising from their six week work placement in the preceding summer vacation. During the first semester the module will build on the student's knowledge of the animal sector, gleaned from the Issues in the Animal Industry module, to develop their understanding of business related subjects such as marketing, finance and people in organisations. Through the integration of module tuition with experiences and learning recorded in their reflective journal from your period of work placement, students will complete a Patchwork Text assignment related to aspects of animal sector business management. Throughout the second semester of module delivery, there will be a series of seminars and lectures on relevant topics related to the planning and staging of a companion animal event. Tuition will be augmented by field visits to experience the delivery of both a local and national companion animal event and reflect upon their operational efficiency and financial viability. Event management will form the focus of the second major assignment, based upon the planning, from conception to execution, of a 'real-life' event in aid of an animal charity. This module will equip students with knowledge and transferable skills of relevance to employment within existing animal sector businesses, self-employment or launching a start-up business.

• Animal Cognition and Training:

  In this module students will explore the theoretical perspectives and methodological approaches related to the understanding of human and animal cognition. Through the acquisition of a detailed knowledge of the terminology and concepts in the field of animal cognition, students will gain insight into the biological and mental processes that underpin behaviour and appreciate how natural selection has shaped the perceptual abilities of animals and their species-typical behaviour. Students will gain a thorough understanding of simple, associative and instrumental learning and be given the opportunity to apply training techniques which draw upon these concepts in an animal training context. Students will explore the range of behavioural modification techniques in detail and learn how to justify the selection of appropriate techniques to address commonly encountered behavioural problems in a range of species.

• Concepts in Animal Behaviour:

  This module provides students with a detailed overview of the study of animal behaviour. The application of hypothesis testing to questions about behaviour is reviewed and used as a basis for illustrating recent advances in the scientific understanding of animal behaviour. The genetic basis of behaviour is reviewed by examination of innate and acquired behaviours. How behaviour develops in individuals and is modified over time is considered as a process of conditioning and learning interacting with genetic, social and environmental constraints. The organisation of behaviour is reviewed and related to topics such as migration and biological rhythms. The diversity of solutions to the ultimate problems of survival and reproduction are presented within the context of adaptations and proximate solutions to local conditions constrained by the history of evolutionary pathways (physiological, morphological and behavioural).

Optional modules

• Biological Basis of Behaviour:

  In this module students will examine the 'machinery of behaviour', that is the anatomy, physiology and biochemistry of the nervous system and relevant components of the endocrine system. The course also investigates mechanisms associated with motivation and emotion and how these are thought to be mediated by the brain and endocrine systems. An important topic for any student of behaviour is the relationship between thinking, consciousness, learning and memory and how these relate to the physical 'machinery' of the brain. The localised behavioural functions of the brain are reviewed using the 'split brain' (the difference between the right and left hemisphere) as an explanatory model. The evolution of the nervous system and brain will be discussed including a brief comparative study of equivalent structures across the animal taxa, the implications of such differences in behavioural adaptations is considered. Brain anatomy study workshops allow you to explore the wealth of diversity of brain size and specialisation. This starts with a detailed examination of the mammalian brain in the laboratory. Students are directed and guided to prepare a comparative portfolio of the diversity of animal brains across the various animal phyla. Environmental cues are detected by the sensory system, a complex array of sensing receptors located at multiple sites. These will be examined alongside the brain's role in interpretation/perception of sensory signals. This is followed by a study of the role of the basal ganglia and the cerebellum in finely tuned motor control and balance. The external and internal incoming signals promote the action of certain hormones and these will be studied in relation to behaviour, including hormones related to stress, reproduction, and circadian activities (biological rhythms). The module will provide students with a range of practical skills which will be attractive to employers.

• Equine Physiology & Exercise:

  A thorough understanding of equine physiology is required to enable the maximisation of the athletic performance of the horse without compromising its welfare. This module will expand on the knowledge gained in previous physiology modules through a particular focus on the physiology of the exercising horse. Students will consider the systems which enable the horse to perform as an athlete, and the training of these systems through exercise. Consideration will be given to the motivation for the use of and physiological effects of performance enhancing drugs. In addition, the causation of conditions which affect the welfare and performance capabilities of the horse, for example exercise injuries causing lameness, will be considered. Knowledge gained through study of this module will be of use to students in gaining employment in the equine industry.