Animal Behaviour and Welfare with Science Foundation Year

Animal behaviour and welfare draws on ethology, evolutionary biology, psychology, and animal science to understand how animals think, feel, and behave, and what their needs are in the environments we create for them. It is both a scientific discipline and an applied field, concerned not only with understanding animal behaviour but with using that understanding to improve the lives of the animals in our care, whether in domestic, agricultural, zoo, or wildlife contexts. As public concern about animal welfare has grown, so has demand for graduates with rigorous training in the science that should underpin welfare decisions.

At Lincoln, this programme is offered with a science foundation year, providing a structured academic preparation before the main degree for students who benefit from additional scientific grounding. The degree itself develops your understanding of behavioural ecology, animal cognition, welfare science, and research methods through a combination of theoretical learning and practical experience with animals. The programme includes a sandwich placement year, a year abroad, and embedded work placement opportunities, giving you extensive hands-on and international experience.

The full programme runs over four years full-time, with a typical entry tariff of 88 points.

Graduates of animal behaviour and welfare programmes pursue careers in animal sanctuaries and rescue organisations, zoos and aquaria, wildlife conservation, veterinary practice support, agricultural welfare inspection, research, and education. Many work with the RSPCA, the BVA, local authorities, and international animal welfare organisations. The combination of scientific training and practical animal handling experience is valued by employers across the animal welfare and conservation sectors.

Many graduates also go on to postgraduate study in animal behaviour, comparative psychology, veterinary science, or conservation biology.