Animal Science

Animal science is the study of the biology, behaviour, management, health, and welfare of domesticated animals, ranging from livestock and horses to companion animals. It is both a fundamental science, examining how animals function at cellular, physiological, and ecological levels, and an applied discipline, connecting that understanding to the practical challenges of farming, veterinary care, conservation, and animal-assisted research. Good animal science is inseparable from good animal welfare: understanding how animals experience their environments is as central to the discipline as understanding their genetics or nutrition.

At Aberystwyth this four-year full-time programme includes a year in industry, giving you extended professional experience in an animal science setting before you graduate. Aberystwyth is the home of the only Veterinary School in Wales, and the university's facilities for animal science study are correspondingly strong, including commercially run university farms, an equine teaching centre, and a range of teaching and research laboratories. You will study the applied science of domesticated animals including farm animals, horses, and companion animals, developing understanding of anatomy and physiology, genetics and breeding, nutrition, behaviour, health and disease, and the management systems in which animals are kept.

The year in industry is a structured opportunity to apply your growing knowledge in a real professional environment, building practical competence and professional relationships alongside your academic development.

Graduates in animal science pursue careers across a wide range of animal-related sectors. Roles in farm management, veterinary nursing and support, equine science, animal nutrition, research and development in the agricultural and pharmaceutical industries, conservation, and government agricultural advisory services are among the most direct destinations. The year in industry experience is particularly valuable in securing these roles, where demonstrated practical competence alongside academic qualification is often decisive.

Many graduates also continue to postgraduate study, including veterinary science, conservation biology, animal behaviour, or nutrition.