Animal Therapy

Animal therapy encompasses the structured use of human-animal interaction to support physical, emotional, and psychological wellbeing. The field draws on a growing body of evidence showing that contact with animals can reduce anxiety, build confidence, aid motor rehabilitation, and support therapeutic goals across a range of clinical and community settings. Practitioners work in environments as varied as hospitals, schools, care homes, prisons, and community mental health services, and the work demands both a genuine understanding of animal behaviour and welfare and a working knowledge of the therapeutic frameworks within which sessions are designed and delivered.

Studying animal therapy at Anglia Ruskin University as a part-time programme allows you to develop the knowledge and skills needed to practise responsibly and reflectively. You will examine the theoretical foundations of the field, including the research evidence for animal-assisted interventions and the ethical considerations that shape how animals are selected, trained, and cared for in therapeutic contexts. You will also study human psychology and the broad landscape of health and social care, so that you can understand the needs of the client groups you may work with and communicate effectively with the wider professional teams around them.

Practical application and critical thinking are central throughout, and you will be encouraged to reflect on your own practice and the limits of the evidence base.

The part-time structure of the programme makes it particularly suited to people who are already working in a related area, whether in animal care, education, social care, or health, and who want to build specialist skills alongside existing commitments. Graduates go on to work as animal-assisted therapy practitioners in their own right, or integrate the approach into broader roles in occupational therapy, counselling, special educational needs, and care coordination. The field is developing rapidly, and there is growing interest from commissioners and employers in the evidence-based use of animals as part of integrated care pathways.

Further study at postgraduate level in areas such as counselling, psychology, or veterinary sciences is also an option for those who wish to deepen their expertise.