This course sensitises you to your responsibilities in terms of providing appropriate care and treatment to animals. We explain how to provide animals with the necessary food and shelter while ensuring that their physical and mental needs are met. We show you how to administer medication and select a pet-sitting service to provide optimal animal health care in order to ensure good health and better lives for the living things in your care.

This course is ideal for you if you wish to become an Animal Care and Welfare Assistant and are new to the sector, or if you are currently working in an associated role, that provides assistance to qualified professionals. Animal Care and Welfare Assistants look after the routine day-to-day husbandry and care of domestic and/or wild animals while under guidance and in a variety of different settings. The work is carried out individually or as part of a team, in places such as kennels and catteries, laboratories, animal welfare centres, farm parks, rehabilitation centres, retail outlets and in the transportation of animals. Animal Care and Welfare Assistants must have a strong work ethic and be prepared to work irregular hours and in all weather conditions.

This course is aimed at students who are looking for a career in the animal care industry, whether that is within boarding kennels, catteries, animal welfare charities, zoos, wildlife or countryside parks or public services.

The Animal Care and Management T Level comprises two main parts: the Common Core (where learners will cover key aspects of business, sustainability, ethical principles, health and safety and safe working practices) and the Occupational Specialism – these are key units covering animal welfare, health, behaviour, husbandry and specialised units covering exotic, wild and native animals, biology, anatomy and physiology amongst others.

The course delivery is based around our Animal Rescue Centre (ARC), which has on-site veterinary facilities, and will give you the opportunity to gain necessary knowledge and practical skills required to work with a variety of animal species. The ARC provides care for a selection of resident exotic animals and small mammals, but also provides assessment and care for a wide range of presenting native wildlife casualties e.g. hedgehogs, seals, otters, birds of prey and garden bird species, co-ordinating the rehabilitation and intended release of these animals as appropriate.

The Course of Studies in Animal Welfare and Production Technician (TeBAP) aims to train a professional figure (Curriculum 1: Assistant to the veterinary medical profession) mainly oriented towards the well-being and management of companion animals (pets), including non-conventional ones (NAC = new companion animals) and wild animals, and to activities related to their management and possible use (Pet Therapy, activities assisted with animals), as well as (Curriculum 2: Animal breeding and production) responding to current needs, regarding activities in the production sector animals that encompass the entire production chain from the improvement of breeding techniques to quality of animal feed and products of animal origin, to the control of the transformation and conservation processes of food products.

Animal Management encompasses a diverse field dedicated to the care, welfare, and husbandry of animals across various settings. This comprehensive discipline equips individuals with the knowledge and skills needed to ensure the well-being of animals in captivity, conservation efforts, research facilities, farms, and more. Students in Animal Management programs gain practical experience in handling, feeding, and providing appropriate accommodation for a wide range of species, including domestic, exotic, aquatic, and farm animals.

Are you interested in a future working with animals and do you care about the environment? Do you need some extra support to achieve your career aims? This one year course will give you the opportunity to develop your knowledge, practical skills and team-working by working with a range of animal species in our college animal collection.

Working with animals can be challenging but it is a truly rewarding career. A level 2 course provides the ideal opportunity to develop your interest and skills in caring for a wide variety of animals and their environments; preparing you for employment or progression to further courses in animal management. This one year course contains a mixture of theory lessons, demonstrations, projects and practical work involving our onsite college animal collection.

Using Dugatkin's 4th edition of Principles of Animal Behavior (not required to purchase), this class will cover the principles of animal behavior science. Students should be prepared to take on the role of an animal behavior researcher and as such, we will focus not only on the principles, evolution, and function of animal behavior but heavily on the methods and application of what we learn.

Through our Centre of Excellence for Animal Care, we’ll prepare you for a wide range of roles working with animals.

If you enjoy and have some experience in caring for animals, and you would like a career in a related industry such as zoos, animal welfare or the equestrian industry then course is for you. You can expect work experience and visits to animal centres such as Stonebridge City Farm and local riding stables. We also organise visits to places such as Southwell Racecourse, Crufts, Twycross Zoo and Yorkshire Wildlife Park. You’ll also develop your literacy and numeracy skills and complete work experience while gaining a qualification to recognise your achievement.

Learn about horse care, hone riding skills and gain work experience alongside academic studies in this varied equine course. It’s a popular hands-on programme designed for school leavers looking for an introduction to yard and equitation careers. Students will learn how to plan and monitor animal feeding as well as learn how to maintain animal health, welfare and accommodation. The course themes include planning and monitoring animal feeding, maintaining animal health, biology, welfare and accommodation, animal handling and grooming. There are lectures, talks from guest speakers, visits, practical sessions in the Animal Unit and work related experience. Students' work is assessed continually throughout the course.

The programme will be of interest to students who enjoy the biological sciences and have an interest in pursuing a career in the animal management industry. There is a broad diversity in the career opportunities available that relate to animal behaviour and welfare and these can often involve roles that offer both practical and theoretical elements. The varied styles of teaching delivery within the programme are therefore ideal for creating graduates that can make the most of these career opportunities. Students will develop a range of practical biological science and practical animal skills in the first year whilst studying specific animal behaviour and welfare course materials. This establishment of fundamental skills is then developed further as students progress into year two and if they wish to proceed to a full Honours degree, into year three, where subjects taught cover a diverse range of relevant areas such as Behavioural Ecology and Psychopharmacology and Neuroscience. Assessments include coursework, individual and group oral and PowerPoint presentations, mixed media formats, research reports, case studies and assignments, and closed and open book examination.

Using Animal Cognition: Evolution, Behavior and Cognition, 3rd edition, by Wynne and Udell (2020), this class will review the psychological and social lives of animals. We will cover animal learning, memory, and communication, among other cognition topics. Students should be prepared to take on the role of an animal cognition researcher and as such, we will focus not only on the foundations and background animal cognition literature but also heavily on the methods and application of what we learn.