External summary

The study of animal behaviour and animal welfare is a relatively new discipline.  Concern over the welfare of animals has increased and hence the use of animal behaviour and other techniques, such as physiology, have been increasingly used to objectively assess the welfare of animals.  This MSc was created in 1990 by the late Prof. David Wood-Gush, one of the early Animal Welfare Scientists.  This was the first MSc in Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare in the UK and has gained an excellent international reputation with around 25 students from around the world attending the course each year.

This MSc at Edinburgh has attracted up to 50 lecturers who come to teach on this course.  This allows fantastic diversity and interaction with people from varied backgrounds with differing approaches to animal welfare.  We have speakers from RSPCA, Compassion in World Farming as well as Edinburgh Zoo and other universities (e.g. Newcastle, Copehagen, Aberdeen).  We also provide visits to various types of farms, a slaughterhouse, an auction market, a commercial laboratory facility and all students carry out a small research project at Edinburgh Zoo during the taught element.

The main aims of the programme are to increase understanding and awareness of scientific principles of animal behaviour, and to demonstrate application of these principles to animals in various situations to assess animal welfare.  The strong emphasis on scientific methodology within this course allows students the opportunity to gain skills which will be vital to carrying out further research in this area, and to apply knowledge they have gained in practical situations.  We also aim to improve student’s confidence in their ability to communicate their understanding of animal behaviour and welfare, and to consider and embrace diverse opinions and ethical viewpoints relating to animal welfare.

Educational aims of programme

This MSc focuses on the scientific study of animal behaviour and its use, along with other techniques, in the objective assessment of animal welfare.  There is a strong emphasis on scientific methodology and how scientific study can be used to assess animal welfare.  Principles of animal behaviour and animal welfare assessment techniques will be discussed and presented in a way that will be applicable to animals in many different scenarios.  Our main educational aims are to ensure students have:

• Increased understanding and awareness of the application of scientific principles to the study of animal behaviour and welfare.

• Ability to apply this knowledge in research and in a more practical context, and in any species.

• Ability to utilise effective and modern methods for describing and analysing scientific data.

• Enhanced ability to interpret and communicate scientific results and information in research and other forms of debate.

• Sufficient understanding of applied animal behaviour and animal welfare to undertake independent research or a PhD research programme in this field.

• Knowledge to be able to apply a rigorous framework for assessing the welfare of animals in captivity and in the natural environment.

• The skills (dependent on practical experience) to be able to offer advice on applied animal behaviour and animal welfare issues.

• Capacity for considering philosophical debate relating to the use of animals by humans.

• Awareness of the global issues that have an impact upon animal welfare, including economics and cultures.

Programme outcomes: Knowledge and understanding

• Increased understanding of the underlying principles of animal behaviour
• Understanding of physiological mechanisms relating to stress and pain in animals
• Gain knowledge in scientific methodology relating to animal behaviour and welfare
• To be able to apply scientific principles to the study of animal behaviour and welfare.
• Awareness of animal welfare issues in a range of contexts: companion, zoo, wild, farm and laboratory animals.
• Understanding of different ethical viewpoints relating to animal welfare.
• Awareness of the global issues that have an impact upon animal welfare, including economics, climate and cultures.

Programme outcomes: Graduate attributes - Skills and abilities in research and enquiry

• Ability to apply knowledge of animal behaviour and welfare in research and in a more practical context, and in any species.
• Be able to critically assess scientific research within the field of animal behaviour and welfare.
• Ability to utilise effective and modern methods for describing and analysing scientific data.
• Knowledge to be able to apply a rigorous framework for assessing the welfare of animals in captivity and in the natural environment.
• The skills (dependent on practical experience) to be able to offer advice on applied animal behaviour and animal welfare issues.

Programme outcomes: Graduate attributes - Skills and abilities in personal and intellectual autonomy

• Capacity for considering philosophical debate relating to the use of animals by humans and to develop personal opinions and views.
• During the research projects students will gain skills in applying principles already learned to independently carry out a rigorous assessment of animal behaviour and welfare.
• Working in a research environment during the dissertation project allows students to develop collaborative and debating skills, as well as being responsible for planning and dealing with unforeseen problems that may arise.

Programme outcomes: Graduate attributes - Skills and abilities in communication

• Enhanced ability to interpret and communicate scientific results and information in research
• Ability to use written and oral means to communicate understanding of animal behaviour and welfare.
• Ability to communicate within a research environment to improve understanding of the subject area.
• Throughout the taught and dissertation elements, students will gain skills in listening, processing and discussing different viewpoints relating to animal welfare.

Programme outcomes: Graduate attributes - Skills and abilities in personal effectiveness

• Our course has many students from around the world, so our students learn to work with people from very different cultures and social backgrounds. 
• The very different experiences of our students adds to the variety of discussion, and students can learn from these often quite different experiences and learn to value this diversity.
• The dissertation allows students to manage their own time, to respond to change and learn to work flexibly.
• Gain confidence to question and discuss with guest lecturers the issues relating to animal welfare.

Programme outcomes: Technical/practical skills

Students will gain skills in:

• Behavioural Observation – developing ethograms and carrying out observations

• Experimental design and data collection relating to animal behaviour and animal welfare

• Statistical analysis of behavioural data

• Use of software – Minitab, Excel, Powerpoint and Endnote.  These pieces of software are incredibly useful for the collection and analysis of behavioural data, the communication of scientific understanding of animal behaviour and welfare, and the storage of references which will be required throughout the course.

Programme structure and features

The MSc is run over one year (2 and 3 year part-time options are available) from September to August.  The Taught element runs between September and March.  Students then progress to the dissertation element (if they meet the requirements (see below)) from March until August.

Taught Element

Introduction to Applied Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare (20 credits)

Biology of suffering (20 credits)

Animal Cognition and Consciousness (20 credits)

Scientific Methodology (10 credits)

Animal Welfare Applications (20 credits)

Dissertation Element

Literature Review (30 credits)

Experimental Paper (60 credits)

Assessment

Each of the five courses within the taught element is assessed by at least two pieces of work.  This differs across courses and is a combination of exams, written assignments and oral presentations.

Progression to dissertation

It is required that:

• 60 out of the 90 credits during the taught element are passed at 50% or more,

• the overall mark is above 50%

If these criteria are not met the student may complete the literature review to gain a further 30 credits to achieve the 120 credits required to exit with a Diploma.  This is dependent on the marks being sufficient to gain a diploma.

Teaching and learning methods and strategies

Teaching and Learning strategies employed at the University of Edinburgh consist of a variety of different methods appropriate to the programme aims. The graduate attributes listed above are met through a teaching and learning framework (detailed below) which is appropriate to the level and content of the course.

The MSc AABAW promotes learning using a variety of teaching methods.  Within each course we run a series of lectures in which we encourage students to ask questions and we promote debate and discussion. We allow time for individual discussion with lecturers where possible and promote contact with lecturers outside of class time.  Some sessions will include break out discussions into smaller groups with groups then reporting back the outcome of their discussions. 

In our Introduction to Applied Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare course students work in groups to do a small research project at Edinburgh Zoo.  This Peer Group work allows students to investigate an issue relating to a particular species at the zoo, learn from each other and learn how to work together.  Students are coached through this research project by two members of the Core Teaching staff.

We use interactive computer sessions in our Animal Cognition and Consciousness course to demonstrate Learning in Animal, and in our Scientific Methodology course to learn how to use software for data handling and statistical analysis.

Visits and practical sessions are used frequently to allow our students to learn. As well as doing a research project at the Zoo, you are also shown around the zoo to discuss behaviour and welfare issues.  Some teaching will also take place at Edinburgh Zoo.  We takes students to as many farms as possible where we get students to think about the environments the animals are living in, do some behavioural observations and carry out basic animal welfare assessment.  Students also visit a slaughterhouse and a live Auction Market.  We also take students to a Commercial Laboratory where they can see and discuss the environments in which animals are kept and are able to ask questions and consider animal welfare.  We also have facilities within the University of Edinburgh where students can contact staff if they would like additional knowledge and experience of specific elements of the Programme e.g. post-operative analgesia, care of exotics, care of laboratory animals.

We encourage learning through communication by the students.  We ask students to improve their communication skills by encouraging oral communication in the form of presentations (individually and as groups), mock press interviews and mock job interviews.

For the dissertation element of the Programme, students have to complete a literature review and carry out and present an experimental paper.  Students will work with a specific supervisor during this time.  This period contains a lot of self-directed learning and the interaction with the supervisor will vary depending on the complexity and training required for the experimental work.  The Programme Director is always available to give advice and guide the student during this time.

The facilities within the Vet School which are beneficial to our teaching methods are: on site library, computer rooms, group discussion areas, small seminar rooms, small (including exotics) and large animal hospital facilities and laboratories.

Assessment methods and strategies

Various methods of assessment are used throughout the Programme. 

Taught Element (90 credits)

Each Course is assessed by at least two main assessments and we are assessing whether students have gained the relevant knowledge, and can demonstrate and communicate their understanding and views.

Course assessments mainly take the form of Essays, Exams or Reports.  Reports may take the form of an oral presentation (individually or as a group) or a written presentation, and may be a report of a research project, a development of a welfare assessment tool or of an ethical evaluation of experimental work. Written feedback is provided on each assessment and in addition oral feedback to the class may be given. Individual oral feedback can be provided if requested.

Dissertation element (90 credits)

For the literature review students will be assessed on their knowledge, understanding and insight into the topic they are studying.  Presentation skills and ability to communicate knowledge will also be assessed.

The experimental paper will be assessed on: sufficient knowledge of previous literature, hypothesis setting, understanding of the issue, appropriate experimental design, data collection, statistical analysis, presentation of results, interpretation of results in a wider context and the implications of the findings.  Written feedback forms are available on request.

Career opportunities

As this MSc has been running since 1990 we have a large Alumini and so have followed the career paths of our students. 

As this MSc Programme has a strong scientific research element many of our students go on to do a PhD.  Others decide to work as a Research Assistant or Technician within the field of Animal Behaviour and Welfare, gain experience and may go on to a PhD later in their career. 

Students, through gaining an understanding of the Science of Animal Welfare, can go on to work for a number of organisations in a Policy Advisory role; this may be within Governments or with Non-governmental organisations / charities, zoos, laboratories or commercial feed or pharmaceutical companies for example. Some students have gone on to set up their own companies in behavioural therapy.

Some of our students are from a Veterinary Background and therefore go into Practice with a greater understanding of Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare and can develop better approaches to behavioural issues in practical situations.

Teaching is another career opportunity following this MSc Programme.  With the knowledge and understanding gained from the Programme students can go on to teach the science of animal behaviour and welfare and how to provide solutions to welfare issues. 

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