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BSc (Hons)
Top-up your foundation degree to an full BSc (Hons) and improve your expertise in your field
Learn and work in our campus zoo, imitating your future working environment
Gain links to industry with our connections with animal welfare and management organisations
Top up your foundation degree to a BSc (Hons) degree qualification and set up your future in animal welfare and management with our BSc (Hons) in Zoo Animal Management and Conservation (Top-up), delivered in partnership with South Staffordshire College.
Does your passion lie in animal management, welfare and conservation? If it does and you want to further your existing foundation qualification then the Zoo Animal Management with Conservation Degree is for you. This course, delivered at South Staffordshire college, utilises the campus zoo and has been developed to improve you expertise, and launch you into a senior position within a zoo management environment or a more advanced postgraduate education.
In this 1-year top-up course,you will investigate animal welfare, animal nutrition and animal breeding and how all of these have direct and indirect effects on animal behaviour. What's more, you'll explore all aspects of animal anatomy and physiology and how animals have adapted to meet the pressures of survival, while examining the behaviour of animals, both in captivity and the wild, and the wider implications and importance of understanding and unravelling their ethology.
As well as the importance of strong subject knowledge, we recognise that practical skills and industry experience are highly prized by potential employers and therefore this course also offers an opportunity to develop your transferable skills and develop industry links during our animal management and industrial experience modules.
On successful completion of study, we will issue the following award: BSc (Hons) Zoo Animal Management with Conservation
Throughout the course you will have the opportunity to undertake practical work in the Rodbaston Animal Zone, which is an established animal collection and small zoo. In addition you will undertake work experience within industry all of which will provide you with a range of essential skills vital in gaining employment after graduation
In our top-up course you will gain the expertise you need to gain a degree-level qualification in zoo animal management and conservation. This intense 1-year course is the equivalent to the final year of the standard degree, and contains modules that will enhance your foundational knowledge.
In our course you will study 5 core modules to develop your expertise. Advancing Animal Husbandry will allow you to explore advanced methods of care and breeding, while you’ll further your skills in animal behaviour in Animal training and Enrichment. You’ll also look at the broader aspects of animal management in our module on Global Wildlife Conservation and Zoo Education and Research, and your studies will culminate in a negotiated project in our Life Sciences Research Project module.
The tables provide an indicative list of the modules that make up the course for the current academic year. Each module is worth a specified number of credits. Our teaching is informed by research, and modules change periodically to reflect developments in the discipline. We aim to ensure that all modules run as scheduled. If for any reason a module cannot be run we will advise you as soon as possible and will provide guidance on selecting an appropriate alternative module.
The project is designed to allow you to demonstrate your development as a scientific practitioner in the pathway of your choice and is viewed as a culmination of your discipline expertise and professionalism. This substantial project provides the opportunity for you to draw together all the practical experience, knowledge and critical understanding your pathway has provided. You are required to study a topic relevant to your Course and pathway from an idea generated by yourself in discussion with an academic adviser.
Module code: BIOL60671
In this module the student will critically evaluate modern husbandry practises and the increasing need to prioritise animal welfare when considering captive management techniques. The animals should thrive and not merely survive. This is of critical importance when looking to breed and possibly re-release endangered species as enclosures should be as near as possible to wild environments to facilitate successful reintroduction. This module will explore the subtleties and complications of the needs of the animals and the potential conflicts with visitors, keepers and management strategies. Ultimately allowing students to investigate and propose solutions to some of these complexities.
Module code: BIOL60681
The module aims to submerge the student in the zoo experience; evaluating the impact of learning, and effect of animal related education. Students will explore human learning theory and application to zoo experiences, appraise the education value of practical activities and critique animal pathways to core national curriculum. Students will gain an understanding of how zoos develop learning programmes; offer new ways to go 'beyond the classroom', connect students with wildlife, inspire curiosity and help to develop life-long values and positive attitudes toward the natural world.
Module code: BIOL60685
This module will give learners the opportunity to investigate the historical role of training in animal management, and understand a range of learning theories relevant to training animals in a variety of industry situations. Students will build a portfolio of experience assessing the aptitude of animals to training situations, critically evaluating and reflecting on a range of training practices and observations. In additional, students will investigate the importance of environmental enrichment in zoos and its impact on animal welfare. Students will develop a full understanding of the role of training and enrichment in modern husbandry.
Module code: BIOL60682
The importance of global cooperation in conservation efforts is absolute. In this module the student will investigate and evaluate a large range of organisations and projects that are currently working on the conservation of endangered species worldwide. The student will critically examine the philosophical aspects of conservation as well as current scientific approaches in the field. The student will gain a full and comprehensive understanding of the complexities of conservation on an International level and be able to articulate and expand upon many of the more subtle and controversial methodologies and ethics to be found within the sector.
Module code: BIOL60683
South Staffordshire College's Rodbaston campus remains the go-to place for the AgriSTEM sector. The AgriSTEM Academy boasts some of the finest industry standard facilities for landbased, engineering, construction and motorsport courses in the country and will provide you with real-life practical skills to become successful within the expanding Agri-tech and STEM sectors.
The ability to apply scientific method coupled with a firm knowledge base will make you attractive to the animal care and nutrition industry as well as organisations involved with animal pharmaceuticals. Graduates from this course may also wish to pursue careers with welfare organisations such as the RSPCA, Dogs Trust or PDSA. Other areas that may be attractive to successful candidates include, but are not limited to Natural England, The RSPB, DEFRA, WWF, Veterinary laboratories and Customs and Excise. Graduating with a full degree will also allow you to further your passion in academic research or teaching via higher degrees such as a PGCE, Master's degree or a Doctorate.
The course content will be delivered using a variety of innovative and exciting teaching and learning methods. You will benefit from a range of guest speakers, subject specialist teaching staff with a large diversity of industry experience and several trips and visits to a number of relevant organisations, businesses and industries. During your second year you will have the opportunity to focus and apply your scientific skills to an individual research project that may be even be able to be linked to an overseas study tour. This ability to apply the scientific method to animal research and gain useful, evidence based insights into animal science and behaviour will be a vital and invaluable in all careers within the sector and beyond.
Assessment will be through a variety of methods such as assignment work and essays where you will be asked to research a subject and produce appropriate evidence, portfolios of evidence of practical tasks, verbal presentations, written formal exams, reflective diaries or scientific posters. These employability modules will be assessed using practical assessment methods and portfolio based assignments to ensure the skills you gain are genuinely transferable and useful in your future professions.
Your course tutors will provide lots of support. But you can also take advantage of the University's Academic Skills team, who can help you with: Study skills (including reading, note-taking and presentation skills), Written English (including punctuation, grammar), Academic writing (including how to reference), Research skills, Critical thinking and Revision, assessment and exam skills (including time management).
The university disability service is available to support learners with additional support needs. Following declaration of need, an assessment will be made, and a Learning Support Statement produced.
You will be given feedback on your progress through tutorials and draft work review. You will normally receive feedback on coursework assessments within 20 working days following the date of submission. Examination feedback may take a variety of formats. However, as a minimum, generic feedback will be made available to all students who take written examinations.
This course follows standard Staffordshire University course requirements. Each 20 credit module represents 200 hours study, the breakdown of this study between direct tuition and guided indepedent learning varies due to the nature of the module and is detailed in the module handbook..
For the course starting on 19 September 2022 the tuition fees are:
UK and Channel Island students: This tuition fee is agreed subject to UK government policy and parliamentary regulation. If the UK government passes appropriate legislation, the fee for subsequent years of study may increase in each academic year. But this increase will not exceed the rate of inflation as measured by RPIX**. Any change in fees will apply to both new and continuing students. The University will notify students of any change as early as possible. Further information about fee changes would be posted on the University’s website once this becomes available.
**RPIX is a measure of inflation equivalent to all the items in the Retail Price Index (RPI) excluding mortgage interest payments.
When studied part time, the duration of the course and the amount of fees you’ll pay each year depends on the speed at which you wish to progress through it. This is called the ‘intensity of study’. The usual study pattern on this programme enables you to complete modules totalling 60 credits in your first year of study. This would be equivalent to studying at 50 per cent course intensity.
If you follow this pattern of study you will complete the course in six years. You will pay the pro rata (equivalent) fee shown for your first year of study. This tuition fee is agreed subject to UK government policy and parliamentary regulation. If the UK government passes appropriate legislation, the fee for subsequent years of study may increase in each academic year. But this increase will not exceed the rate of inflation as measured by RPIX*. Any change in fees will apply to both new and continuing students. The University will notify students of any increase as early as possible. Further information about fee changes would be posted on the University’s website once this becomes available.
*RPIX is a measure of inflation equivalent to all the items in the Retail Price Index (RPI) excluding mortgage interest payments.
If you would like to know more about the fees listed and what this means to you then please get in touch with our Enquiries Team.
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