Applied Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare MSc

This highly respected MSc program will enable you to develop the skills, knowledge, and scientific understanding to pursue a career addressing local and global challenges to animal welfare.

Our multi-disciplinary program is delivered by an internationally renowned research-led team, specializing in applied animal behaviour.

During this MSc, you will:

• demonstrate a critical understanding of the principal theories, principles, and concepts in animal behaviour and animal welfare
• plan and execute a significant project of research on applied animal behaviour or animal welfare by applying knowledge and a range of specialized techniques
• to critically review, consolidate, and synthesize knowledge to address contemporary issues in animal welfare.
• communicate about animal welfare and animal behaviour, using appropriate methods, to a range of audiences with different levels of knowledge/expertise
• exercise substantial autonomy and initiative in your work and make informed judgments, on your own or collectively, on challenging animal welfare issues

Why study this program?

International reputation

We established the first animal welfare MSc in the UK in 1990. The program was initiated by Professor David Wood-Gush, one of the first scientists to investigate the effects of factory farming on animals.

Set up in collaboration with SRUC, the Jeanne Marchig International Centre for Animal Welfare Education (JMICAWE), and Edinburgh Zoo, the program is taught by academics and experts from all these institutions.

Today, our MSc has a strong international reputation and the support of well-known animal welfare organizations in the UK and Europe, including:

• The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA)
• The Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA)
• The Universities Federation for Animal Welfare (UFAW)
• World Animal Protection
• The Brooke

We are globally recognised for our research, development and innovation and we’ve provided our students with world-class teaching for more than 425 years.

An Edinburgh degree works for you

The University of Edinburgh is one of the world’s top universities, consistently ranked in the world top 50 and placed 22nd in the 2024 QS World University Rankings.

Our graduates are ranked 26th in the world by employers1.

Excellence in research

The University of Edinburgh has an international reputation for innovative research across a wide range of disciplines.

According to the results of the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF2021), the University is ranked fourth in the UK based on the quality and breadth of its research - known as research power - and is Scotland’s top-ranked institution.

The REF2021 results reveal that nearly 90 per cent of the University’s research activity is in the highest categories – 4 star and 3 star – which are classified respectively as ‘ world-leading’ and ‘internationally excellent’, a growth of 10 percentage points since the previous REF in 2014.

Innovation in teaching

The latest report from the Quality Assurance Agency awarded us the highest rating possible for the quality of the student learning experience. We are always working to develop innovative approaches to teaching in order to discover the methods that work best for students, including e-learning techniques and peer-assisted learning.

Experts in online learning

We offer the largest portfolio of postgraduate online degrees in the UK2, welcoming more than 8,000 online students since 2005. Our flexible and supportive programmes are well-established and an increasingly popular choice for students looking to balance further study with professional or family commitments.

Beautiful capital city

Ranked in the world’s top 10 student cities3, Edinburgh is a compact city with excellent transport links, which makes it easy to get around and to travel to other parts of Scotland.

Large enough to offer something for everyone, but small enough to feel like home, Edinburgh is a modern, sophisticated and beautiful European city with a diverse, multicultural community.​

Facilities and support to help you succeed

You will have access to one of the largest and most important academic libraries in the world, housing over 1.8 million printed volumes. You’ll also benefit from 30 open-access computer labs with 24-hour access across key locations, as well as free laptop loans.

We offer a free Student Counselling Service and a University Health Centre, and our Student Disability Service provides a range of support for students with disabilities. We also offer excellent childcare services, making it easier to juggle parenthood and study.

Impressive global community

Our ambitious internationalisation strategy ensures the teaching and research we deliver offers global benefits. We’re ranked in the world's top 20 most international universities4. Students from two-thirds of the world’s countries study here.

We collaborate with a host of world-leading institutions in fields as diverse as e-science, engineering, life and medical sciences, and arts and culture. We’re also a member of the global research network Universitas 21 and the European networks Coimbra Group and LERU.

Leading on social responsibility and sustainability

We are committed to being a world leader in addressing global challenges including poverty, climate change and the growing demand for energy, food and water.

As Scotland’s first Fairtrade University, we have been promoting better conditions for farmers and communities in developing countries since 2004.

We have championed environmental sustainability since the early 1990s and were a founder signatory to the Universities and Colleges Climate Commitment 2009 and to the 10:10 campaign.

The University is host to several Global Academies committed to tackling issues related to health, justice, environment, and agriculture and food security. The Academies cross boundaries in research and teaching, adopting a multi-disciplinary response to challenging global issues.

1QS World University Rankings 2024 2Higher Education Statistics Agency 2017/18 3QS Student Cities 2023 4Times Higher Education, World’s Most International Universities 2022