Applied Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare MSc
Transcript of Applied Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare MSc
Applied Animal Behaviour and
Animal Welfare
MSc
Dr Tamsin Coombs BSc, MSc, PhD
Programme Director
MSc Applied Animal Behaviour &
Animal Welfare
• First MSc in Animal Welfare in the UK
• Established in 1990 by the late Prof.
David Woodgush
• A joint venture between the University
of Edinburgh and SRUC
• On-campus (25 – 30 students in total
per year)
• Usually 1 yr full-time but can be done
over 2-3yrs
Easter Bush Campus
Programme Aim
• To provide students with a knowledge and understanding
of animal behaviour and welfare that can be applied
effectively in science and in practice
Programme content
Taught Element (120 credits -September to March)
•Introduction to Applied Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare
•Biology of Suffering
•Animal Cognition and Consciousness
•Scientific Methodology
•Animal Welfare Applications
Learn through practice: visits to farms, laboratories, the zoo
Lecturers and Tutors
Zoo Project
How do we teach?
• Live lectures
• Lecture recording facilities
• Materials hosted on University Virtual
Learning Environment- Blackboard Learn
• Assignment submission through Turnitin
• Practicals and visits
• Opportunities for extra curricular practical
experience
Programme content
• Dissertation Element (60 credits- March to August)
‒ projects can be done in the UK or abroad
‒ we provide a list to choose from
‒ or help students to build own project
‒ Students can claim research expenses
Example Dissertations 2019- 20
Welfare impact
of accidental
electric shock of
slow loris from
power lines
The effects of
prebiotics on the
brain development
of artificially
reared lambs
Assessing welfare
and pain of street
dogs undergoing
Capture-Neuter-
Release in Colombo,
Sri LankaCan we use infrared
thermography for assessing
emotional states in mice? -
A comparison between
handling-induced stress by
different techniquesAttitudes towards
'naturalness' in leisure
horse management
and the subsequent
effect on welfare
The effect of
maternal
investment
on milk yield
in dairy cattle
How do the dogs feel?
Qualitative Behaviour
Assessment of working
dogs during training
Influence of social
factors and
experience on the
propensity to
cooperate in farm
pigs
2019 – 20 Students
• 21 Students
– UK: 6 students
– EU (Germany, Slovenia, Spain & Ireland): 4 students
– North America (USA & Canada): 6 students
– Africa (Uganda, Kenya & Zimbabwe): 3 students
– Saudi Arabia: 1 student
– Australia: 1 student
– Backgrounds (Undergraduate degree)
• Vet Medicine
• Biology/ Zoology
• Psychology
• Other (Animal Science, Conservation, Animal behaviour and welfare etc.)
• Some non-science backgrounds
Where are our students from: 2014 – 2019?
What do graduates go on to do?
• PhD
• Government
• NGO’s / Charities
• Teaching / Advisory
• Industry
What do graduates go on to do?
Impact of the MSc-
publications
Impact of the MSc-
Award winning
Asking questions
Always use the hand raise
icon to queue up your
question.
When called upon to ask
your question, type a
question in the “Text Chat
Area”
Once your question is
answered, please lower
your hand. www.ed.ac.ukapplyedinburgh