International Animal Welfare, Ethics and Law (Online Learning) MSc

The overall objective of this online distance learning programme is to provide knowledge and an understanding of animal welfare science, with a focus on the international issues arising from animal use in all its forms.

Animals are a hugely important part of our world, relied upon for food, used as research models, companions, working animals, for sport and in recreation.

More than 60 billion land animals are raised for meat each year around the world, and with increasing meat consumption in places such as China, these figures are set to rise.

Animal welfare is and must be a key priority; understanding and enhancing it is necessary for protecting animal health, human health and environmental protection.

The programme offers courses in a variety of areas, including:


- history, culture and concepts of animal welfare


- animal behaviour


- animal welfare assessment


- animal ethics


- recommendations and policy


- legislation, regulation and enforcement


- science communication


- applied animal welfare - production, companion and captive wild animals


The School was the first UK veterinary school to offer an on-campus Applied Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare masters in 1990 and has continued to build a team of internationally acclaimed animal welfare experts to offer this online programme.