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Animals have been a part of human society for millennia. In fact, it's virtually impossible to live in the modern world without relying on animals for something – food, companionship, leisure activities and services.
Animal Science at Reading is ideal if you want to pursue a career in animal health and welfare, nutrition or research, or would like a stepping stone into a veterinary career.
In addition to your studies on our own farms, our collaborations with several local animal facilities will provide you with access to teaching facilities such as small animal collections, zoo species and horses.
These include the Berkshire College of Agriculture (BCA), Cotswold Wildlife Park, Beale Park, Marwell Zoo, and local veterinary clinics. This ensures our students acquire diverse experience across the industry.
Because our programmes are designed in collaboration with our industry partners, we know what employers are looking for and how the industry is developing. This ensures that you'll stand out from the crowd when you graduate and enter the job market.
The diversity of the BSc Animal Science course means that it's suitable for students who are interested in animal science as well as students who have a passion for conservation, bioveterinary sciences or agriculture.
The transferable employability skills you acquire during your studies will be relevant to other, non-scientific areas of the industry, including management and finance.
At Reading we have close links with the British Society of Animal Science (BSAS), including being a member of the Academia Association, which promotes integration of professional and industry perspectives into our teaching and learning, and sponsors events and prizes.
With a strong staff membership, through BSAS we also have access to a large network of industry and academic partners. Our staff regularly attend and present at the BSAS Annual Conference, which attracts participants from across the UK and Europe.
Student membership of BSAS is highly encouraged among all our students, bringing a host of benefits including access to workshops and networking opportunities.
With a base on our Whiteknights campus, plus 800 hectares of mixed farming land spread throughout the surrounding area, you'll benefit from our substantial first-class teaching and learning resources in a modern university setting.
You will have access to our farm animal research facilities at the Centre for Dairy Research (CEDAR), Meat and Growth Research Unit (MGRU) and our laboratories for projects and practicals, so you'll become well acquainted with real-world animal production research and see animal science in practice.
Alexandra Tonks, BSc Animal Science
In your second year, you'll have the opportunity to sign up for our Thrive career mentoring scheme, where you will be partnered with an alumnus. Our mentors are all successful professionals who create an environment where you can discuss your aspirations and test your ideas about graduate life.
Once you graduate, you have the opportunity to become part of our alumni community – a worldwide network of more than 107,000 people.
Being an alumnus of Reading gives you some great benefits, such as:
Our BSc Animal Science and Bioveterinary Sciences degrees focus on domestic and captive animals, their biology, health, and the science behind how humans manage them to ensure they thrive in our society. We also offer the courses with a Foundation or Placement Year.
