MSc Applied Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare

MSc Applied Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare The Programme is run by staff at the University of Edinburgh's Vet School and SRUC's (Scotland's Rural College) Animal Welfare Team.

This on-campus Masters programme was founded in 1990 and has a strong international reputation, receiving the support of many well-known animal welfare organisations in the UK and in Europe,various other animal welfare trusts and government departments. A particular strength of the programme is that it enables its graduates to gain a very good overview of all up to date issues in the area of animal behaviour and welfare.

Next in our 🎓 From MSc to Impact 🎓 series, we'd like to introduce you to Melodia Tamayo Moreno. Here is her story:"My na...
28/05/2026

Next in our 🎓 From MSc to Impact 🎓 series, we'd like to introduce you to Melodia Tamayo Moreno. Here is her story:

"My name is Melodia Tamayo Moreno. I am from Barcelona, Spain, and I graduated from the MSc in Applied Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare in 2020. Since completing the programme, I have built a multidisciplinary career focused on animal welfare, conservation, environmental science, and climate action.

Currently, I work as the Responsible Technician of the Committee of Experts on Climate Change of Catalonia at CREAF (Centre for Ecological Research and Forestry Applications), where I support scientific research, policy coordination, stakeholder engagement, and communication strategies related to climate adaptation and carbon budgeting.
Alongside this position, I worked with AnimalConcepts from November 2021 to September 2024, initially as an external collaborator within the global team and later as the Animal Welfare and Virtual Learning Coordinator. During this time, I coordinated international projects and educational initiatives related to animal welfare science, conservation, sustainability, and professional training. My responsibilities included science communication, project coordination, digital education, content creation, and the development of practical resources designed to enhance animal welfare standards and public engagement.
More recently, I also gained hands-on professional experience as a mammal keeper at Barcelona Zoo, where I was involved in animal care, enrichment, behavioural observation, and welfare monitoring across various species.

My MSc experience at the University of Edinburgh played a fundamental role in shaping both my professional path and personal perspective. The programme strengthened my scientific understanding of animal behaviour and welfare, while also encouraging critical thinking, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the practical application of research to address real-world challenges. It gave me the confidence to work across sectors, connecting animal welfare, biodiversity conservation, sustainability, education, and public engagement.

Looking ahead, I am particularly motivated to become more involved in interdisciplinary research projects and to pursue a PhD focused on the relationship between wild and captive animal welfare and behaviour. My goal is to contribute to research that improves the lives of animals living under different conditions while promoting evidence-based welfare practices, conservation, and a deeper understanding of animal needs. What continues to motivate me most is contributing to a future where animal welfare, environmental sustainability, and biodiversity conservation are approached as deeply interconnected challenges, and scientific knowledge is translated into meaningful action and positive social impact."

Want to share your story? Email [email protected]. Want to make this story your own? Apply to join us in September at https://study.ed.ac.uk/programmes/postgraduate-taught/238-applied-animal-behaviour-and-animal-welfare

Another one for the horsepeople! Our wonderful student Leyi is investigating horse owner perceptions regarding dental pa...
26/05/2026

Another one for the horsepeople! Our wonderful student Leyi is investigating horse owner perceptions regarding dental pain in horses for her dissertation - this work will help us understand how to support owners in identifying potential problems early, to improve equine health and welfare. If you can please spare 10 minutes to take this anonymous survey and/or share it, we would be very grateful! Thank you!

Link to survey: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=sAafLmkWiUWHiRCgaTTcYfibQfC0_dhNkuBgFbCstj9UOU9TVDU2NEVUTDIwRVI1WlZONk80Wlg4SS4u

Equine Science at Edinburgh
Animal Welfare Centre
The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies
Dick Vet Equine

For our Indonesian colleagues, contacts and alumni - our student Zia is completing her dissertation research on antibiot...
30/04/2026

For our Indonesian colleagues, contacts and alumni - our student Zia is completing her dissertation research on antibiotic prescribing among Indonesian vets. If you have 10 minutes to take her anonymous online survey (available in Bahasa Indonesia and English), please find out more here: https://bit.ly/survei-drh
Thank you and please share!

Are you a horseperson living in the UK or Germany? Please support our student Emma with her dissertation research! She i...
20/04/2026

Are you a horseperson living in the UK or Germany? Please support our student Emma with her dissertation research! She is interested in understanding how equestrians make decisions regarding what tack to use on their horse - please take 10 minutes to respond to this anonymous survey: https://forms.office.com/e/bg87f761MC
and please share!

Animal Welfare Centre
Equine Science at Edinburgh

Next in our 🎓 From MSc to Impact 🎓 series, we'd like to introduce you to Rayappan Cyril Roy. Here is his story:"I did my...
17/04/2026

Next in our 🎓 From MSc to Impact 🎓 series, we'd like to introduce you to Rayappan Cyril Roy. Here is his story:

"I did my Masters in Applied Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare in 2008. We had two veterinarians in the class that year. Myself from India and another classmate from Australia. Veterinary curriculum did not focus much on Animal Behaviour or Animal welfare then. At least in those days when I did veterinary education, which is from 1990 to 1995. Things have changed quite a bit thanks to this successful MSc program. World over lot of interest in Animal behavior and welfare aspects.

After the MSc, I got the opportunity to do my PhD from Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island, Canada. Thereafter, some post doctoral work on pig welfare from University of Saskatchewan. Continued with some more work in the dairy sector and swine sector in Canada. Now I work for the federal government of Canada.

Ever since I did my MSc in 2008, my life has changed for the good. I have a deeper understanding of life around me which has increased my quality of life. Whether you live in Fancy Island or cooped up in a New York high-rise, you can interact with thousands of animals around you if you understand some basic animal behavior. That is what this course did to me."

Would you like to share your story? Send us a message or email [email protected]. Want to make this story your own? Apply to join the September 2026 intake at https://study.ed.ac.uk/programmes/postgraduate-taught/238-applied-animal-behaviour-and-animal-welfare

Welcome to our new series: 🎓 From MSc to Impact 🎓, where we will introduce you to some of our alumni, so you can see how...
15/04/2026

Welcome to our new series: 🎓 From MSc to Impact 🎓, where we will introduce you to some of our alumni, so you can see how the MSc has shaped their individual paths to diverse careers and pathways.

We are starting with Catherine Jadav, an alumnus of the programme who is now a Science Policy Advisor at Compassion in World Farming Here's what she has to say about her career, and how it was influenced by the MSc:

"My role of Science Policy Advisor at Compassion in World Farming involves using scientific research and evidence from commercial practice to underpin the organisation’s work to improve farmed animal welfare. As a science-based organisation, it’s important that all work - whether that’s campaigning activities, government lobbying or work with food businesses - is founded on robust evidence. The University of Edinburgh's MSc in Applied Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare gives wide and in-depth coverage of today’s main farmed animal welfare issues as well as covering the relevant legislative landscapes. It was a perfect grounding for a role that uses science to influence policy."

If you are a graduate of the programme and would like to have your story featured, please email us at [email protected] or send us a message - we'd love to catch up!

Interested in joining the programme? Applications are now open! Find out more and apply today 👉https://study.ed.ac.uk/programmes/postgraduate-taught/238-applied-animal-behaviour-and-animal-welfare

Our students are undertaking a fantastic range of research for their dissertation projects, including: 🫏 understanding t...
13/04/2026

Our students are undertaking a fantastic range of research for their dissertation projects, including:

🫏 understanding the role of working animals in disaster risk preparedness
🐟 developing welfare guidelines for farmed seabass
🐒 investigating social dynamics in zoo-housed primates
🐈 identifying factors that underpin the success of European wildcat reintroduction
🐀 exploring ultrasonic vocalisations in laboratory rats
🧠 applying human behaviour change science to understanding horse rider decision-making in the UK and Germany, antimicrobial prescribing among Indonesian vets, and the wellbeing impacts of cow-with-calf dairies on Scottish farmers
(to name but a few!)

We had the pleasure of hearing plans for each project over the recent dissertation presentations. Our students all did such a great job, and it was wonderful to not only have a glimpse of what the next few months will entail, but to also reflect on everything they have accomplished so far.

Congrats to all our excellent students, and best of luck for your dissertations - we can't wait to see what you come up with!

This week marks the end of the taught component of the MSc 🥳 ! We finished as we began - at the Royal Zoological Society...
20/03/2026

This week marks the end of the taught component of the MSc 🥳 ! We finished as we began - at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS)'s fantastic Edinburgh Zoo, where our students spent time throughout the programme conducting research on some of the zoo's animals, and using their growing welfare expertise to design enriched enclosures for their own hypothetical zoos. Returning to the zoo as a group gave us the opportunity to reflect on how much we have all learned and grown since our first visit to the zoo way back in week 1, and to connect with zoo staff to share our findings, beginning the process of closing the loop to the fantastic zoo staff who do so much to support our students and provide exemplary care to their animals. Many thanks to Phillip Mathis and his team for such a great day in the sun!

Now we move into the dissertation phase of the programme... our students have already made great progress, and a few will be spending their summer at the zoo to conduct deeper research into two of the primate species.

Thank you to our wonderful cohort of students for two fantastic semesters - we are really looking forward to your dissertation projects!

Last week we covered a range of more challenging topics around animal welfare at slaughter, and considerations around eu...
13/03/2026

Last week we covered a range of more challenging topics around animal welfare at slaughter, and considerations around euthansia. We had Rosie Herrington from The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies run a session on the ethics of euthanasia in companion animals. The students did a great job of reviewing real case studies from the perspectives of the animal, the owner, the vet and the general public.

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Edinburgh

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