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.

We investigate the welfare of all animals, including those that are not always at the forefront of our minds. Rachel Bru...
20/07/2026

We investigate the welfare of all animals, including those that are not always at the forefront of our minds. Rachel Brunyee's fascinating dissertation project is a brilliant example of this:

"Creepy, Crawly, Conscious? A Systematic Review of Spatial Cognition as Evidence of Consciousness in Jumping Spiders (Salticidae) 🕷️ 🕸️

This project is a systematic review, examining evidence of spatial cognition in jumping spiders, and how this may point to their consciousness. It is thanks to this project that I have learned how to write a systematic review, especially regarding: formulating search strings; using inclusion/exclusion criteria to screen for relevant studies; and coordinating with peers to reduce bias in screening.

It has been so rewarding to have the opportunity to write about, and advocate for, one of our more under-appreciated species. This research has allowed me to delve into just how vital our arachnids are to our ecosystem, and it has been a privilege to review so much fascinating research on their extraordinary behaviours and neurobiology. A big thank you to my supervisors Andrew Crump, Cynthia Naydani, and Susan Jarvis for their support with this project."

Want to find out more about the programme and apply to join? 👉 https://study.ed.ac.uk/programmes/postgraduate-taught/238-applied-animal-behaviour-and-animal-welfare

Next in our 💻 Discover Dissertation 💻 series is Ajeng Puspitasari's project: "My dissertation project is titled "Owner-p...
02/07/2026

Next in our 💻 Discover Dissertation 💻 series is Ajeng Puspitasari's project:

"My dissertation project is titled "Owner-perceived undesirable behaviours reported in a longitudinal study of pet dogs and the sources of help owners seek for these behaviours." I am conducting this research in collaboration with Dr Rachel Kinsman from Dogs Trust.

For this project, I will be using data from the Generation Pup study, a large-scale longitudinal study runs by Dogs Trust that collected data from May 2016 to April 2026 from a diverse cohort of dog owners across the UK and the Republic of Ireland. Generation Pup follows dogs from puppyhood throughout their lives, collecting information on health, behaviour, owner management, and environmental factors through owner-completed questionnaires.

My research aims were to identify which owner-perceived undesirable behaviours are most likely to co-occur and to investigate whether different types of undesirable behaviours influence owners' help-seeking strategies. I am grateful for the opportunity to work with the extensive Generation Pup dataset, which provides a unique resource for investigating canine behaviour, and for the guidance and support of Dr Rachel Kinsman and Cynthia Naydani throughout the project."

Want to find out more about the programme and apply to join? 👉 https://study.ed.ac.uk/programmes/postgraduate-taught/238-applied-animal-behaviour-and-animal-welfare

Animal Welfare Centre

Studying on our programme offers not just an academic experience, but also the opportunity to get involved in events and...
29/06/2026

Studying on our programme offers not just an academic experience, but also the opportunity to get involved in events and activities throughout the year, including the famous Royal Highland Show! Sophia spent a day volunteering at The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies stand... here's what she had to say about the experience:

"I had such a lovely time volunteering at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, The University of Edinburgh!

During the day, I helped welcome visitors to our stand and introduced them to what an equine vet does during a routine horse health check. We showed people our teaching horses, explored horse skeletons and skulls, learned about equine teeth, hoof care and farriery, and even listened to a horse's heartbeat and gut sounds. It was so rewarding to see how interested people were, especially the children, and I really enjoyed sharing what I've been learning through my studies.

One of the best parts of the day was meeting so many friendly staff members and fellow student volunteers. Everyone was so kind, supportive and passionate, and I learned a lot just by working alongside them.
After my shift, I had the chance to explore the Show, watch the horse competitions, and see all the amazing cattle and sheep displays. It was such a fun day and a great opportunity to experience one of Scotland's biggest agricultural events.

I'm really grateful to the University for giving me this opportunity. It was a fantastic experience where I could both volunteer and continue learning at the same time!”

We are so pleased that Sophia had fun, and hope all the visitors, did, too!

Our 💻 Discover Dissertation 💻 series continues with Grace Carter’s project: Project title: How can policies and interve...
18/06/2026

Our 💻 Discover Dissertation 💻 series continues with Grace Carter’s project:


Project title: How can policies and interventions be improved to better support working animal welfare and community resilience during all phases of the Disaster Risk Management (DRM) cycle?

Supervisors: Rebecca Doyle and Mihaiela Swift

"My dissertation project is in partnership with the amazing Brooke, Action For Working Horses and Donkeys, as a part of their global scale research on working equine Disaster Risk Management (DRM). The project title is “How can policies and interventions be improved to better support working animal welfare and community resilience during all phases of the DRM cycle?” It involves a mixed-methods survey approach, with aims to discover the barriers and drivers to implementing working animals into DRM policy and plans.

This project has taught me how to design and manage a survey with both quantitative and qualitative data analysis in mind. I am learning how to collaborate with an NGO and collect data for my dissertation, but also for possible reuse by the organization. I am also getting familiar with R studio, as well as NVivo for my data analysis. I have loved working on this project as it is such an important, under-researched topic, and I am learning many useful skills I can carry with me for a future career in animal welfare science. Thank you to my wonderful supervisors Rebecca Doyle and Mihaiela Swift for all your support!"

Animal Welfare Centre

Want to find out more about the programme and apply to join? 👉 https://lnkd.in/eyDUpiMg

Our 💻 Discover Dissertation 💻 series continues with Annabelle Chang’s project: Project title: Developing a welfare asse...
15/06/2026

Our 💻 Discover Dissertation 💻 series continues with Annabelle Chang’s project:

Project title: Developing a welfare assessment guideline for farmed European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax), focusing on the harvest stage.

Supervisors: Susan Jarvis and Fernando Mardones

This project aims to develop a welfare assessment guideline for European seabass through a literature review and interviews with stakeholders in Malta. Hopefully, it can contribute to the development of more species-specific assessment frameworks in aquaculture.

I have learned to design and conduct focus groups with experts in this field and am learning how to carry out qualitative analysis. I especially enjoy learning new ideas, methods, and tools, as well as the moments when things suddenly make sense after being confused for a while.

I am also very grateful for the opportunity to visit fish farms in Malta, and Aquatic Resources Malta. It was an exceptional experience beyond words!

Want to find out more about the programme and apply to join? 👉 https://lnkd.in/eyDUpiMg

What are you views on Artificial Intelligence and Veterinarians diagnosing pain in animals?Our student, Sijin, is invest...
15/06/2026

What are you views on Artificial Intelligence and Veterinarians diagnosing pain in animals?

Our student, Sijin, is investigating this for her dissertation.

If you can please spare around 7 minutes to take this anonymous survey and/or share it, we would be very grateful! Thank you!

https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/L1TMAHHTzr?origin=lprLink

Our 💻 Discover Dissertation 💻 series continues with Leyi Cao's project: "Project title: UK horse owners’ perception of d...
11/06/2026

Our 💻 Discover Dissertation 💻 series continues with Leyi Cao's project:

"Project title: UK horse owners’ perception of dental pain signs in their horses

About the project: My project looks at how UK horse owners recognise and interpret possible behavioural and physical signs of dental pain in horses.

What I am learning / enjoying: This project has taught me a lot about designing a questionnaire with data analysis in mind, as well as how to contact horse owners appropriately and effectively for survey recruitment. I have especially enjoyed exploring how owners interpret subtle behavioural changes in horses, and how this may help support earlier recognition of welfare concerns.

Supervisors: Rebekah Kennedy and Cynthia Naydani"

If you are a horse owner in the UK and would like to contribute to Leyi's research, please take a few minutes to answer her anonymous online survey: https://forms.office.com/e/a2DEmjwYu8

Want to find out more about the programme and apply to join? 👉 https://study.ed.ac.uk/programmes/postgraduate-taught/238-applied-animal-behaviour-and-animal-welfare



Next in our our 💻 Discover Dissertation 💻 series is Mari Madigan's project on unowned cats 🐈‍⬛ (pictured with the lovely...
05/06/2026

Next in our our 💻 Discover Dissertation 💻 series is Mari Madigan's project on unowned cats 🐈‍⬛ (pictured with the lovely Luna)

"Project title: Using behaviour change science to identify the barriers and levers to successful identification and management of unowned cats in Devon, England.

Supervisors: Cynthia Naydani (University of Edinburgh) and Sandøe Peter(University of Copenhagen)

My project aims to use qualitative methods to find out how people living in Devon identify unowned cats, and what they may do to manage them; this will hopefully help with their future management in the context of supporting the success of a potential European Wildcat reintroduction to the area by minimising hybridisation between domestic cats and wildcats.

Through my project, I have been learning how to code qualitative data for thematic analysis. This is a new skill for me, as I have previously conducted more statistics-heavy quantitative projects. It has been an enjoyable new challenge to learn these skills, and I have loved speaking to people about my project in the process of recruiting and interviewing participants."

Want to find out more about the programme and apply to join? 👉 https://study.ed.ac.uk/programmes/postgraduate-taught/238-applied-animal-behaviour-and-animal-welfare

The dissertation period is one of the most exciting parts of the programme, and prospective students are often asking us...
03/06/2026

The dissertation period is one of the most exciting parts of the programme, and prospective students are often asking us about what sorts of research these projects entail. So, we're introducing our 💻 Discover Dissertation 💻 series to highlight a few of the projects currently underway.

We're starting with Emily Clifton's important research:

"My dissertation project is titled “Exploring Behavioural Indicators linked to Subclinical Mastitis within a Meat Ewe Flock (Ovis aries)”. The main aim of my project is to validate a behavioural indicator which could be utilised as a welfare friendly diagnostic tool for subclinical mastitis in sheep, as there is a lack of easily observable physical symptoms, resulting in high levels of missed diagnoses. This project is allowing me to learn how to handle and analyse large datasets as well as giving me the opportunity to read and understand a topic that I’m interested in. My supervisors, Michelle Reeves and Susan Jarvis, have been a great help throughout this project."

Want to find out more about the programme and apply to join? 👉 https://study.ed.ac.uk/programmes/postgraduate-taught/238-applied-animal-behaviour-and-animal-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

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