FdSc Applied Animal Behavioural Science and Welfare Foundation degree at North Kent College
FdSc Applied Animal Behavioural Science and Welfare at North Kent College. The qualification is nationally recognised and taught part-time in English. The course covers core theory, research and methods, applied practice, specialist options, an independent project, and professional skills development.
About this course
FdSc Applied Animal Behavioural Science and Welfare is a Foundation degree (FdSc) at North Kent College, based in Hadlow College. It is studied part-time; duration varies by route.
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Agriculture & Animal Science, see the sections below.
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
Year 1 6 modules
- Concepts in Animal ScienceCompulsory15 credits
- Principles of Animal BehaviourCompulsory30 credits
- Work Based Learning 1Compulsory30 credits
- Research SkillsCompulsory15 credits
- Concepts in Animal WelfareCompulsory15 credits
- Introduction to Animal TrainingCompulsory15 credits
Year 2 8 modules
- Work Based Learning 2Compulsory30 credits
- Breeding Management and GeneticsCompulsory15 credits
- Data AnalysisCompulsory15 credits
- Applied Animal WelfareCompulsory15 credits
- Animal Cognition and LearningCompulsory15 credits
- Problem Behaviour Management and Animal TrainingCompulsory15 credits
- Exotic Collection ManagementOptional15 credits
- Advanced Animal Husbandry, Health, and NutritionOptional15 credits
Source: provider course page. Modules can change; required/optional status, credits, descriptions and assessment are shown only when explicitly published.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
This foundation degree combines practical animal science with behavioural studies and welfare principles. You'll usually start with applied biology of livestock and companion animals, food systems from farm to consumer, and hands-on husbandry skills. In the second year, you'll typically progress to animal nutrition and health, environmental management of grazing land, and data technologies in farming. Towards the end, a course like this normally moves to specialist options such as livestock production, equine science, animal behaviour and welfare, agronomy, or agri-tech, alongside farm business management. You'll often complete your studies with an applied project or dissertation, frequently undertaken with a farm or industry partner.
Who it's for
This course suits those seeking part-time study in animal science whilst balancing other commitments. It's designed for learners interested in understanding animal behaviour and welfare from both scientific and practical perspectives, whether you're entering the field or developing existing experience.
Careers & job market
Across Agriculture and Animal Science courses nationally, 90% of graduates are in work or further study 15 months after graduating. Starting salaries typically fall between £22,000 and £27,000; after five years, graduates nationally earn between £22,525 and £31,800. Around 40% of working graduates move into highly skilled roles or continue studying.
University & format
The FdSc in Applied Animal Behavioural Science and Welfare is delivered by North Kent College, a higher education college, at Hadlow College. Study is part-time and taught in English. The course is a foundation degree, a nationally recognised qualification awarded through a UK degree-awarding body.
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
Provider-published requirement; check the linked course page before applying.
Part-time application dates vary by provider. UCAS dates
The provider publishes contextual-offer information. Eligibility and any reduced offer are applicant-specific.
Opened 2 July 2026; last choice 19 October 2026. Check vacancies now. A cached page never claims a place is still available.
Entry & how to get in
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Entry is set by the university and based on your offer. Use your predicted grades to see how you compare, then check the university's stated requirements.
How to apply
Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course. One application covers up to five choices.
- 2Write your personal statement
A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.
- 3Submit by Apply directly to the provider
Part-time application dates vary by provider. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.
- 4Reply to your offers
When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.
- 5Results day & confirmation
On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.
Fees & funding
What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.
Tuition per year
The cap depends on the UK nation the provider sits in; the provider's page is authoritative.
Check fees at North Kent College →Check the finance route that applies to you
Support depends on ordinary residence, assessed fee status, course and provider nation. The provider nation is unresolved here, so no national cap or loan amount is being guessed.
Find your official student-finance route →Paying for it
- Tuition fee loan: applied for through the student-finance body for the UK nation you live in.
- Living-cost support: means-tested on household income, from your nation's student-finance body.
- Repayment: only above the income threshold set by your nation's student-finance system.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
Each UK nation runs its own student-finance system; check gov.uk for the rates that apply to you.
Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
That does not mean no funding exists. Check the university directory for current amounts, eligibility and application dates.
We only display a named award when its provider source identifies the award and who it is for.
Still deciding what to study?
StudyKit brings course choice, applications and funding together in one place, with a personal AI assistant. Find what really fits you and start your UCAS application step by step.
Careers & earnings
What Agriculture & Animal Science graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.
- 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
- 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in agriculture & animal science · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior / LeadLeading work and people · 5–10 yrs
- 4Head of / ExpertSenior leadership or deep expertise · 10+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs Agriculture & Animal Science nationally
National figures for Agriculture & Animal Science graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.
Work out your pay
Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.
Job market & outlook
How Agriculture & Animal Science graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.
How AI is changing the work
AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.
What AI takes off your plate
- Routine information gathering
- First-draft writing and summaries
- Standard analysis and admin
- Repetitive processing tasks
More human than ever
- Judgement and original thinking
- Working with and leading people
- Owning and sense-checking AI output
- Ethics and accountability
The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.
Roles & employers
Where Agriculture & Animal Science graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.
Roles graduates go into
Where they work
- Agribusiness & food producers
- DEFRA & agencies
- Estates & farms
- Animal & wildlife charities
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit Agriculture & Animal Science graduates.
Agriculture Litigation Solicitor – Rural & EstatesBirketts LLPAgriculture TrainerRise Technical RecruitmentAgriculture Legal Director & Partner – HybridErrington LegalAgriculture & Estates Lawyer - Suffolk / NorfolkBWF Legal RecruitmentAgriculture ManagerMarks and SpencerAgriculture Lawyer - BristolChadwick NottWho studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
Agriculture, food and related studies across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Local crime-data context
A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.
Around Hadlow College
36 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.
Police.uk street-level API. Approximate locations, not confined to campus. England, Wales and Northern Ireland; not Scotland.
Is Agriculture & Animal Science right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to North Kent College from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is set per course by North Kent College; international fees are typically £12,000–£30,000/year for classroom subjects and higher for lab/clinical ones. You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.
English language
Most UK undergraduate courses ask for around IELTS 6.0–6.5 (no band below 5.5–6.0), or an accepted equivalent. If you’re just short, most universities run a pre-sessional English course that counts towards the requirement.
Student visa
You’ll usually need a Student visa (Student Route). After you accept an offer the university issues a CAS; you then show funds for fees plus about £1,023–£1,334/month living costs and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for NHS access.
Scholarships & funding
Many universities offer international/global scholarships (often £2,000–£6,000/yr), check North Kent College’s funding pages.
Living costs
Budget roughly £1,100–£1,400/month outside London and £1,400–£1,800/month in London for rent, food and travel; the figure also matters for your visa.
Working while you study
A Student visa usually allows up to 20 hours/week in term time and full-time in holidays, useful alongside study, though not something to rely on for fees.
Visa rules and fees change. Always confirm the current requirements with North Kent College and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at North Kent College
Common questions
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