Online Introduction to Animal Behaviour

Ten separate sessions of study, each session incorporating developmental structured activities to aid the distance learner in developing the underpinning knowledge and skills required to complete the assessments.

Access to high level on-line facilities at both Coleg Sir Gar and UWTSD for learning and research materials.Students will have allocated tutor support and one to one set tutorials to aid students before they submit work digitally on-line.

This module is an optional module for the Animal Science Level 4 Certificate in Higher Education and can contribute to the final award or be studied alone. 

The module would benefit anyone who is currently employed in/or is aiming to work in the animal industry and could form part of recognised continued professional development.

• Reasons to study behaviour; history of the study of behaviour; ethics and the study of behaviour.
• Behaviour and natural selection; evolution and adaptation; genetics & heritability.
• Behaviour in social groups: costs; benefits; communal (altruistic) behaviours.
• Feeding & breeding behaviours; courtship, parental care and kin recognition.
• Territorial behaviours; conflict resolution communication; signals; sensory anatomy.
• Spatial aspects of behaviour: habitat selection; migration; dispersal; coordination; navigation.
• Physiology and behaviour: rhythms; hibernation; aestivation; diapause; torpor; biological clocks; hormonal influences; thermoregulation; stress.
• Behaviour in captive environments: abnormal behaviours; stereotypes; environmental enrichment; welfare implications.
• Ethogram design and practical application.
• Interpretation of primary behaviour observation data, production and comparison of time budget graphs. 

Ten separate sessions of study, each session incorporating developmental structured activities to aid the distance learner in developing the underpinning knowledge and skills required to complete the assessments.

Portfolio of tasks and assessments from each session and a Practical behaviour observation and research portfolio.

Entry will be granted to applicants who demonstrate the academic ability and potential to benefit from the module study, Students entering study will be considered if they have a Level 3 qualification or who have previously worked at a level 3 standard. Students need to be over 18 years old. Mature students (over 21) will be considered on an individual basis as industrially relevant qualifications and experience can be taken into consideration.