About this course: Animal welfare has been described as a complex, multi-faceted public policy issue which includes important scientific, ethical, and other dimensions. Improving our understanding of animal welfare, involves the fascinating study of animal behavior as well as the challenge of accessing the emotions of animals. This is the On-Demand version of this course, which means you can start the course at any time and work through the course materials at your own pace. The materials and quizzes will always be available to you. You can come and talk about the course on Twitter using the hashtag #EdAniWelf

Created by: The University of Edinburgh

Taught by: Professor Nat Waran, Professor of One Welfare
Eastern Institute of Technology, Napier, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand.
Taught by: Dr Fritha Langford
Scotland's Rural College (SRUC)
Taught by: Dr Heather Bacon, Veterinary welfare edcuation and outreach
Jeanne Marchig International Centre of Animal Welfare Education
Taught by: Miss Hayley Walters, RVN
Welfare and Anaesthesia
Taught by: Dr Jill MacKay, Animal Behaviour and Welfare Researcher
Animal Behaviour and Welfare Team, SRUC

Commitment	1-3 hours/week
Language	English, Subtitles: Italian, French
How To Pass	Pass all graded assignments to complete the course.
User Ratings	4.7 stars Average User Rating 4.7See what learners said

Syllabus

WEEK 1

Introduction to the Course

In this module we'll tell you who we are, what this course is about, how you can use this course to learn more about animal behaviour and welfare, and how you can earn a certificate.

3 videos, 5 readings

Video: Welcome
Reading: How To Use This Course
Video: Introduction to the MOOC Team
Video: Rules of Engagement
Reading: Course Syllabus
Reading: Statement of Ethics
Reading: Course Team
Reading: Frequently Asked Questions

WEEK 2

What is Animal Welfare and Why Does it Matter?

Introduction, History and Concepts of Animal Welfare

5 videos, 2 readings

Reading: About this Module
Video: Why Does Animal Welfare Matter?
Video: What Is Animal Welfare?
Video: The Five Freedoms
Reading: Accompanying Material
Video: How a Scientific Approach Has Helped Improve the Welfare of Animals: Interview With Professor Lawrence
Video: Animal Welfare and Cultural Differences: Interview With Dr MacKay

Graded: Module 2 - What Is Animal Welfare and Why Does It Matter?

WEEK 3

What We Can Measure We Can Manage

Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare Assessment

6 videos, 2 readings

Reading: About This Module
Video: How Do We Assess Animal Welfare?
Video: Using An Animal's Behaviour to Assess Welfare
Video: Physiological Measures of Animal Welfare
Video: New Developments in Animal Welfare
Reading: Accompanying Materials
Video: The Impact of Early Life Events on Stress Responsiveness in Animals: Interview with Professor Cathy Dwyer
Video: Using Animal Body Language as a Measure of Subjective Experience: Interview with Dr Francoise Wemelsfelder

Graded: Module 3 - What We Can Measure We Can Manage

WEEK 4

The Truth About Dogs and Cats

Practical Animal Welfare: Companion Animal Welfare

12 videos, 2 readings

Reading: About this Module
Video: Pet Cats and Dogs
Video: Street Cats and Dogs
Video: Shelter Cats and Dogs
Video: Dog Aggression
Video: The Alpha Dog
Reading: Accompanying Materials
Video: Cat Genetics: Interview With Professor Gunn-Moore
Video: Dogs and Their Needs in the Shelter: Interview with Emma-Louise Livingston
Video: Dog Genetics: Interview with Dr. Rowena Packer
Video: Cats Independent Dependents: Interview with Wendy Johnston
Video: Can We Farm Dogs and Cats Humanely?: Interview With Heather Bacon
Video: Rabbits, More Complex Than You Think: Interview With Guen Bradbury
Video: Horses Under Pressure: Interview with Gemma Pearson

Graded: Module 4 - The Truth About Dogs and Cats

WEEK 5

Down on the Farm

Practical Animal Welfare: Farm Animal Welfare

8 videos, 2 readings

Reading: About this Module
Video: An Introduction to Farm Animal Welfare
Video: Dairy Cow Welfare Part 1: The Milking Cow
Video: Dairy Cow Welfare Part 2: The Cow and Calf
Video: The Welfare of Pigs Part 1
Video: The Welfare of Pigs Part 2
Video: Poultry Welfare Part 1: The Laying Hen
Video: Poultry Welfare Part 2: The Hen in Free-Range Systems
Video: Poultry Welfare Part 3: The Broiler Chicken
Reading: Accompanying Materials

Graded: Module 5 - Down on the Farm

WEEK 6

Lions, Tigers and Bears, Oh My!

Practical Animal Welfare: Captive Wild Animal Welfare

3 videos, 2 readings

Reading: About this Module
Video: Behaviour Based Husbandry
Video: Gaps In Our Knowledge
Video: Using Evidence To Improve Welfare
Reading: Accompanying Material

Graded: Module 6 - Lions, Tigers and Bears, Oh My!

WEEK 7

Optional Module: Welfare Conundrums

Emotive Animal Welfare Issues

1 video, 3 readings

Reading: About this Module
Video: Introduction to Welfare Conundrums
Reading: Emotive Welfare Issues
Reading: Additional Learning Resources

FAQs

How It Works

Coursework

Each course is like an interactive textbook, featuring pre-recorded videos, quizzes and projects.

Help from Your Peers

Connect with thousands of other learners and debate ideas, discuss course material, and get help mastering concepts.

Certificates

Earn official recognition for your work, and share your success with friends, colleagues, and employers.

Creators

The University of Edinburgh

Delivering excellence in teaching and learning. Consistently ranked as one of the world's top 50 universities and top 3 UK provider of online Masters courses. The University of Edinburgh offers over 700 diverse degree programmes with over 31,000 students currently studying with us from across the world.

Ratings and Reviews

Rated 4.7 out of 5 of 768 ratings

Really helpful and enlightening

An amazing course that was easy to understand and allowed me to take my time to complete so it wasn't stressful in anyway.

Very inspiring course, the materials are presented in an engaged manner and at the same time objective and scientific

Incrivel!!! Muito bom.

Animal Behaviour and Welfare

Animal Behaviour and Welfare

Animal Behaviour and Welfare