Animal Welfare MRes
Our Animal Welfare MRes explores the welfare of laboratory, farm, companion and wild animals.
You are currently viewing course information for entry year:
Start date(s):
- September 2025
Overview
Our Animal Welfare MRes uses a multi-disciplinary approach that includes:
- animal behaviour
- cognition
- physiology
- neuroscience
- informatics
- social sciences
- law and ethics
It is available to graduates with a BSc in the life sciences or related disciplines. It is also suited to intercalating and qualified MBBS, BDS and veterinary students.
You'll study a compulsory module in animal welfare. You can also choose from our broad range of further taught modules to develop your bespoke course. You'll then engage in a 24-week research project in Animal Welfare Research.
You may have the opportunity to follow the PIL A/B training course and obtain a Home Office personal licence to perform regulated procedures on protected animals, (if required for your research welfare project.)
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Important information
We've highlighted important information about your course. Please take note of any deadlines.
Please rest assured we make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the programmes, services and facilities described. However, it may be necessary to make changes due to significant disruption, for example in response to Covid-19.
View our Academic experience page, which gives information about your Newcastle University study experience for the academic year 2024-25.
See our terms and conditions and student complaints information, which gives details of circumstances that may lead to changes to programmes, modules or University services.
Qualifications explained
Find out about the different qualification options for this course.
An MRes is available in various subject areas. This award combines taught modules, research training and a dissertation.
Find out about different types of postgraduate qualifications.
What you'll learn
You'll study subject-specific content in animal welfare alongside a broad range of complementary options. Topics include:
- key concepts in animal welfare science
- ethical consideration and legislation relevant to animal welfare science
- the validity, sensitivity and specificity of behavioural, cognitive, physiological and neural welfare indicators
- sentience and welfare of invertebrates
- hypothesis testing and experimental design in animal welfare research
- using R to analyse and visualise welfare data
Your 24-week research project is the core component of the course. Select your project topic from a range of options related to current research. And receive supervision from an expert academic researcher in the field.
Modules
You will study modules on this course. A module is a unit of a course with its own approved aims and outcomes and assessment methods.
Module information is intended to provide an example of what you will study.
Our teaching is informed by research. Course content changes periodically to reflect developments in the discipline, the requirements of external bodies and partners, and student feedback.
Full details of the modules on offer will be published through the Programme Regulations and Specifications ahead of each academic year. This usually happens in May.
To find out more please see our terms and conditions.
Optional modules availability
Some courses have optional modules. Student demand for optional modules may affect availability.
| Compulsory Modules | Credits |
|---|---|
| Theoretical Aspects of Animal Welfare | 20 |
| MRes Project | 110 |
| Research Skills and Principles for the Biosciences | 10 |
Additional optional module information
Surgical Anatomy is only open to intercalating medical students.
Some combinations of modules may not be available due to timetabling constraints. In exceptional circumstances the running of some modules may be determined by student demand.
How you'll learn
You'll be taught using a range of methods, including:
- lectures
- seminars
- group work
Depending on your modules, you'll be assessed through a combination of:
- Case study
- Computer assessment
- Design or creative project
- Dissertation
- Essay
- Oral examination
- Oral presentation
- PC examination
- Practical lab report
- Poster
- Problem-solving exercises
- Report
- Reflective log
- Research proposal
- Written examination
- Written exercise
You'll have a range of assessments. These will vary depending on the optional modules you choose to study.
You'll choose from projects that relate to your MRes title. Proposals of projects are from academic supervisors within the University.
The 24-week research project will begin in your second semester.
You'll complete guided but independent original research. You'll develop skills in:
- planning
- executing
- recording research
- data interpretation and analysis
You'll complete a written dissertation, lay abstract, oral presentation and poster. The project dissertation and poster will be marked internally and by an expert from another Institution.
Our mission is to help you:
- stay healthy, positive and feeling well
- overcome any challenges you may face during your degree – academic or personal
- get the most out of your postgraduate research experience
- carry out admin and activities essential to progressing through your degree
- understand postgraduate research processes, standards and rules
We can offer you tailored wellbeing support, courses and activities.
You can also access a broad range of workshops covering:
- research and professional skills
- careers support
- wellbeing
- health and safety
- public engagement
- academic development
Your development
You'll develop a range of research and practical laboratory skills.
Your future
This MRes can be a pathway for a career in scientific research in academia and industry. It is also excellent preparation for a PhD.
Graduates from the Faculty of Medical Sciences MRes at Newcastle have undertaken a wide range of roles. This includes:
- project manager
- research associate
- associate consultant
- senior analysts
- research scientist
- Marie Curie early stage researcher
- clinical research associate
- medical information and patient safety executive
- medical writer
- medical doctor
- research laboratory technician
- sales representative
- immunology development manager
Watch our introduction to Futures in Research.
Our Careers Service
Our award-winning Careers Service is one of the largest and best in the country, and we have strong links with employers. We provide an extensive range of opportunities to all students through our ncl+ initiative.
Quality and ranking
All professional accreditations are reviewed regularly by their professional body
From 1 January 2021 there is an update to the way professional qualifications are recognised by countries outside of the UK
Facilities
This Masters is hosted by the Faculty of Medical Sciences but benefits from a collaboration with the Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering. These are part of our city-centre campus.
Our facilities across the two faculties include:
- individual research laboratories where students carry out their projects
- a dedicated library with a wide range of specialist books and journals
- hi-tech computer clusters and study spaces
We have dedicated facilities for a range of key bioscience applications, including:
- an animal facility housing rodents, birds, fish and non-human primates
- imaging facilities for small and large animals
- an animal motion-capture lab
- the Centre for Digital Innovation Applied to Livestock
- a commercial farming operation with dairy, pig and poultry units
- a mobile laboratory for dog behavioural assessment
- an insect laboratory
- bioinformatics, genomics and proteomics facilities
Fees and funding
Tuition fees for 2025 entry (per year)
As a general principle, you should expect the tuition fee to increase in each subsequent academic year of your course, subject to government regulations on fee increases and in line with inflation.
Depending on your residency history, if you’re a student from the EU, other EEA or a Swiss national, with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you’ll normally pay the ‘Home’ tuition fee rate and may be eligible for Student Finance England support.
EU students without settled or pre-settled status will normally be charged fees at the ‘International’ rate and will not be eligible for Student Finance England support. You will be eligible for a scholarship worth 15% off the international fee.
If you are unsure of your fee status, check out the latest guidance here.
Scholarships
We support our EU and international students by providing a generous range of Vice-Chancellor's automatic and merit-based scholarships. See our searchable postgraduate funding page for more information.
What you're paying for
Tuition fees include the costs of:
- matriculation
- registration
- tuition (or supervision)
- library access
- examination
- re-examination
- graduation
Find out more about:
If you are an international student or a student from the EU, EEA or Switzerland and you need a visa to study in the UK, you may have to pay a deposit.
You can check this in the How to apply section.
If you're applying for funding, always check the funding application deadline. This deadline may be earlier than the application deadline for your course.
For some funding schemes, you need to have received an offer of a place on a course before you can apply for the funding.
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Entry requirements
The entrance requirements below apply to 2025 entry.
Qualifications from outside the UK
English Language requirements
Admissions policy
This policy applies to all undergraduate and postgraduate admissions at Newcastle University. It is intended to provide information about our admissions policies and procedures to applicants and potential applicants, to their advisors and family members, and to staff of the University.
University Admissions Policy and related policies and procedures
Credit transfer and Recognition of Prior Learning
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) can allow you to convert existing relevant university-level knowledge, skills and experience into credits towards a qualification. Find out more about the RPL policy which may apply to this course
How to apply
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Questions about this course?
If you have specific questions about this course you can contact:
If you have specific questions about this course you can contact:
School of Biomedical, Nutritional, and Sport Science
Email: mres.Admissions@newcastle.ac.uk
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