Clinical Animal Behaviour (Online Learning) MSc, PgDip (ICL), PgCert (ICL), PgProfDev

Level: Postgraduate taught

Subject: Veterinary Medicine

Year of entry: 2026

Study options

Mode of study

Online learning

Part-time intermittent study
  • MSc | 6 years | Start date: September 2026
  • PgProfDev | 2 years | Start date: September 2026
  • PgCert (ICL) | 2 years | Start date: September 2026
  • PgDip (ICL) | 4 years | Start date: September 2026
Part-time
  • MSc | 3 years | Start date: September 2026

Key facts

School

Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies

College

College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine

Programme website
Accreditation

Available

Apply now

15 October: Postgraduate Online Learning Essentials

Find out what it’s like to study online at Edinburgh, with insights into learning, community and the support available to online postgraduate students.

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Open Days on Demand

Dive into an extensive selection of programme-specific session recordings hosted by our Academic and Professional Services staff.


About the degree programme

This programme provides flexible postgraduate study to specifically address the demand for online clinical animal behaviour teaching within a supported learning environment.

Take an evidence-based approach to explore the potential motivations, management and treatment options for abnormal and/or problem behaviours commonly expressed by companion animal species living within a domestic environment.

The subject involves a multidisciplinary approach, drawing on expert knowledge and techniques from within:

  • psychology
  • ethology
  • neurobiology
  • pharmacology
  • veterinary science

The teaching and learning supports your preparation for a career working with companion animals in a variety of settings, including clinical animal behaviour counselling.

Validated by CCAB Certification Ltd as delivering the academic elements required for an individual to apply for recognition as a Certified Clinical Animal Behaviourist (CCAB).

Study options

PhaseDurationCredits
Masters3-6 years180
Diploma2-4 years120
Certificate1-2 years60
Individual courses*up to 2 yearsup to a maximum of 50

The degree programme allows progression from individual courses to Certificate, Diploma and MSc phases. Students may also exit the programme on completion of each phase.

The programme is designed to be taken part-time at 20 hours per week, with the flexibility to complete in longer time frames if required.

*Individual courses are also referred to as Postgraduate Professional Development (PGProfDev).

Programme benefits

  • Flexible learning throughout the year to match busy working lives
  • Complements the timetable of MSc Equine Science and MSc International Animal Welfare Ethics and Law, allowing you to choose elective courses based around your interests
  • Build a personal portfolio of clinical and non-clinical skills and knowledge
  • Mentoring and online discussion from teachers and researchers who are specialists in their field
  • Access to high quality interactive online resources/e-journals and online textbooks
  • Develop and enhance transferrable technological skills in digital learning environments.

I have really enjoyed the programme. The content was extremely interesting and useful. The staff were helpful and always ready to support in any way possible. 

Being online did not stop any interesting discussions from taking place. 

I would do it all over again!

Maria Debono MSc Clinical Animal Behaviour 2022

Tuition fees

Tuition fees by award and duration

Tuition fees for full-time and part-time options are listed for one academic year.

Part-time intermittent study
Part-time

Graduate discount

If you are a University of Edinburgh graduate, you will be eligible for a 10% discount on your tuition fees for this programme. You may also be eligible if you were a visiting undergraduate student.

Find out how to receive your graduate discount

Payment for individual courses 

It is possible to pay for the programme on a course-by-course basis.

Deposit

You do not have to pay a deposit to secure your place on this programme.

Funding opportunities

Funding for postgraduate study is different to undergraduate study, and many students need to combine funding sources to pay for their studies.

Most students use a combination of the following funding to pay their tuition fees and living costs:

  • borrowing money
    • taking out a loan
    • family support
  • personal savings
  • income from work
  • employer sponsorship
  • scholarships

Explore sources of funding for postgraduate study

If you live in the UK, you may be eligible for a postgraduate loan for online study from one of the UK’s governments.

If you intend to apply for a UK government loan you should apply for the 3-year Masters option.

View details: UK government loans

Search for other funding opportunities

You can find scholarships, bursaries and other funding you might be eligible for on our Scholarships and Student Funding site.

Postgraduate funding opportunities

These entry requirements are for the 2026-27 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2027-28 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2026.

Qualifications

A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, with a biological background, for example a degree in:

  • veterinary medicine/ veterinary science
  • biological sciences
  • zoology
  • psychology
  • animal/equine science

Entry to this programme is competitive. Preference will be given to those with grades above the minimum requirements. Demonstrable experience working with companion animals in a professional capacity is not required but may increase your chances of acceptance. Please make sure that you use the 'Personal Statement' and 'Relevant Experience' sections of your application to outline why you would like to join the programme and how this fits with your future career plans. Please also detail any relevant practical experience or additional courses that you have completed outside of higher education.

International qualifications

To find international equivalent qualifications, select where you studied from the country or region list.

English language requirements

You must prove that your English language abilities are at a high enough level to study this degree programme.

This is the case for all applicants, including UK nationals.

You can meet our English language requirements with one of the following:

  • an English language test
  • a degree that was taught and assessed in English
  • certain professional qualifications

English language tests we accept

We accept any of the following English language tests, at the specified grade or higher:

  • IELTS Academic: total 6.5 with at least 6.0 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
  • TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 92 with at least 20 in each component We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
  • C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 176 with at least 169 in each component.
  • Trinity ISE: ISE II with distinctions in all four components.
  • Oxford ELLT: total 7 with at least 6 in each component.
  • Oxford Test of English Advanced: total 145 with at least 135 in each component.
How old your English language tests can be
Tests no more than two years old

The following English language tests must be no more than two years old on the 1st of the month in which your programme starts, regardless of your nationality:

  • IELTS Academic
  • TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition)
  • Trinity ISE
  • Oxford ELLT
  • Oxford Test of English Advanced
Tests no more than three and a half years old

All other English language tests must be no more than three and a half years old on the 1st of the month in which your programme starts, regardless of your nationality.   

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English-speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration.

UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English-speaking countries (non-MESC).

Approved universities in non-MESC

How old your degree can be

If you are not a national of a majority English-speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old on the 1st of the month in which your programme starts.

This time limit does not apply to your degree if you are a national of a majority English-speaking country.

Find out more about our English language requirements

Find out about other English language qualifications we accept, including professional qualifications.

English language requirements

What you will study

The full degree programme is a total of 180 credits, divided into:

  • Masters - 180 credits
  • Diploma - 120 credits
  • Certificate - 60 credits
  • Individual courses - up to 50 credits

Courses offer a mix of:

  • lectures
  • seminars
  • tutorials
  • practicals
  • guest speakers
  • recommended reading
Time expectation

20 credit courses are delivered in two blocks of five weeks with one week of independent study and reflection time in between.

10 credit courses are delivered over one block of five weeks.

Each 10 credits of study represents 100 hours of study and a time commitment of 20 hours per week.

Compulsory courses

Core courses
Certificate phaseCredits
Clinical Animal Behaviour20
Principles of Animal Behaviour20
Diploma phaseCredits
Clinical Animal Behaviour Practice 20
Research Methods and Data Analysis*10

*for those progressing to masters phase

Masters phasecredits
Dissertation60 - must be written within a 12-month period

Option courses

Elective courses
From Clinical Animal BehaviourCredits
Anthrozoology*20

*strongly recommended for students progressing to masters phase, and essential for those pursuing CCAB pre-certification.

From related programmesCredits
Animal ethics, policy and law20
Captive and free ranging wild animal welfare20
Chronic pain and advanced analgesic principles*10
Equine behavioural medicine**20
Equine behaviour, welfare and ethics20
Equitation science20
Ethics for veterinary clinicians and researchers10
Evidence based veterinary medicine in clinical practice10
International animal welfare science20
International cat and dog welfare20
Professional and clinical skills for advanced veterinary practice***10

*Equitation Science is a pre-requisite for this course

**available to vets and vet nurses only

***available to vets only

Individual courses

Postgraduate Professional Development (PGProfDev) is the study of individual courses from within a degree programme.

It is aimed at working professionals who want to upskill in a specific area but do not want to commit to a postgraduate qualification. 

You may take a maximum of 50 credits worth of courses from within this degree over two years. Credits can also be put towards further study, however any time spent taking courses will be deducted from the amount of time you have left to complete the higher award. 

Individual courses available within this programme

Find courses for this programme

Find out what courses you can study on this programme and how each of them are taught and assessed.

The courses on offer may change from year to year, but the course information will give you an idea of what to expect on this programme.

Part-time intermittent study

We link to the latest information available. This may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

Disclaimer

Optional, or elective, courses listed are a selection of popular choices of students on this programme.

Course availability is dependent on the number of students, and availability of places on non-programme owned courses. We cannot guarantee that all courses will be available to all students each year.

Teaching and assessment

Teaching

Courses are taught and completed entirely online. The varied teaching may include:

  • online lectures
  • tutorials
  • specialist external lectures
  • group discussions
  • case studies
  • problem-based learning scenarios
  • literature-based research
  • quizzes

Learning outcomes

By the end of the programme you will be able to:

  • demonstrate a knowledge of the theoretical, methodological and biological concepts relating to clinical animal behaviour
  • gain a critical understanding of relevant professional, legal and ethical issues
  • apply knowledge of effective counselling, explore competing explanations for a behaviour problem, or issue with the human-animal relationship
  • devise bespoke behaviour modification programmes
  • critically evaluate relevant literature, identify where research is lacking and design research projects to address these
  • communicate relevant scientific concepts and results to a range of audiences with different levels of knowledge and expertise
  • make informed judgements on ethical issues relevant to clinical animal behaviour
  • critically reflect on all stages of the behaviour modification process, identifying where information is lacking or alternative actions are required to effect change.

Beyond gaining factual knowledge of the immediate subject matter, programme participation enables you to gain a range of transferrable skills, including:

  • computer skills
  • report writing
  • giving online presentations
  • time and project management

Support for your studies

You will have access to a range of support services if you need them throughout your degree.

We will assign you to a student adviser, and this should be the first person to contact if you need help. They can guide you to other University service teams depending on what support you need.  

How we support you

How online learning works

The University of Edinburgh has been delivering online postgraduate programmes since 2005, and is the largest provider of online programmes in the prestigious Russell Group of universities.

Online learning is aimed at people who want to study for a postgraduate qualification alongside personal and professional commitments. Most of our students continue in their employment while they study.

Courses are taught and completed entirely online and may include:

  • online lectures
  • tutorials
  • specialist external lectures
  • scientific group discussions
  • case studies
  • problem-based learning scenarios
  • literature-based research
  • computer-assisted learning
  • quizzes

Online students not only have access to Edinburgh's excellent resources but also become part of a supportive online community, bringing together students and tutors from around the world.

Find out more about the benefits and practicalities of studying for an online degree:

Postgraduate online learning

Watch our video to see how online learning works.

Time commitment

This programme is designed to fit around your schedule. You can study in your own time and access all your learning resources, such as reading lists, discussion forms and slides from anywhere in the world.  

If there are live online sessions, you can watch a recording later in the virtual learning environment at a time convenient to you.    

Typically, you will need to dedicate around 20 hours per week to your programme, although managing this is up to you. This may also vary from course to course, and the time commitment may increase when assignments are due.  

Equipment and software needs

To study this online programme, you will need access to:   

  • a computer or laptop  
  • the internet  
  • the latest version of a web browser  

As an online student, you will have access to a range of software you can download to help you complete your coursework, including Microsoft Office 365. 

IT support is available if you have technical difficulties.  

IT and computing help

Support for online students

Support for online students is given as much emphasis as for our on-campus learners. The learning technology is fully interactive and enables you to communicate with our highly qualified teaching staff from the comfort of your own home or workplace.

A dedicated e-Learning team ensures the programme runs smoothly and the programme is supported by an experienced team of academic and administrative staff. Each student is also provided with a Student Adviser.

Accreditation

MSc Clinical Animal Behaviour has been validated by CCAB Certification Ltd as delivering the academic elements necessary for an individual to apply for recognition as a Certificated Clinical Animal Behaviourist (CCAB).

PGDip in Clinical Animal Behaviour has been validated by the Animal Behaviour and Training Council (ABTC) as delivering the academic elements necessary for an individual to apply for recognition as a Clinical Animal Behaviourist (CAB).

Further study

After completing this programme, you may wish to consider applying for a PhD or other research programme.

Applying for research degrees

Moving on to a PhD (advice from the University's Careers Service)

Graduate profiles

This programme was a wonderful insight into the minds of dogs and has opened wonderful opportunities for work.

I feel beyond lucky that I get to work with dogs for a living thanks to this degree.

Hewlwen Jenkins - MSc Clinical Animal Behaviour 2024

Careers Service

Our Careers Service can help you to fully develop your potential and achieve your future goals. 

The Careers Service supports you not only while you are studying at the University, but also for up to two years after you finish your studies. 

With the Careers Service, you can: 

  • access digital resources to help you understand your skills and strengths
  • try different types of experiences and reflect on how and what you develop
  • get help finding work, including part-time jobs, vacation work, internships and graduate jobs
  • attend careers events and practice interviews
  • get information and advice to help you make informed decisions 

Visit the Careers Service website 

How to apply

You apply online for this programme. After you read the application guidance, select your preferred programme, then choose 'Start your application' to begin.

When to apply

You can apply for this degree during a number of periods through the year. We limit the time we accept applications due to the high level of demand for places.

When you are able to apply depends upon your fee status.

Work out your fee status

If you don’t hear from us by the award deadline, your application is carried forward to the next admissions round for further consideration.

RoundApplication deadlinePlaces awarded by
123 January 202613 February 2026
23 April 202624 April 2026
326 June 202631 July 2026

We encourage you to apply as soon as possible so that we have enough time to process your application. This is particularly important if you are also applying for funding. Applications may close earlier than published deadlines if there is exceptionally high demand.

For an application to be reviewed, it must be a complete application by the application deadline with all supporting documentation uploaded, including references and transcripts.

If you already have evidence that you meet the English language entry requirements, such as via an approved English language test, please upload this evidence at the time of your application. If you have not already met your English language requirements, please upload that evidence as soon as you have it.

Application fee

There is no fee to apply to this programme.

What you need to apply

As part of your online application, you will need to provide: 

You will also need to submit some or all of the following supporting documents:

When you start your application, you will be able to see the full list of documents you need to provide.

Apply

Select the award, duration and delivery mode you want to study. Then select the start date you want to apply for.

After you apply

Once you have applied for this programme, you will be able to track the progress of your application and accept or decline any offers.

Checking the status of your application

We will notify you by email once we have made a decision. Due to the large number of applications we receive, it might take a while until you hear from us.

Receiving our decision

What to do if you receive an offer:

What our students say

As a mother of three children and working full-time, it was challenging to find a graduate programme that would fit into my life and allow me to pursue an advanced education in animal behaviour while continuing to support my family.  This programme was exactly what I was looking for! 

The asynchronous format allowed me the flexibility to listen to recorded lectures, collaborate with fellow students and complete assessments around my schedule. The programme team, instructors and dissertation supervisors were supportive and accommodating; they genuinely cared about my success as a student.

Since obtaining the MSc in Clinical Animal Behaviour, I have started a consultancy business and presented the results of my research at an Animal Behaviour Society conference.  Completing the MSc with a research-based dissertation has helped me meet the requirements to achieve Associate Certified Applied Animal Behaviourist (ACAAB) status with the Animal Behavioural Society.  I am incredibly thankful for the knowledge and confidence this MSc and the programme team have provided in my journey towards achieving this goal!

Traci Weber- Clinical Animal Behaviour graduate

I began my MSc Clinical Animal Behaviour journey in 2016 and qualified in November 2019. Having the option of doing the MSc course online was ideal for me as it meant I could pursue my passion in behaviour while working as a Registered Veterinary Nurse. Since qualifying I have gone on to publish my own behavioural article, with the help of my dissertation co-authors, present my results at the British Veterinary Nursing Association (BVNA) Online Congress and launch my own behaviour business (Let's Talk Behaviour) as well as work towards my full membership with the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors (APBC).

The qualification has opened a lot of doors for me professionally and given me the confidence to take on my own behaviour cases. The support and guidance I received throughout the MSc course was amazing. All of the lecturers were supportive and the course was easy to follow with assessments and online lectures. I honestly can't thank the team behind the MSc Clinical Animal Behaviour enough!

Emma Campbell - Clinical Animal Behaviour graduate

Academic contact

Dr Amy Miele

Programme Director

  • Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies

Contact details

Address

Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies
Easter Bush Campus
The University of Edinburgh
Edinburgh
EH25 9RG

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Other degrees in Veterinary Medicine

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