Is it worth doing an Animal science degree and does anybody know what careers can follow doing one?

[SummerM00n]

My daughter is thinking of doing one. Considering vet nursing but not sure. It’s a lot of money so I don’t want her to do it just for the degree.

Are there any good realistic careers following an animal science degree?

If you contact the possible unis they should have data on leaver destinations. Does the course info online not tell you – usually it’s something that unis shout about.

Is the degree needed to be a vet nurse? Can your DD research that and see if there is an alternative way in?

Looking at a few unis there seem to be various areas - NTU for example offers a vet nursing degree as one of its options in this area, which suggests that at least that is a possible route to that career.

No I would discourage it. If she wants to be a vet nurse there is a vet nursing degree and diploma which she would need to complete regardless so the animal science degree would be pointless.
There is little point accruing loads of debt on a degree unless it’s necessary for a job at the end of it and I would massively discourage a degree for something like vet nursing when the salary at the end of it is very poor. She will literally never pay off her uni debt and is unlikely to ever be able to support herself

Honestly, no I wouldn't bother, it's a road to nowhere. Just go straight into the vet nursing degree.

Don’t do a degree to be a vet nurse if that’s the end goal - look at the the apprentice route where she is employed at a vet practice and they will send her day release to college to get the VN qualification. It will be minimum wage whilst she is training but not getting into debt.

She doesn’t think she wants to be a vet nurse so much now it’s more the degree she’s interested in but I’m not sure what it would lead to.

Ah I thought the op meant a vet nursing degree - under the overall heading of “animal science” (like an English lit degree in the school of “humanities”) - looking at a couple of unis, that’s more what they offer rather than a degree in the subject “animal science”.

Honestly nothing. What does she want to do? Jobs with animals, unless a vet, rarely require a degree.
She needs to pick a career and do a degree necessary for that career. If the career doesn’t require a degree don’t do one. It’s not worth the debt

My friend did animal science, went straight onto her Masters, and has since done a variety of jobs in environmental health and animal health (animal auctions, shows that sort of thing).

Was 30 years ago but it certainly wasn't a dead end degree for her.

I agree to a certain extent but she’s been quite ill and is starting to get back on her feet. Planning on doing an Access to uni course in science with a view to an animal science degree. It’s giving her something to focus on and work towards. Really don’t want to burst her bubble. She loves animals and wants to work in that area. It’s finding something though that is the issue. 😫Not worried about making hoards of money but finding a career she enjoys and which would support her.

Equine therapy?

Wild card, but Salford do a Psychology of Human and Animal Behaviour degree that is BPS accredited, and seems to have quite a high animal study content? Being BPS accredited I would imagine it could lead on to quite a few things?

Sadly it's becoming a bit of an upper class privilege to get an education for education's sake.

Unless you are wealthy, she needs to think about it carefully because unless she has a career path in mind, she will be in a lot of debt for no reason.

As PP have said, most careers with animals don't require a degree. She'd be better trying to get some work experience at a local animal shelter/ zoo etc.

What about zoology ?

Yes was popping on to suggest equine science.

Also remember many grad jobs don’t specify a subject. Any degree will do.

https://www.prospects.ac.uk/careers-advice/what-can-i-do-with-my-degree/animal-science-and-management

some ideas here.

I did animal science in early 2000s after failing to get into vet school
That led me into the field of ruminant nutrition, health and more recently robotics on farm
Lots of scope with that degree

Two examples of Zoo management-type degrees in my extended family, both graduates are around 32yo.
One works in retail at just over minimum wage, and is frustrated at lack of opportunities & antisocial hours.
The second studied for another couple of years in a very niche field & has achieved a great deal of success, working in their specialism. Still only 20% more than minimum wage & challenging hours, but they're happy.

I studied for an animal,science degree. I worked in animal conversation for a while (wolf lynx and bear in Poland, Sea Turtles in Greece, dolphins in Tenerife) I was successful because of my degree and background as the abimal science course incorporated a wide range of subject areas before going into teaching at a college When my health meant I couldn't do a physical job any longer. I now work in the civil service.

People I studied with are... animal behaviourists, zoo keepers ranging in levels.. one is a senior curator of a wetlands conservation some are specialist keepers (very hard to get into zoo work without a degree these days), runs their own dog grooming business, zoo education officer, one works in animal nutrition, at least 5 are vet nurses (but needed to do a vet nursing qualification after) animal welfare advisors, some work at local rspca and rehoming centres, one runs her own kennel boarding business.. some are working in various conversation projects around the world, others are also teaching at college and or unis. Civil service and local councils positions - such as issuing of zoo licenses, boarding licenses, dangerous wild animal licenses and inspections that come with it etc. As others have said... alot of careers in animal care you don't need a degree for... but it is such a popular area of interest and it does sometimes help to have it for selection purposes. Only time it's hindered any of my friends is sometimes they were over qualified for kennel assistant type jobs

In regards to student loans. A lot of Animal care jobs don't pay well... some of my friends were not even earning enough in early days to even need to make payments to their loans.. and may never do so, but some of us have very good paying jobs and have paid off our loans. I dont regret my degree... if anything it's taught me lots and lots of other useful skills in life

Surely animal science is a physics/biology degree with a animal lens so any careers and Masters requiring a science BSc would be open to her afterwards? Plus law and psychology conversions degrees etc, civil service jobs and teaching?

I’m afraid I’m in the camp of doing a degree in a topic you love so that you have a higher chance off getting a 2:1/1st and are surrounded by people with similar interests as you so that you build a great social network.

I think it is easy to be purist about ‘what can I do with this subject’, when a degree is supposed to be about more than that - otherwise why bother, you may as well do an apprenticeship/apprentice degree?

Had similar conversations with my youngest. Firstly she looked at Environment / Conservation then Animal Sci related then Vet Med then BioMed Sci. Each step helped her explore what she loved most and what she wanted to study. 2 years going to Uni Open days well spent :)

IMO going to uni at 18/19 years old is so much more than enabling entry to a preferred job/career. 3 or 4 years away from home, making new friendship groups, exposure to new ideas and new possibilities etc etc

With my children I have encouraged them to follow their passion and pick a decent course at a decent uni they want to be at. And make sure they can build their transferable skills too - they are starting out in life and the world is changing so fast any aspiration now is probably a crap shoot

To be clear - my kids have an academic bias, so uni is (hopefully) a good fit for them, YMMV

Dewitt Jones talks about finding the 'place of most opportunity' - I use that all the time in my life . .

My daughter studies Zoo biology at notts trent. its a 3 year course, 4 year if doing a sandwich placement. Shes hoping to either be a zoologist, conservationist or ecologist at the end of it as her degree has all these elements in there and she loves it. Animal behaviour, nutrition of animals, assessing an animals wellbeing and habitat. Notts trent also has animals on campus so she gets first hand handling. She hates spiders and she even braved it to handle a tarantula. Ducks, Donkeys, ferrets, cats, rabbits lizards and a lot more, shes enjoyed her first term so far. Have edited the post just to add she did Biology, psychology and Geography Alevel. Some zoology courses require biology and chemistry like manchester does, but she hated chemistry and theres plenty other unis that dont need chemistry.

I have an animal science degree. Dont work with animals, but my degree helped me get my first 'proper' job in a government lab

Have since moved within the civil service and now doing something totally unrelated but interesting, and wellish paid (mid 40s, im in my late 20s)