BSc (Hons) Equine Science (Top-up Level 6)

You’ll join the final year of the BSc (Hons) Equine Science course, building on your previous knowledge. Top-up courses are equivalent to the final year of an undergraduate degree and allow you to 'top-up' an existing qualification into a full honours degree.

This course is ideal for applicants who are considering an equine career in a scientific context, including postgraduate study, research, and teaching. Your research project will allow you to explore a topic of your choice in detail with support from your supervisor. You'll evaluate and better understand current equine research, applying this to industry led enquiries, giving you work-ready skills and knowledge.

Key Information

Course Duration: 1 year full-time; part-time available

UC UCAS Code: D836

Part or Full Time: Full Time / Part Time

Level of Study: Top-up Level 6

Typical Offer: D836

Course information

Download Programme Specification

You will be able to build on your previous degree to develop an in-depth knowledge relating to the advances in equine research in areas such as nutrition, athletic performance and veterinary health. Guest lecturers with industry and research experience will complement your learning and provide you with networking opportunities in areas you're interested in. You'll have the opportunity to get involved with on-site and industry relevant research projects.

A pass at Foundation Degree or HND in an equine science related subject.

We welcome students with equivalent qualifications. Please contact us to discuss.

We may interview mature applicants and those with non-traditional qualifications to ensure this is the right course for you.

Previous learning towards a university-level qualification or relevant work experience may count as credit for this course.

Please contact us for further information.

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Your career

Throughout this course you will benefit from industry input to develop the skills and connections needed for your graduate career.

Many of our students secure graduate roles with their work placement employers.

Field trips and guest lecturers

Field trips and industry professionals in lectures form an important part of your learning, enabling you to experience different businesses, careers and best practices.

Depending on your module choices, you may have the opportunity to join field trips. Previous trips have included visits to veterinary practices, and to Kingwood Stud to see the Kurt system in action.

Graduate destinations

On completion of your course, you'll have the skills and knowledge to succeed within and outside of the equine industry. Just to give you some inspiration, examples of graduate careers include:

Equine Therapy Centre Manager
School teachers, further education lecturing roles, and university lecturing roles
Nutritionist
Postgraduate study in Equine Science and Equestrian Performance

Success Stories

Your support network

You'll benefit from a strong support network from day one to be the best you can be. This will range from your personal tutor and specialist academic support team (our Achievement and Success Centre) to dedicated wellbeing and employability (Innovation, Careers and Enterprise) centres.

Academic support

You’ll have your own personal tutor while you’re here who will support you to succeed in your studies. You’ll also have access to our academic and wellbeing support teams who run regular workshops and one-to-one sessions on campus and online.

Alongside this, we have a comprehensive bank of online study skills resources to help you make the most of your qualification.

Your learning experiences

You'll experience a range of teaching methods to strengthen your digestion of topics, including lectures, workshops and practical sessions.

Your career

Your course will be made up of two semesters, within which you’ll study compulsory and optional modules on different industry-focused topics, enabling you to develop your own unique portfolio of knowledge, skills and experience, ready for your career. The course is taught in English.

Course information

Overview

Entry requirements

A pass at Foundation Degree or HND in an equine science related subject.

We welcome students with equivalent qualifications. Please contact us to discuss.

We may interview mature applicants and those with non-traditional qualifications to ensure this is the right course for you.

Previous learning towards a university-level qualification or relevant work experience may count as credit for this course.

Please contact us for further information.

Employability

Your career

Throughout this course you will benefit from industry input to develop the skills and connections needed for your graduate career.

Many of our students secure graduate roles with their work placement employers.

Field trips and guest lecturers

Field trips and industry professionals in lectures form an important part of your learning, enabling you to experience different businesses, careers and best practices.

Depending on your module choices, you may have the opportunity to join field trips. Previous trips have included visits to veterinary practices, and to Kingwood Stud to see the Kurt system in action.

Graduate destinations

On completion of your course, you'll have the skills and knowledge to succeed within and outside of the equine industry. Just to give you some inspiration, examples of graduate careers include:

Equine Therapy Centre Manager
School teachers, further education lecturing roles, and university lecturing roles
Nutritionist
Postgraduate study in Equine Science and Equestrian Performance

How you'll study

Your support network

Academic support

Alongside this, we have a comprehensive bank of online study skills resources to help you make the most of your qualification.

Your learning experiences

You'll experience a range of teaching methods to strengthen your digestion of topics, including lectures, workshops and practical sessions.

Your career

Modules

What you'll study

This course is comprised of both compulsory and optional modules, which you'll be able to choose from to suit your interests and career goals. You can attend introductory sessions for optional modules before deciding which ones to study.

Depending on your completed qualifications, you will take either Undergraduate Dissertation or the combination of Investigative Skills for the Successful Undergraduate and Applied Research Project to complete a research project in a subject of your choice.

Module credits

You'll experience a range of teaching methods to strengthen your digestion of topics, including lectures, workshops and practical sessions.

Compulsory Modules

Developments in Equine Research

Investigate advances in equine research and its application to the equine industry.

EITHER Undergraduate Dissertation OR Investigative Skills for the Successful Undergraduate and Applied Research Project

Undergraduate Dissertation

This module involves independent research and analysis in an animal-related field with one to one support from an academic.

Investigative Skills for the Successful Undergraduate

This module will help you to meet the academic expectations for this final year and also support you in preparing for your applied research project. You'll gain confidence in research design, data analysis and critical writing.

Applied Research Project

You'll undertake an independent research project and supply a detailed analysis of the findings with one-to-one support from an academic supervisor.

Optional Modules

Equine Sports Medicine

Review and evaluate equine sports injuries and exercise intolerance and associated treatment options.

Equine Therapy and Rehabilitation

This module appraises current research and practice in complementary therapy and rehabilitation for equine orthopaedic conditions.

Applied Equine Biomechanics

The Applied Equine Biomechanics module utilises the University’s Rider Performance Centre and biomechanical analysis resources to support students in applying and implementing biomechanical
principles and theoretical concepts to practical research and industry scenarios.

Equine Nutrition for Performance

Evolution of feeding strategies to support athletic performance in the horse, whilst maintaining good health.

Pharmacology

Pharmacology covers the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of common drug classes used in veterinary species. The module also examines topics such as resistance and residues, as well as controlled drug prescription, storage and disposal requirements.

Undergraduate Independent Study

A change to critically review an approved topic of your choice linked to the programme aims.

Modules

Overview

What you'll study

Module credits

You'll experience a range of teaching methods to strengthen your digestion of topics, including lectures, workshops and practical sessions.

Level Six (year one)

Compulsory Modules

Developments in Equine Research

Investigate advances in equine research and its application to the equine industry.

EITHER Undergraduate Dissertation OR Investigative Skills for the Successful Undergraduate and Applied Research Project

Undergraduate Dissertation

This module involves independent research and analysis in an animal-related field with one to one support from an academic.

Investigative Skills for the Successful Undergraduate

Applied Research Project

You'll undertake an independent research project and supply a detailed analysis of the findings with one-to-one support from an academic supervisor.

Optional Modules

Equine Sports Medicine

Review and evaluate equine sports injuries and exercise intolerance and associated treatment options.

Equine Therapy and Rehabilitation

This module appraises current research and practice in complementary therapy and rehabilitation for equine orthopaedic conditions.

Applied Equine Biomechanics

Equine Nutrition for Performance

Evolution of feeding strategies to support athletic performance in the horse, whilst maintaining good health.

Pharmacology

Undergraduate Independent Study

A change to critically review an approved topic of your choice linked to the programme aims.

The modules contain a mixture of scheduled learning – lectures, workshops and practical sessions – alongside independent learning. You'll be expected to dedicate at least two to three hours of independent study per contact hour.

The course is taught in English.

Year	Contact learning	Independent learning	Placement learning
Level six	21%	79%	0%

You'll be assessed through a mixture of written exams, practical exams and written assignments. Many modules are based on one type of assessment, whereas others may include a mixture of assessment types.

Feedback will be given on all assessments in written format. You'll be able to access feedback for presentations and coursework in written format on our virtual learning environment. You can also access feedback on written examinations in group or individual tutorials with the module leader. Remember that feedback on assessments is not the only feedback you receive. Feedback is an ongoing process when you engage in lectures, seminars and practicals, and on formative work you may be asked to complete.

Year	Written exam	Practical exam	Coursework
Level six	25%	31%	44%

This programme is taught over two semesters, normally consisting of 12 weeks of scheduled teaching and then assessment weeks, with an overview below:

Scheduled teaching takes place between 8:30 to 20:30, Monday to Friday
Wednesday afternoons are normally reserved for sports and cultural activities
Part-time students may need to attend learning activities five days each week, depending on modules selected
Timetables are available during enrolment week

View term dates

Please visit our student finance page for information on tuition fees and student loans, as well as non-repayable grants, bursaries and scholarships, eligible to different groups, to support with study costs.

Below, you'll find extra costs associated with studying this course.

Optional field trips (up to circa £50)

Most field trips are included in the course fees, but depending on module choices, there may be additional opportunities. You may be eligible to apply for funding in the form of a loan or grant from the university if required.

Accommodation and living costs

Please visit our student accommodation page for details.

Fees & Finance

For further details about this course, including the programme specification and module descriptions, please visit our document library.

Resource library

Academies

If you’re playing sport competitively, or you have the talent and drive to do so, you may want to join one of our Sports Academies. Over 200 international athletes have developed their talents with us over the past 10 years. You could be our next success story. We're a semi-professional sports environment offering world-class facilities and professional coaching and support services.

Accommodation

Settle into an accommodation option to suit your taste and budget – at Hartpury University, undergraduate students can choose to live on-campus surrounded by Gloucestershire’s beautiful countryside or off-campus in the heart of Gloucester City centre. Enjoy the best of both worlds.

Finance

We can help you understand how it all works, and what you need to do next. Find out everything you need to know about tuition fees, student loans and bursaries and scholarships. In 2021/22, we provided assistance to over 1/3 of our students through bursaries, scholarships and grants, totalling a little under £1million.

TEF Gold

Our undergraduate provision has been awarded Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) Gold in all aspects - Overall, Student Experience, and Student Outcomes.

Teaching quality

Ranked in the top 10 universities for teaching quality (The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide, 2024).

Graduate employability

97% of our graduates are in employment, further study or other purposeful activity (Graduate Outcomes, 2023).

Academic support

We’ve been named as the top university in England for academic support (National Student Survey, 2023).

Become a game changer

World-class equine facilities

Equine facilities

Success stories

Daniel's story

Success Stories

Daniel's story

“Being at Hartpury gives me a lot of flexibility to combine my riding and get the support I need with my degree. The Achievement and Success Centre, in particular, has given me a lot of help. It’s meant I’ve done well academically. Getting a degree has been really rewarding.”

Daniel Olley

BSc (Hons) Equine Business Management

"Completing my work placement at Hartpury’s summer equine events was a great experience. I learnt how to run events, secure sponsorship deals, organise volunteers, and ensure arenas and stables are ready for competitors. I even got to compete in an event myself. I built contacts and connections with a range of people, including the Hartpury Equine management team, which lead to my role as Yard Technician today."

Clarissa Burnell-Price

High-performance equine environment

We have an international reputation for equine education. Our students are challenged to reach new heights in their fields.

If you’re passionate, hard-working and motivated to make a difference, we’ll give you the skills and connections to channel this energy into an exciting equine career. Whatever your career aspirations, you’ll find plenty of opportunities to gain experience on and off campus.

Get to know our dedicated and passionate teaching staff who’ll help you achieve your very best. We’re proud to have been awarded Gold in all three areas of the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF): Overall, Student Experience, and Student Outcomes. This places Hartpury University in the top 15% of published institutions in England. Plus, we're ranked sixth in the UK for Teaching Quality, in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024.

Important information

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of our published course information, however our programmes are reviewed and developed regularly. Changes or cancellation of courses may be necessary to ensure alignment with emerging employment areas, to comply with accrediting body requirements, revisions to subject benchmark statements or as a result of student feedback. We reserve the right to make necessary changes and will notify all offer-holders of changes as and when they occur.

Related courses

Explore our equine degrees

Course

BA (Hons) Equine Business Management (Top-up Level 6)

If you want to develop business skills and pursue your equine passion while gaining real-world commercial experience, then this is the ideal course for you. You’ll be able to tailor your studies to suit your individual career goals and apply your skills practically.

University

1 year full-time; part-time available

Full Time / Part Time

Top-up Level 6

Course