MSc / MA Human Animal Interaction

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Learn from our noted experts in human-animal interaction across a wide range of contexts, from pet owning to animal-assisted interventions, zoos, farms and conservation.

Key facts

Award Masters / MSc, Postgraduate Diploma, Postgraduate Certificate, MA
Start date September 2021
Duration MSc full-time: 12 months, MSc part-time: 27 months
Mode of study Part-time, Full-time, Campus based, Stand-alone modules

Overview

This Masters in Human Animal Interaction will introduce you to interdisciplinary approaches and a diverse range of methods used to research our relationships with other species. It covers a broad range of topics and looks at human–animal interactions across a wide range of contexts – from pet owning to animal-assisted interventions, zoos, farms and conservation.

You'll learn about the importance of both human and animal behaviour in shaping human animal interaction, and the associated ethical issues, as well as learning to critically evaluate methods for measuring attitudes, interactions and their outcomes.

You'll carry out a practical placement and research project to get direct experience tailored to your individual career goals. You will also learn from our recognised experts in human–animal interaction, whose specialisms include:

the study of animal behaviour and animal welfare
animal-assisted activities and interventions
human and animal coexistence

This Masters course can be studied as an MA or MSc. It depends on whether your focus is on quantitative or qualitative methodologies. Selected components of this Masters course count as continuing professional development for those already working in this area.

Top reasons to study with us

Your placement and research project will give you direct experience tailored to your individual career goals

You can join our lively research community, meeting up for weekly research seminars and informal specialist discussion groups

You’ll learn from our recognised experts in the human–animal interaction field

Work placements

You’ll carry out a placement and research project to gain direct experience tailored to your individual career goals. You may be able to undertake a placement or conduct data collection for your research project at suitable organisations outside the UK.

We have experience in delivering placement modules and we have excellent links with partners in industry and the third sector. Established partnerships with relevant organisations also offer research projects to students, within the Making the Most of Masters framework.

Flexible learning

If you’re interested in studying a module from this course, the Postgraduate Certificate or the Postgraduate Diploma then please email Graduate Admissions to discuss your course of study.

Faculty facilities

The Psychology department has outstanding laboratory space fitted with high-quality equipment. It has excellent computing infrastructure, and both research and teaching activities are supported by in-house technical staff with computing, programming, electronic and audio-video expertise.

Psychology masters students have access to a dedicated suite of study and teaching rooms.

Research overview

Psychology at the University of Stirling has a vibrant research culture and is one of the leading psychology departments in the UK. It ranked in the top 20 in the recent research assessment (REF 2014). It was one of only seven non-Russell group universities to do so, the others being Birkbeck, Royal Holloway, Sussex, Essex, St Andrews and Bangor (source: Times Higher Education magazine).

Our quality of research publications ranked third in Scotland after Aberdeen and Glasgow. The relevance of our psychology research activity to society received the highest possible rating, which only four other psychology departments in the UK achieved (REF 2014 results).

As a postgraduate taught student you’ll be part of our lively research community, meeting up for weekly research seminars and informal specialist discussion groups.

Entry requirements

Please select your country of residence:

Academic requirements

A minimum of a second class honours degree (2.1 preferred) or equivalent in a relevant subject. Applicants without these formal qualifications but with significant appropriate/relevant work/life experience are encouraged to apply.

Other routes of entry

If you don’t currently meet the academic requirements for this course, INTO University of Stirling offers a variety of preparation programmes that can earn you the qualifications and skills you need for direct entry.

Explore INTO Stirling programmes to see the pathway and pre-masters routes available for this course and others at the University of Stirling.

English language requirements

Due to disruption in English Language testing caused by COVID-19, we are accepting alternative English Language tests (including online English Language Tests).

If English is not your first language you must have one of the following qualifications as evidence of your English language skills:

IELTS Indicator 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each sub-skill
Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE) 169 overall with a minimum of 162 in each sub-skill
Cambridge C2 Proficiency (CPE) 180 overall with a minimum of 162 in each sub-skill
Pearson Test of English (Academic) 60 overall with a minimum of 59 in each sub-skill
IBT TOEFL 78 overall with a minimum of 17 in listening, 18 in reading, 20 in speaking and 17 in writing
IBT TOEFL Special Home Edition Test 78 overall with a minimum of 17 in listening, 18 in reading, 20 in speaking and 17 in writing
Trinity ISE II Pass overall with a Pass in each sub-skill, ISE III Pass overall and in all sub-skills, ISE IV Pass overall and in all sub-skills
Aptis (4 skills) CEFR B2 overall and B2 in all sub-skills
Duolingo 95 overall with a minimum of 90 in all sub-skills
LanguageCert International ESOL B2 Communicator - Pass with minimum 33 in each sub-skill

Last updated: 1 February 2021

If you are from India, Ghana or Nigeria please also check your country specific page for any additional, or changes to, English language requirements.

For more information on ways that you can meet our English language requirements, including options to waive the requirement, please read our information on English language requirements.

Pre-sessional English language courses

If you need to improve your English language skills before you enter this course, our partner INTO University of Stirling offers a range of English language courses. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for entry to this degree.

Find out more about our pre-sessional English language courses.

Course details

Psychology has powerful methods to help inform our interactions with animals. The course provides training in the fundamentals of research methods and how these apply to the study of human animal interactions.

MA students take a module on Qualitative Data Analysis instead of the Analysis Methods in Psychology module, and another module from a range of option (such as Child Development, Autism, Psychology of Faces or Evolutionary Psychology).

For both the MA and MSc alternative modules from the other taught MSc courses can also be taken for credit, or audit with the agreement of the Course Coordinator.

In addition, there is an external placement module and an individual research project. The individual module components contribute towards 60 percent of the MA/MSc grade, with the research dissertation contributing the remaining 40 percent.

Students are encouraged to join the Behaviour and Evolution Research Group which meets weekly throughout the semester.

Modules

The modules listed below are those currently intended for delivery in the current academic intake of this course. These may be subject to change in future years as the University regularly revises and refreshes the curriculum of our taught programmes.

Course Details

Teaching

Teaching is delivered in a number of ways, including tutorials, demonstrations and practical classes, but the majority is seminar-based. Students are typically taught in small groups in specialist classes, or with first year PhD students or other postgraduate students (for example, in modules from other MSc courses).

Assessment

A range of assessment methods are used across the programme, including:

Course director

Course director

Professor Hannah Buchanan Smith

h.m.buchanan-smith@stir.ac.uk

General enquiries

Louise Lavery

louise.lavery@stir.ac.uk

Fees and funding

Fees and costs

Select fee status:

	2020/21	2021/22
Students from the UK	£8,500	TBC
Students from the Republic of Ireland	£8,500	TBC
Overseas (non-EU) students	£18,950	TBC
European Union students	£8,500	TBC

Fees shown are for a full-time, one-year Masters course.

If you need to extend your period of study or repeat study, you will be liable for additional fees.

If you are studying part time, the total course fee will be split over the years that you study. The total fee will remain the same and will be held at the rate set in your year of entry.

For more information on courses invoiced on an annual fee basis, please read our tuition fee policy.

Tuition fee loans

Scottish students may be eligible to apply to the Students Award Agency for Scotland (SAAS) for loans of up to £10,000 to cover tuition fees and associated living costs. European Union students commencing their studies in academic year 2020/21 can also apply for tuition fee support, but may not be eligible to receive funding for living costs.

English students can apply for a loan of up to £11,222 per year as part of the Postgraduate Masters Loan Scheme.

Welsh students can apply for financial support of up to £17,489 as a combination of grant and loan from Student Finance Wales.

Northern Irish students can apply for a postgraduate tuition fee loan of up to £5,500 from Student Finance NI.

Fees shown are for a full-time, one-year Masters course.

If you need to extend your period of study or repeat study, you will be liable for additional fees.

If you are studying part time, the total course fee will be split over the years that you study. The total fee will remain the same and will be held at the rate set in your year of entry.

For more information on courses invoiced on an annual fee basis, please read our tuition fee policy.

For European Union students starting studies in the academic year 2021/22, we will offer a fee discount of 40%. This is subject to eligibility criteria. Please note that students from the Republic of Ireland are now classed as Home UK students.

Fees shown are for a full-time, one-year Masters course.

If you need to extend your period of study, you will be liable for additional fees.

If you are studying part time, the total course fee will be split over the years that you study. The total fee will remain the same and will be held at the rate set in your year of entry.

For more information on courses invoiced on an annual fee basis, please read our tuition fee policy.

We offer a range of funding options for overseas students.

Fees shown are for a full-time, one-year Masters course.

If you need to extend your period of study, you may be liable for additional fees.

If you are studying part time, the total course fee will be split over the years that you study. The total fee will remain the same and will be held at the rate set in your year of entry.

For more information on courses invoiced on an annual fee basis, please read our tuition fee policy.

Additional costs

There are some instances where additional fees may apply. Depending on your chosen course, you may need to pay additional costs, for example for field trips. Learn more about additional fees.

Scholarships and funding

There are typically five £1,000 competitive bursaries to contribute towards fees or maintenance costs for students beginning a taught Masters course in Psychology. All students, formally accepted onto the MSc course are eligible to apply for these awards.

If you have the talent, ability and drive to study with us, we want to make sure you make the most of the opportunity – regardless of your financial circumstances.

Learn more about available funding opportunities or use our scholarship finder to explore our range of scholarships.

Cost of living

If you’re domiciled in the UK, you can typically apply to your relevant funding body for help with living costs. This usually takes the form of student loans, grants or bursaries, and the amount awarded depends upon your personal circumstances and household income.

European Union and overseas students won’t normally be able to claim living support through SAAS or other UK public funding bodies. You should contact the relevant authority in your country to find out if you’re eligible to receive support.

Find out about the cost of living for students at Stirling

Payment options

We aim to be as flexible as possible, and offer a wide range of payment methods - including the option to pay fees by instalments. Learn more about how to pay

After you graduate

The course is designed for those going on to do further research in the field of human-animal interaction. It would also suit those who want to pursue careers where it would be useful to understand the theoretical and practical aspects of this field.

The placement and research project enables you to gain direct experience tailored to your individual career aspirations.

What our students said

View more student stories

Kirsty-Marie Moran
Scotland
MSc Human Animal Interaction

This course not only provided me with a place of belonging with friends of like-mindedness but it also provided me with amazing opportunities.

Read Kirsty-Marie's story

Michelle Stolte
USA
MSc Human Animal Interaction

The core class, taught by very knowledgeable and accessible professors, allows for much group discussion and self-directed study in topics that interest the individual, as well.

Read Michelle's story

Gillian Cross
MSc Human Animal Interaction

The MSc Human Animal Interaction course is a brilliant and unique opportunity, the first of its kind in the UK.

Read Gillian's story

View more student stories

Changes at Stirling

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MA Human Animal Interaction

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MSc / MA Human Animal Interaction

Key facts

Overview

Top reasons to study with us

Work placements

Flexible learning

Faculty facilities

Research overview

Entry requirements

Academic requirements

Other routes of entry

English language requirements

Pre-sessional English language courses

Course details

Modules

Course Details

Teaching

Assessment

Course director

Fees and funding

Fees and costs

Additional costs

Scholarships and funding

Cost of living

Payment options

After you graduate

What our students said

Changes at Stirling

What next?

Which course would you like to apply for?

MSc / MA Human Animal Interaction

Key facts

What our students said

Related courses

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Which course would you like to apply for?