We are delighted to welcome you to your Animal Science course at Canterbury Christ Church University.

You will have lots of opportunities to learn practical skills and work with us and your fellow students in your first few weeks. We pride ourselves that this is a very friendly and supportive place to study, so we believe you will have an enjoyable and productive time with us.

There are plenty of ways to keep up to date with the latest staff and student activities by checking out our social media accounts.

You can also find some of our videos, such as our Summertime Science YouTube channel, or by searching “Summertime Science” on our Facebook page.

If you have Instagram, follow our Faculty Instagram for regular updates.

We can’t wait to see you all when the academic year starts! 

You will study a wide range of small and large animals, including zoo animals during your degree, so we suggest you do some further research in this area in preparation for your studies.

Howletts is a Wild Animal Park based in Kent, take a look through their 'animals' section on their website.

Think about the following questions when browsing the Howletts website:

• What are the scientific names for the animals?
• What are their husbandry requirements?
• Which would be your favourite animal at the park?

In your first week

You will have a practical week where we will introduce you to our new lab facilities and get you started with developing your practical skills.

After that, we aim to structure the timetable so that you will only have to be in for one or two days a week for some weeks, three or four days in others, with one additional lab week later in the semester (these will appear in your timetable).

As part of your practical sessions, you will complete competencies that will enhance your employability and evidence your hands-on experience.

Attendance at these sessions is particularly important and we will support you in attending as much as you can.

The university year is made up of two semesters, one running from September - January, and the other from February - May. You will complete 3 modules in each semester during your first year.

Year 1 Core Modules:

Semester 1

• Biochemistry 1
• Statistics and Introduction to ‘R’
• Cell Biology and Genetics

Semester 2

• Microbiology
• Chemistry for Life and Environmental Science
• Diversity, Evolution and Ecology

Community

On the social side, the Student Union (CCSU) has a huge range of clubs and societies – all of which have unique social calendars of their own and offer endless opportunities to make lifelong friends and discover new hobbies. And you can always create your own society and cultivate your own community!

CCSU will be hosting their Welcome Fayre on Wednesday 18 September 2024. Make sure you keep checking the CCSU website for further details and how to get involved.

We understand that you may be nervous about your first few weeks on campus but rest assured - you'll be joining a nurturing and supportive environment where diversity, equality and individuality are part of everything we do.

Find out more about our welcoming community and making friends 

If you are an International Student joining us then please see our International Student Support pages for further information and guidance.

We would like you to enjoy your holiday time and start refreshed, however please see below if you would like some recommended reading for the summer:

• Hillis, D., Heller HC., Hacker, SD., Hall, D., Sadava, D., Laskowski, M. Life: The Science of Biology (12th edition) Publisher: Macmillan Learning
  ISBN: 9781319315788
• Hosey, G, Melfi, V, Pankhurst, S.(2013) Zoo animals - Behaviour, management and welfare. 2nd Ed. Oxford University Press.

It is useful to note that the University Bookshop offers a 10% discount on most titles in print and have some price-beating book bundles. They also price match Amazon on core texts, recommended in the module handbooks that you will receive when you start in September.

We also advise you to look at the second-hand book market.