A rider leading a brown horse in the exercise yard. The horse has outlines of its leg, neck, and spine bones and joints drawn on in white.
BSc (Hons)

Animal Therapy

Acquire hands-on skills in animal therapy, including techniques like massage therapy and patient assessment skills, while working with both equine and canine patients.

Why ARU?

  • Learn from our experienced team of tutors, including veterinary surgeons, nutrition and behaviour specialists

  • Learn in our dedicated canine and equine therapy centres, animal unit and a working farm

  • Apply for membership of the Animal Health Professions’ Register (AHPR) as a graduate

  • Work towards a practical qualification that will help you enter a sector with highly rewarding career opportunities

  • Gain vital industry experience through real-life clinical cases and our connections with a wide range of industries

  • Open the door to postgraduate opportunities, including our part time Master's in Veterinary Physiotherapy

You’ll learn from an experienced team of tutors including veterinary surgeons, nutrition and behaviour specialists, biomechanists, and staff qualified in veterinary physiotherapy, massage and myofascial release.

Writtle is the perfect place to get hands-on experience, with the campus being home to dedicated canine and equine therapy centres, a small animal unit and a working farm.

As a BSc (Hons) Animal Therapy graduate, you’ll be able to apply for membership of the Animal Health Professions’ Register (AHPR).

Our Animal Therapy degree runs alongside the MVetPhys Veterinary Physiotherapy course. You may have the opportunity to move on to the MVetPhys course at the end of your first year. To do this, you’ll need to achieve a 50% overall stage average and get a pass in both the equine and canine OSPE (practical exams).

Course options

Key facts

Looking for different course options?

Modules are subject to change and availability, and may vary by location. If you have the choice of optional modules, these are indicated with a *.

Year 1
  • Introduction to Veterinary Physiotherapy (30 credits)
  • Mammalian Anatomy and Physiology (15 credits)
  • Functional Anatomy (15 credits)
  • Human-Animal Interaction (15 credits)
  • Saddle Fit and Farriery (15 credits)
  • Ethics of Animal Use (15 credits)
  • Canine and Equine Nutrition (15 credits)
Year 2
  • Research Methods (15 credits)
  • Applied Anatomy (15 credits)
  • Animal Therapeutic Techniques (15 credits)
  • Rehabilitation and Performance (15 credits)
  • Exercise Physiology (15 credits)
  • Animal Health Science (15 credits)
  • Introduction to Animal Biomechanics (15 credits)
  • Working in a Multidisciplinary Team (15 credits)
Year 3
  • Capstone Project (30 credits)
  • Massage Therapy and Remedial Exercise (30 credits)
  • Animals in Motion (15 credits)
  • Sports Medicine (15 credits)
  • Veterinary Pathophysiology (15 credits)
  • Business and Client Management (15 credits)
Module details

To prepare you for university study, you can take a foundation year at the start of this course.

Year 1
  • Academic and Personal Management Skills (20 credits)
  • Biological Concepts (Introduction to Laboratory Skills) (20 credits)
  • Maths for IT and Science (15 credits)
  • Chemistry for Life Sciences (15 credits)
  • Independent (Themed) Project (20 credits)
  • Applied Industry Techniques (30 credits)
Module details

Entry requirements

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Entry requirements are not currently available, please try again later.

Fees and paying for university

Facilities

As an Animal Therapy student, you'll benefit from:

  • Our Canine Therapy Clinic, equipped with a hydrotherapy pool, underwater treadmills, and clinical consultation rooms, all in a commercially operated environment that mimics real-world settings.
  • Our Equine Training and Development Centre, home to around 70 horses, allowing you to gain practical experience in a professional context.
  • Opportunities to explore therapeutic techniques, exercise science, sports medicine, and rehabilitation backed by industry-standard practices.
  • Real-world insights from experienced veterinary surgeons and physiotherapists.

Take a guided tour and meet our students

Accreditation

Animal Health Professions' Register

Our three-year degree course is accredited by the Animal Health Professions Register (AHPR). As a graduate, you'll be able to apply for membership of the Register.

Animal Health Professions' Register logo

Lecturers

Our highly qualified teaching team includes experienced veterinary physiotherapists and veterinary surgeons.

Careers

As a BSc (Hons) Animal Therapy graduate, you'll be ready to work as an equine or canine massage therapist or explore career paths in related industries. You can register with the Animal Health Professions' Register.

Students who complete the first year of their Animal Therapy degree to a high standard (50% overall stage average and a Pass for both Equine and Canine OSPE practical exams), may have the opportunity to transfer to our MVetPhys Veterinary Physiotherapy integrated Masters degree. This four-year qualifies you to work as a veterinary physiotherapist.

Graduation doesn't have to be the end of your time with us. You might decide to at ARU and study for a Masters, such as our MSc Animal Welfare and Conservation.

Apply for Animal Therapy

UK students

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International students

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Life in Writtle

Close to major cities, ARU Writtle is located on a picturesque 150-hectare campus in the heart of the Essex countryside.

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