Academic offer

The academic offer for a.y. 2024/25 can be found here.

Courses of the 3rd year are organized in study plans focused on the care of: 1) wild and zoo animals 2) animals in scientific research 3) aquatic animals.  The third year’s study plan includes 12 elective credits, which must be spent in courses chosen by the student. Click here to find out more about elective credits.

Attendance to teaching activities is mandatory: to take the final exam, the student must have attended at least 60% of the lecture hours and at least 75% of the laboratory hours.

Please note that students might have to deal with animals in poor welfare situations.

• If you wish to continue your studies after graduating in animal care, click here to find out example of suitable Master’s degrees in Italy or abroad.

  Learning objectives

FIRST YEAR

Bioethics and legislation

Analyze, understand and apply the relevant laws on the welfare of wild and laboratory animals.
Learn and develop skills to understand and discuss the ethical dimensions of animal care and welfare in all different fields.

Applied chemistry and biochemistry

The development of essential theoretical and basic practical knowledge and skills in general and organic chemistry and biochemistry, enabling students to follow the subsequent courses.

Applied mathematics and physics

To develop theoretical and practical knowledge and skills enabling students to deal with theoretical and formal problems. To understand the foundation basis of calculus, physics and data management systems.

Animal biology and genetics

Learn the concepts of general biology and genetics necessary for the understanding of topics related to the management of animal genetic resources.
Acquire the capability to recognize the major animal groups, and understand the evolutionary processes that generated the current diversity of phyla. Acquire knowledge on control of inbreeding and preservation of genetic variability in small groups of animals.

Comparative animal anatomy

The purpose of the course is to give students a useful knowledge of apparatus and organs of the most common species of wild and laboratory animals. Students will be able to describe and identify as well as understand relationships between organs and the adaptive changes they have undergone during evolution.

SECOND YEAR

Comparative Animal Physiology

The students are expected to learn the principles and the basis of the circulatory, renal, respiratory, endocrine, digestive, reproductive systems in the different zoological classes (fish, avian, mammals) and the main regulatory mechanisms of the oxygen distribution, water and electrolite balance and acid/base balance, digestion and reproduction.

Behavioral Neuroscience for Animal Care

Students will acquire a general understanding of mechanisms underlying vertebrate sensorimotor function, learning and behavior, they will experience practical tools useful in addressing animal ethological needs and animal training.
Students will explore some fundamental issues concerning animal intelligence and emotion, they will become familiar with the main methodologies and the key terminology from the study of
animal cognition.

Principles of Prevention and Control of Transmissible Animal Diseases

The course will provide students with basic knowledge of the main features of virus, bacteria and parasites agents of animal diseases and zoonoses. Students will also acquire basic principles of epidemiology, prevention and biosecurity applied to animal transmissible diseases and zoonoses. Basic general aspects of main infectious and parasitic diseases, even of zoonotic nature, of laboratory and wild captive animals will be presented.

Animal Husbandry and welfare

According to the principles of the “5 freedoms”, students will be addressed to understand what Animal Welfare means. Moreover, they will develop knowledge and skills allowing them to identify the needs of the animals in order to improve their living environment (housing system, environmental conditions, cleanliness) and management. Moreover, they will be skilled to identify rearing conditions that can cause pain and distress and develop strategy to remove them. To develop theoretical and practical knowledge and skills enabling students to recognize the environmental impact of animal husbandry and individuate possible control strategies.

Basics of animal nutrition and feeding

To develop theoretical knowledge on the basis of animal nutrition in vertebrates. The course will provide students with opportunities to get knowledge and practical tools useful to assess energy and nutrients requirements of laboratory and wild animal species, feed evaluation and feeding management.

General concepts of pharmacology

Provide students basic concepts on pharmacology (e.g., pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics) and toxicology (e.g., cellular and target-organ toxicity, mutagenesis, carcinogenesis and reproductive toxicology).
Provide students basic concepts on anesthesiology, equipment for anesthesia and monitoring, perioperative management, anesthetic emergency management and cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

General pathology and laboratory techniques

To develop theoretical knowledge on the pattern of reactions of animal organisms to injuries and practical skills to perform the main diagnostic ancillary techniques.
To understand the causes of animal diseases and the mechanisms of cellular and tissue damage and reaction. Students will be able to understand how animals show sign of disease and to follow the main diagnostic ancillary techniques.

Comparative animal reproduction, neonatology and breeding techniques

To develop skills and knowledge throughout all the sequence of reproductive events in the male and female gender, with emphasis to differences among target species of vertebrates.
Student would also be trained to the newborn care and management, neonatal resuscitation, hand rearing techniques, growth evaluation, first care and aid of orphaned animals.
Student would be qualified to assist veterinarians in clinical and surgical procedures and techniques useful in the control of animal reproduction and newborn care.

Communication skills

This class is designed for becoming aware of the communication processes, gaining knowledge about science communication purposes, actors and models and developing skills and strategies to communicate scientific concepts.

THIRD YEAR - WILD AND ZOO ANIMALS STUDY PLAN

Wild and Zoo animal care in clinical settings

This course is focused on wild animal behavior and zoological medicine, addressing the individual and herd medical management. The course incorporates clinical settings, principles of veterinary internal medicine, principles of newborn assistance, and applies them to wild animals in natural and captive environments.

Students will acquire theoretical and practical tools useful in:
- assisting veterinarians during clinical and surgical procedures in wildlife
- implementing veterinarian indications for management of wild and zoo animals during trauma and in critical condition, provide basic evaluation and first aid to different species of vertebrates.

Comparative ecology and ethology

To gain awareness of species as parts of integrated ecological systems.
To acquire a background in general ethology which can be useful in caring and managing wild animals in a controlled environment.
To develop theoretical and practical knowledge and skills enabling students to recognize problems in adapting to the provided environment in vertebrates. To understand the foundation basis of behavior evaluation. Students will acquire theoretical and practical tools useful in addressing animal ethological needs.

Wild and Zoo animals’ husbandry, management and welfare

Students will be able to: transfer the knowledge on the requirements of wild species in nature to the captivity condition, in order to maximize their welfare and health; acquire basic skills on handling, transport requirements, containment methods and enclosure design and management for animals belonging to different taxa; interpret and use cost-accounting models widely used in private and public enterprises directly involved in the management and care of animals, as well as to understand key issues relating to the more common tools of business management control.

Principle of post mortem technics and tissue sampling

To develop theoretical and practical knowledge and skills enabling students to recognize presence of main infectious diseases in wild animals as well as possible nutritional and management problems. To evaluate any possible interaction with human activities (i.e. hunting, killing, mistreatment). To apply specific protocols for samples and evidence collections and preservation.
Students will acquire the capability to execute a dissection and/or necropsy aimed to collect information, biological and pathological data as well as samples for ancillary exams. Elements to perform dissections aimed to preserve skeletons will be also explained.

THIRD YEAR - ANIMALS IN SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH STUDY PLAN

Animal husbandry, ethology and welfare in scientific research

Through this course students are expected to: acquire theoretical and practical knowledge, skills and tools to manage husbandry and welfare of species (among rodents, lagomorphs, birds and fish) involved in scientific research under laboratory conditions; understand the ontogenesis, function and the determinants of the behavior of species involved in scientific research (rodents, birds and fishes – example species will be given for each taxa); develop theoretical and practical knowledge and skills enabling them to identify normal and abnormal behaviors expressed by species involved in scientific research; acquire theoretical and practical tools useful in addressing laboratory animal ethological needs and training.

Comparative Pathology

The aims of the course are to briefly describe the main animal models (e.g. mouse, rat, zebrafish) and how to obtain them (spontaneous vs induced models, transgenic models) and to outline
-the proper procedures for assisting and performing a necropsy in large and small animals employed in research. Specific theoretical knowledge and practical skills will be provided to enable students
- collection of specimens performed avoiding the occurrence of artifacts or post mortem change in the collected tissues
- collection of samples appropriated for the intended purpose (i.e. histology, cytology, microbiology, virology, cell cultures, banked tissue, RNA and DNA samples) and adequate in number and amount to provide valid results.

Animal care in research clinical settings

The course provides students:
- basic concepts on animal health status monitoring, clinical management, practical handling, drugs and fluids administration, elements of biomedical imaging, record keeping and occupational health and safety. Part of the course will focus on pain assessment, pain score systems, pain management, emergency care, humane endpoints and euthanasia.
- an introductory but solid background to basic surgical principles and procedures, to establish basic surgical skills, to gain knowledge and skills about care of surgical environment and equipment, to acquire basic knowledge about the most common used surgical models.
- basic concepts on in vivo methodologies used in in vivo pharmaco-toxicological preclinical studies. Give students an overview of alternative in vitro methods.

Experimental design and statistical analysis in Animal research

Students are expected to acquire theoretical knowledge and practical skills to assist in the development and management of experimental designs used in scientific research involving the use of animals. Students will learn basic principles to design studies to be scientifically and statistically valid while coping with the goal of reducing the numbers of animals used to obtain information of a given amount and precision. Practical skills will be focused on the ability of managing experimental data, appropriate use of statistical analysis procedures and sound interpretation of statistical results.

THIRD YEAR - AQUATIC ANIMALS STUDY PLAN

Aquatic Animal management, ecology and ethology

To acquire applied knowledge about ethological methods and scientific behavior evaluation, which can be useful in monitoring the conditions and promoting the adaptation of animals in controlled aquatic environments. To acquire knowledge about species ecology and ecological needs relevant for welfare of animals in controlled aquatic environment.
Students will be able to manage aquatic animals under controlled conditions to guarantee their welfare and health during any life stage.

Aquatic Animal care in clinical settings

This course is focused on aquatic animal behaviour and zoological medicine, addressing the individual medical management. The course incorporates clinical settings, principles of veterinary internal medicine and surgery, principles of newborn assistance, and applies them to aquatic animals in natural and captive environments. Students will acquire theoretical and practical tools useful in:
- assisting veterinarians during clinical and surgical procedures in aquatic environment;
- implementing veterinarian indications for management of diseases linked to events involving the interactions between the host, the environment and the presence of a pathogen;
- provide basic evaluation and first aid to different species of aquatic animals (pinnipeds, cetaceans, turtles and fish).
Students are expected to acquire theoretical knowledge about male and female characteristics of reproductive tracts in aquatic species, as well as the general features useful in order to estimate the reproductive potential, as well as the theoretical and practical knowledge on preservation of reproductive tissues.

Post-mortem investigations and biomolecular techniques applied to aquatic vertebrates

This course will develop theoretical and practical knowledge and skills enabling students to recognize presence of main infectious diseases in wild aquatic animals as well as possible nutritional and management problems. Furthermore, in this course basic knowledge on the evaluation process of any possible interaction with human activities (i.e. hunting, killing, mistreatment) will be presented. International protocols and procedures will be used for samples and evidence collections and preservation.
Students will acquire the capability to execute a postmortem investigations aimed to collect information, biological and pathological data as well as samples for ancillary exams, including biomolecular (DNA and RNA) analyses. Elements to perform dissections aimed to preserve skeletons will be also explained. The information obtained from these investigations could be used to implement specific monitoring programmes or the implementation of mitigation and management of these animals in rescue centers.

Experimental design and statistical analysis in animal research

Students are expected to acquire theoretical knowledge and practical skills to assist in the development and management of experimental designs used in scientific research involving the use of animals. Students will learn basic principles to design studies to be scientifically and statistically valid while coping with the goal of reducing the numbers of animals used in research. Practical skills will be focused on the ability of managing experimental data, appropriate use of statistical analysis procedures and sound interpretation of statistical results.

FIRST YEAR

Bioethics and legislation

Analyze, understand and apply the relevant laws on the welfare of wild and laboratory animals.
Learn and develop skills to understand and discuss the ethical dimensions of animal care and welfare in all different fields.

Applied chemistry and biochemistry

The development of essential theoretical and basic practical knowledge and skills in general and organic chemistry and biochemistry, enabling students to follow the subsequent courses.

Applied mathematics and physics

To develop theoretical and practical knowledge and skills enabling students to deal with theoretical and formal problems. To understand the foundation basis of calculus, physics and data management systems.

Animal biology and genetics

Learn the concepts of general biology and genetics necessary for the understanding of topics related to the management of animal genetic resources.
Acquire the capability to recognize the major animal groups, and understand the evolutionary processes that generated the current diversity of phyla. Acquire knowledge on control of inbreeding and preservation of genetic variability in small groups of animals.

Comparative animal anatomy

The purpose of the course is to give students a useful knowledge of apparatus and organs of the most common species of wild and laboratory animals. Students will be able to describe and identify as well as understand relationships between organs and the adaptive changes they have undergone during evolution.

SECOND YEAR

Comparative Animal Physiology

The students are expected to learn the principles and the basis of the circulatory, renal, respiratory, endocrine, digestive, reproductive systems in the different zoological classes (fish, avian, mammals) and the main regulatory mechanisms of the oxygen distribution, water and electrolite balance and acid/base balance, digestion and reproduction.

Behavioral Neuroscience for Animal Care

Students will acquire a general understanding of mechanisms underlying vertebrate sensorimotor function, learning and behavior, they will experience practical tools useful in addressing animal ethological needs and animal training.
Students will explore some fundamental issues concerning animal intelligence and emotion, they will become familiar with the main methodologies and the key terminology from the study of
animal cognition.

Principles of Prevention and Control of Transmissible Animal Diseases

The course will provide students with basic knowledge of the main features of virus, bacteria and parasites agents of animal diseases and zoonoses. Students will also acquire basic principles of epidemiology, prevention and biosecurity applied to animal transmissible diseases and zoonoses. Basic general aspects of main infectious and parasitic diseases, even of zoonotic nature, of laboratory and wild captive animals will be presented.

Animal Husbandry and welfare

According to the principles of the “5 freedoms”, students will be addressed to understand what Animal Welfare means. Moreover, they will develop knowledge and skills allowing them to identify the needs of the animals in order to improve their living environment (housing system, environmental conditions, cleanliness) and management. Moreover, they will be skilled to identify rearing conditions that can cause pain and distress and develop strategy to remove them. To develop theoretical and practical knowledge and skills enabling students to recognize the environmental impact of animal husbandry and individuate possible control strategies.

Basics of animal nutrition and feeding

To develop theoretical knowledge on the basis of animal nutrition in vertebrates. The course will provide students with opportunities to get knowledge and practical tools useful to assess energy and nutrients requirements of laboratory and wild animal species, feed evaluation and feeding management.

General concepts of pharmacology

Provide students basic concepts on pharmacology (e.g., pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics) and toxicology (e.g., cellular and target-organ toxicity, mutagenesis, carcinogenesis and reproductive toxicology).
Provide students basic concepts on anesthesiology, equipment for anesthesia and monitoring, perioperative management, anesthetic emergency management and cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

General pathology and laboratory techniques

To develop theoretical knowledge on the pattern of reactions of animal organisms to injuries and practical skills to perform the main diagnostic ancillary techniques.
To understand the causes of animal diseases and the mechanisms of cellular and tissue damage and reaction. Students will be able to understand how animals show sign of disease and to follow the main diagnostic ancillary techniques.

Comparative animal reproduction, neonatology and breeding techniques

To develop skills and knowledge throughout all the sequence of reproductive events in the male and female gender, with emphasis to differences among target species of vertebrates.
Student would also be trained to the newborn care and management, neonatal resuscitation, hand rearing techniques, growth evaluation, first care and aid of orphaned animals.
Student would be qualified to assist veterinarians in clinical and surgical procedures and techniques useful in the control of animal reproduction and newborn care.

Communication skills

This class is designed for becoming aware of the communication processes, gaining knowledge about science communication purposes, actors and models and developing skills and strategies to communicate scientific concepts.

THIRD YEAR - WILD AND ZOO ANIMALS STUDY PLAN

Wild and Zoo animal care in clinical settings

This course is focused on wild animal behavior and zoological medicine, addressing the individual and herd medical management. The course incorporates clinical settings, principles of veterinary internal medicine, principles of newborn assistance, and applies them to wild animals in natural and captive environments.

Students will acquire theoretical and practical tools useful in:
- assisting veterinarians during clinical and surgical procedures in wildlife
- implementing veterinarian indications for management of wild and zoo animals during trauma and in critical condition, provide basic evaluation and first aid to different species of vertebrates.

Comparative ecology and ethology

To gain awareness of species as parts of integrated ecological systems.
To acquire a background in general ethology which can be useful in caring and managing wild animals in a controlled environment.
To develop theoretical and practical knowledge and skills enabling students to recognize problems in adapting to the provided environment in vertebrates. To understand the foundation basis of behavior evaluation. Students will acquire theoretical and practical tools useful in addressing animal ethological needs.

Wild and Zoo animals’ husbandry, management and welfare

Students will be able to: transfer the knowledge on the requirements of wild species in nature to the captivity condition, in order to maximize their welfare and health; acquire basic skills on handling, transport requirements, containment methods and enclosure design and management for animals belonging to different taxa; interpret and use cost-accounting models widely used in private and public enterprises directly involved in the management and care of animals, as well as to understand key issues relating to the more common tools of business management control.

Principle of post mortem technics and tissue sampling

To develop theoretical and practical knowledge and skills enabling students to recognize presence of main infectious diseases in wild animals as well as possible nutritional and management problems. To evaluate any possible interaction with human activities (i.e. hunting, killing, mistreatment). To apply specific protocols for samples and evidence collections and preservation.
Students will acquire the capability to execute a dissection and/or necropsy aimed to collect information, biological and pathological data as well as samples for ancillary exams. Elements to perform dissections aimed to preserve skeletons will be also explained.

THIRD YEAR - ANIMALS IN SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH STUDY PLAN

Animal husbandry, ethology and welfare in scientific research

Through this course students are expected to: acquire theoretical and practical knowledge, skills and tools to manage husbandry and welfare of species (among rodents, lagomorphs, birds and fish) involved in scientific research under laboratory conditions; understand the ontogenesis, function and the determinants of the behavior of species involved in scientific research (rodents, birds and fishes – example species will be given for each taxa); develop theoretical and practical knowledge and skills enabling them to identify normal and abnormal behaviors expressed by species involved in scientific research; acquire theoretical and practical tools useful in addressing laboratory animal ethological needs and training.

Comparative Pathology

The aims of the course are to briefly describe the main animal models (e.g. mouse, rat, zebrafish) and how to obtain them (spontaneous vs induced models, transgenic models) and to outline
-the proper procedures for assisting and performing a necropsy in large and small animals employed in research. Specific theoretical knowledge and practical skills will be provided to enable students
- collection of specimens performed avoiding the occurrence of artifacts or post mortem change in the collected tissues
- collection of samples appropriated for the intended purpose (i.e. histology, cytology, microbiology, virology, cell cultures, banked tissue, RNA and DNA samples) and adequate in number and amount to provide valid results.

Animal care in research clinical settings

The course provides students:
- basic concepts on animal health status monitoring, clinical management, practical handling, drugs and fluids administration, elements of biomedical imaging, record keeping and occupational health and safety. Part of the course will focus on pain assessment, pain score systems, pain management, emergency care, humane endpoints and euthanasia.
- an introductory but solid background to basic surgical principles and procedures, to establish basic surgical skills, to gain knowledge and skills about care of surgical environment and equipment, to acquire basic knowledge about the most common used surgical models.
- basic concepts on in vivo methodologies used in in vivo pharmaco-toxicological preclinical studies. Give students an overview of alternative in vitro methods.

Experimental design and statistical analysis in Animal research

Students are expected to acquire theoretical knowledge and practical skills to assist in the development and management of experimental designs used in scientific research involving the use of animals. Students will learn basic principles to design studies to be scientifically and statistically valid while coping with the goal of reducing the numbers of animals used to obtain information of a given amount and precision. Practical skills will be focused on the ability of managing experimental data, appropriate use of statistical analysis procedures and sound interpretation of statistical results.

THIRD YEAR - AQUATIC ANIMALS STUDY PLAN

Aquatic Animal management, ecology and ethology

To acquire applied knowledge about ethological methods and scientific behavior evaluation, which can be useful in monitoring the conditions and promoting the adaptation of animals in controlled aquatic environments. To acquire knowledge about species ecology and ecological needs relevant for welfare of animals in controlled aquatic environment.
Students will be able to manage aquatic animals under controlled conditions to guarantee their welfare and health during any life stage.

Aquatic Animal care in clinical settings

This course is focused on aquatic animal behaviour and zoological medicine, addressing the individual medical management. The course incorporates clinical settings, principles of veterinary internal medicine and surgery, principles of newborn assistance, and applies them to aquatic animals in natural and captive environments. Students will acquire theoretical and practical tools useful in:
- assisting veterinarians during clinical and surgical procedures in aquatic environment;
- implementing veterinarian indications for management of diseases linked to events involving the interactions between the host, the environment and the presence of a pathogen;
- provide basic evaluation and first aid to different species of aquatic animals (pinnipeds, cetaceans, turtles and fish).
Students are expected to acquire theoretical knowledge about male and female characteristics of reproductive tracts in aquatic species, as well as the general features useful in order to estimate the reproductive potential, as well as the theoretical and practical knowledge on preservation of reproductive tissues.

Post-mortem investigations and biomolecular techniques applied to aquatic vertebrates

This course will develop theoretical and practical knowledge and skills enabling students to recognize presence of main infectious diseases in wild aquatic animals as well as possible nutritional and management problems. Furthermore, in this course basic knowledge on the evaluation process of any possible interaction with human activities (i.e. hunting, killing, mistreatment) will be presented. International protocols and procedures will be used for samples and evidence collections and preservation.
Students will acquire the capability to execute a postmortem investigations aimed to collect information, biological and pathological data as well as samples for ancillary exams, including biomolecular (DNA and RNA) analyses. Elements to perform dissections aimed to preserve skeletons will be also explained. The information obtained from these investigations could be used to implement specific monitoring programmes or the implementation of mitigation and management of these animals in rescue centers.

Experimental design and statistical analysis in animal research

Students are expected to acquire theoretical knowledge and practical skills to assist in the development and management of experimental designs used in scientific research involving the use of animals. Students will learn basic principles to design studies to be scientifically and statistically valid while coping with the goal of reducing the numbers of animals used in research. Practical skills will be focused on the ability of managing experimental data, appropriate use of statistical analysis procedures and sound interpretation of statistical results.

  Field experience

Multidisciplinary field experience, including visit to zoological parks, rehabilitation centres, research facilities, will be organized during the course of study to introduce students to the practical activity.

Furthermore, the second semester of the third year will be dedicated to a compulsory practical training. Students will work at affiliated structures under the direct supervision of an expert in animal care.