Kate Ellam – MSc Clinical Animal Behaviour, 2016

During her BSc in Animal Management at Askham Bryan College, Kate discovered a love for animal behaviour and decided to undertake her MSc in Clinical Animal Behaviour at the University. After graduating Kate worked at the Dogs Trust before taking a role as Canine Assisted Services Manager at Guide Dogs for the Blind.

“After looking into institutions offering MSc courses in this field, I read the University of Lincoln was one of the top Universities for animal behaviour, cognition, and welfare, with world-leading research, so I really wanted to study on the MSc in Clinical Animal Behaviour!”

“At Lincoln I gained the valuable knowledge and practical skills relevant to the field of animal behaviour. Gaining the additional qualification of the MSc has enabled me to apply for roles I may not have otherwise been suitable for.”

“My favourite things about the University itself were the staff, facilities, and research in the area of animal welfare, cognition and behaviour.

Not only did I gain valuable knowledge and practical skills relevant to the field of animal behaviour, I also developed on a personal level. Studying with people from a range of cultures and learning about the clinician-client relationship taught me to be more empathetic and more open to the ideas of others.”

Here is Kate’s advice to current students and recent graduates:

Try to gain as much practical experience as possible (if relevant to your field), so for animal behaviour and welfare for instance, assist at puppy classes, volunteer at a zoo or ask an Animal Behaviourist if you can shadow them during a behaviour consultation. But also, where possible, try to develop as many transferrable skills as possible, such as effective communication, problem-solving with others, etcetera. We often forget that in many industries people play a massive role! The better your people and communication skills, the further you are likely to go!