University of Queensland

Graduate Certificate in Animal Science

Delivery: Face to Face
Study Level: Postgraduate
Duration: 6 months
Course Type: Graduate Certificate

Explore animal nutrition, breeding, genetics and biosecurity while gaining hands-on insight through UQ’s production animal and wildlife facilities for careers across animal and wildlife science.

Course overview

Use science to address challenges affecting animals, food production and the environment. The University of Queensland’s Graduate Certificate in Animal Science is designed for recent graduates from any discipline and experienced professionals seeking to strengthen their expertise or redirect their career towards animal science.

Shape your studies around animal anatomy, nutrition, reproduction, breeding and genetics, with options spanning biosecurity, animal production, wildlife management, agribusiness and human–wildlife interactions. Depending on your course selection, you may also explore research methods, rural leadership and global agricultural challenges. UQ supports learning through lectures, tutorials and fieldwork, with access to production animal and wildlife facilities at its Gatton campus.

Delivered face-to-face, the course can be completed in half a year of full-time study or the part-time equivalent. Graduates may pursue opportunities across animal production, wildlife management, biosecurity, agricultural consulting, government and research. The qualification can also support progression to UQ’s Master of Animal Science, subject to the master’s admission and credit requirements.

CSP Subsidised Fees Available

This program has a limited quota of Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP). The indicative CSP price is calculated based on first year fees for EFT. The actual fee may vary if there are choices in electives or majors.

Key facts

Delivery

Face to Face

Course Type

Graduate Certificate

Duration

6 months (Full time)

Campus

Gatton

Intake

22nd February, 2027
26th July, 2027

Units

Fees

HECS, CSP

What you will study

At UQ, a unit represents the value of individual courses that contribute to the total unit requirements of a program. Most UQ courses have a value of two units, though some may vary depending on the program or course structure.

To earn the Graduate Certificate in Animal Science, you must complete eight units or four courses, as detailed below. Unless otherwise noted, each course is worth two units.

Foundational units

Select zero to four units from the following:

Animal Reproduction
Animal Breeding & Genetics
Animal Anatomy and Physiology
Animal Nutrition & Technology

Flexible core units

Select two to six units from the following:

Advanced Research Methodologies
Leadership in Rural Industries & Communities
Global Challenges in Agriculture

Elective units

Select zero to two units from the following:

Animal & Plant Biosecurity
Advanced Agronomy
Agribusiness Value Chain Management
Pasture Science & Management
Animal Science & Production
Captive Wildlife Management & Husbandry
Human–Wildlife Interactions
Biology of Australian Marsupials & Monotremes
Molecular Theory, Data & Application in the Animal Sciences
Animal Breeding Technology
Biosecurity Plant Pests: Invertebrates
Plant Pathology
Effective Stakeholder Engagement

You may also complete another course approved by the Associate Dean (Academic).

Course selection requirements

Your selections must total eight units. You may complete no more than one of the following Level 3 courses:

Animal Reproduction
Animal Breeding & Genetics
Animal & Plant Biosecurity

Entry requirements

Academic requirements

To be eligible for this course, applicants must meet at least one of the following requirements:

Hold a bachelor’s degree or equivalent in any discipline with a grade point average of at least 4.0 on a seven-point scale.
Have at least two years of relevant work experience in animal science.

The GPA requirement applies to applicants using a previous qualification as their basis for admission. UQ does not indicate that applicants applying solely through the professional experience pathway must also hold a previous qualification.

English language requirements

Applicants must provide evidence of English language proficiency through at least one accepted option, including:

IELTS: overall score of 6.5, with at least 6.0 in each component.
TOEFL iBT: overall score of 87, with at least 19 in listening, 19 in reading, 21 in writing and 19 in speaking.
PTE Academic: overall score of 64, with at least 60 in each communicative skill.
Cambridge English Scale: overall score of 176, with at least 169 in each skill.
Bridging English: minimum overall grade of 4, with at least a C in each macro skill.
Other evidence accepted by the university.

The Occupational English Test is not accepted for this course. Contact the university for further information.

Recognition of Prior Learning

You may be eligible for recognition of prior learning if you have previously studied or have relevant work experience. This will help to reduce the number of units that you need to study to finish your course. Contact the university for more information.

Outcomes

Career outcomes

Potential career outcomes include:

Animal Nutritionist
Wildlife Scientist
Biosecurity Officer
Livestock Adviser or Consultant
National Parks and Wildlife Officer
Customs Officer
Animal Research Scientist
Wildlife Ecologist

Fees and CSP

Indicative annual fee in 2026: $2,370 (Commonwealth Supported Place)

Indicative annual fees are based on your first year of study.

A student’s annual fee may vary by:

The number of units studied.
Choice of units.
Credit from previous study or work experience.
Eligibility for government-funded loans.

Student fees shown are subject to change. Contact the university directly to confirm.

Commonwealth Supported Places

The Australian Government allocates a certain number of CSPs to the universities each year, which are then distributed to students based on merit.

If you're a Commonwealth Supported Student (CSS), you'll only need to pay a portion of your tuition fees. This is known as the student contribution amount – the balance once the government subsidy is applied. This means your costs are much lower.

Limited CSP spaces are offered to students enrolled in selected postgraduate courses.

Your student contribution amount is:

Calculated per the course you're enrolled in.
Dependent on the study areas they relate to.
Reviewed and adjusted each year.