Level 2 Animal Studies Progression Diploma

Course Overview

The programme of study is made up of a series of City & Guilds Level 1 and Level 2 units, and short stand-alone qualifications relating to Animal Studies. This full-time bespoke course is designed for students that are not yet able to access and be successful on the City & Guilds Level 2 Technical Diploma in Animal Care. It is also suitable for those that have completed a Level 1 in Animal Care but are not yet ready to progress into full-time employment in the Animal Management industry.

Entry Requirements

Entry to this course is by discussion with the course team. Students are required to have:

• Ideally a Level 1 qualification in Animal Care; and
• Functional Skills Level 1 in Maths; and
• Functional Skills Level 2 in English

Progressing Students:

Progression to the one-year Animal Studies Progression Diploma requires that the individual has achieved achieved a Merit or ideally a Distinction in their Level One in Landbased Studies [Animal Care] course and a Pass in their Award in Employability course. They should have achieved at least Level 1 Functional Skills in English and maths.

*The College reserves the right to ask for a reference if required

What the course covers

This course forms part of a programme of study which will be tailored individually to boost your employability and which will include Maths and English as well as a range of land-based and animal-related topics. Functional Skills in Maths and English are included in the full-time programme along with both group and one-to-one tutorials and enrichment activities.

The progression diploma begins with the students studying towards completing their Level 1 units in their first term. By the Spring term, the students move into the second part of their qualification, they begin to work towards the Level 2 part of their qualification. The course is assessed by a range of methods which include; assignments, multiple choice examinations and practical assessments. Class sizes vary but on average they are between 18-22 students. This is a full-time course and students will attend anywhere between 4-5 days per week. If a student has already completed the Level 1 Certificate in Land Based studies, the level 1 units they will complete as part of the progression diploma will be claimed as unit credits.

Work Experience is a part of this course, the hours and dates will be determined by the course tutor. Work experience can be up to a maximum of two weeks on an external placement, you are encouraged to source your own placement with support from the WEX Team and your course tutor. Where external placements are not possible you will be expected to take part in simulated work experience organised by the college.

Fees and funding

Please note:

• Students aged 16 to 18, or those aged 16 to 24 who have a valid EHCP, and are studying Further Education courses are not normally charged course fees
• Adults may need to pay a fee depending on their personal circumstances. This will be assessed against the relevant Funding Body eligibility criteria at point of enrolment

If you don’t qualify for fee remission, the fees for 2026/27 will be:

£540 (plus registration fee to be advised at enrolment)

Fees are for 2026/27 entry and apply to students eligible for home fee status enrolling to funded programmes. The fees quoted are subject to personal circumstances and will be confirmed at the time of your enrolment, depending on eligibility criteria. For more information about financial support for students, please click here or email studentfinance@nescot.ac.uk

Additional costs include:

Personal Protective Equipment (such as steel toe-capped boots, coveralls etc.) and trips/guest speakers. Full information will be available at enrolment.