Bachelor of Science in Animal Science and Intelligent Aquaculture
Demand for animal protein in East Africa is rising faster than production, and the deficit is being met by imports. Meanwhile fish farming, which the region has the water and climate to dominate, remains largely artisanal. This programme co...
Employment thesis
What this programme is designed to produce
Forward publishes the destination of every programme before you enrol. If the thesis stops holding, the programme is reviewed and, where necessary, retired. Next review: 2031.
Roles
- Animal production manager
- poultry, dairy or piggery unit manager
- aquaculture farm manager
- feed formulation technologist
- animal health and biosecurity officer
- livestock data analyst
- breeding and genetics technician
- livestock or fish enterprise founder.
Employer types
- Commercial livestock, poultry and dairy farms
- feed millers
- aquaculture operations and hatcheries
- veterinary and animal health companies
- dairy and meat processors
- breeding organisations
- agricultural research institutes
- and student founded production ventures.
Target outcomes we hold ourselves to
- Persistent commercial demand from a rapidly commercialising protein sector, with a strong self-employment route in poultry and aquaculture.
Compulsory · The Forward Core
How the Core works →Every Forward programme, including this one, carries the same five cross-cutting requirements. They are graded, not optional.
- AI Fluency
- Quantitative Reasoning
- Ethics and African Context
- Human-Advantage Skills
- Enterprise
Includes 12 months paid work-integrated learning
Am I eligible?
Check yourself against the published requirements
7 questions written specifically for Bachelor of Science in Animal Science and Intelligent Aquaculture. Every answer is checked against a requirement Forward has published, and the result tells you which page that requirement comes from. Indicative only, the admissions office decides on your full file.
What is the highest qualification you hold or are completing?
Curriculum structure
The same degree, in both pathways
Every Forward programme is published in both pathways: Path One, the term plan of two six-month terms, and Path Two, the block sequence of twelve four-week blocks. Same competencies, same assessments, same award. Toggle to see this programme in each.
Path One term plan shown
Path One · The Term Model
| Code | Course | CU | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| FDC 101 | AI Fluency I: How Intelligent Systems Work Both | 4 | 2-2-0 |
| AFT 110 | Animal Biology, Anatomy and Physiology Both | 5 | 3-2-2 |
| AFT 111 | Chemistry and Biochemistry for Animal Science Performance | 5 | 2-2-4 |
| AFT 112 | Mathematics and Data for Animal Production Objective | 4 | 3-2-0 |
| AFT 113 | Livestock Unit Practice I Performance | 4 | 1-0-6 |
| Code | Course | CU | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| FDC 102 | Quantitative Reasoning and Evidence Both | 4 | 2-2-0 |
| AFT 130 | Animal Nutrition and Feed Science Performance | 5 | 2-2-4 |
| AFT 131 | Genetics and Animal Breeding Both | 5 | 3-2-2 |
| AFT 132 | Animal Health, Disease and Biosecurity Both | 5 | 3-2-2 |
| AFT 133 | Pasture, Forage and Feed Resources Performance | 3 | 1-0-4 |
| COP 190 | Workplace Immersion (4 weeks, recess term) Performance | 0 | 0-0-0 |
| Code | Course | CU | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| FDC 201 | Ethics, Society and the African Context Both | 4 | 2-2-0 |
| AFT 210 | Poultry and Swine Production Systems Both | 5 | 3-2-2 |
| AFT 211 | Dairy and Beef Production Systems Both | 5 | 3-2-2 |
| AFT 212 | Aquaculture Systems and Fish Biology Performance | 5 | 2-2-4 |
| AFT 213 | Feed Formulation and Milling Practicum Performance | 3 | 1-0-4 |
| Code | Course | CU | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| FDC 202 | Human Advantage: Argument, Writing and Teams Both | 4 | 2-2-0 |
| COP 290 | Co-operative Education Placement I Performanc | 10 | 0-0-0 |
| AFT 230 | Commercial Production Unit Practicum Performance | 6 | 0-0-0 |
| AFT 231 | Animal Welfare, Ethics and Regulation Objective | 2 | 1-2-0 |
| Code | Course | CU | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| FDC 301 | AI Fluency II: Building, Evaluating and Auditing Both | 4 | 2-2-0 |
| AFT 310 | Intelligent Aquaculture: Water Quality, Sensing and Control Performance | 5 | 2-2-4 |
| AFT 311 | Livestock Data Systems and Precision Monitoring Performance | 5 | 2-2-4 |
| AFT 312 | Reproduction and Assisted Breeding Technologies Performance | 4 | 1-2-4 |
| AFT 313 | Meat, Milk and Fish Product Quality Performance | 4 | 1-2-4 |
| Code | Course | CU | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| FDC 302 | Enterprise, Employability and Financial Literacy Both | 4 | 2-2-0 |
| COP 390 | Co-operative Education Placement II Performanc | 10 | 0-0-0 |
| AFT 330 | Aquaculture Production Practicum Performance | 6 | 1-0-10 |
| AFT 331 | Veterinary Public Health and Zoonoses Both | 2 | 1-0-2 |
| Code | Course | CU | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| FDC 401 | AI Fluency III: Domain Deployment, Governance and Assurance Both | 3 | 1-2-0 |
| AFT 410 | Advanced Nutrition and Least Cost Formulation Performance | 5 | 2-2-4 |
| AFT 411 | Genomic Selection and Herd Improvement Both | 5 | 3-2-2 |
| AFT 412 | Livestock and Aquaculture Enterprise Economics Both | 5 | 3-2-2 |
| AFT 413 | Specialisation Elective I Objective | 3 | 2-2-0 |
| Code | Course | CU | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| FDC 402 | Capability Portfolio and Day One Preparation Both | 3 | 1-2-0 |
| AFT 430 | Animal Systems Capstone: Production Commission (client verified) Performance | 9 | 0-2-16 |
| AFT 431 | Hatchery, Fingerling and Breeding Stock Management Performance | 4 | 1-2-4 |
| AFT 432 | Extension, Advisory and Farmer Support Services Both | 5 | 3-2-2 |
| AFT 433 | Professional Practice and Biosecurity Standards Objective | 4 | 3-2-0 |
Total credit units: 178
Curriculum source
Forward University Curriculum Compendium
Assessment
Coursework + project + integrated exam
Work-integrated learning
12 months paid co-operative education
Your week at Forward
A typical week on Bachelor of Science in Animal Science and Intelligent Aquaculture
Path One, the Term Model: your own pace across a six-month term, one live session a week, short flexible lessons, and assessment on demand.
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Curriculum explorer
Drill into the degree, step by step
Choose a study path, then a year, then a term or block, then a course. Credit totals add up as you go, and every course shows what comes before it and what it unlocks.
Step 1, choose a year
Step 2, choose a term
TERM 1 (SIX MONTHS) | FORMERLY YEAR 1, SEMESTER 1
Year 1 · this step is worth 22 CU
Cumulative
22
Programme total
176
22 CU of 176 CU completed by the end of this step (13%)
Step 3, choose a course
Pick a course to see the detail
Credits, assessment, prerequisites and what each course unlocks later.
The twelve Forward capabilities
What this programme develops in you
Every Forward degree develops the same twelve cross-cutting capabilities. The profile below is the level this programme is designed to develop and verify by graduation, on the four-level scale in Part B2 of the Curriculum Compendium. Every claim above Level 2 is verified by someone other than the teaching lecturer.
- C1Intelligent Systems Fluency CriticalLevel 4 of 4, Leading
- C2Quantitative and Evidential ReasoningLevel 4 of 4, Leading
- C3Ethical and Contextual JudgementLevel 4 of 4, Leading
- C4Communication and PersuasionLevel 3 of 4, Independent
- C5Disciplinary Mastery CriticalLevel 4 of 4, Leading
- C6Technical Production and CraftLevel 4 of 4, Leading
- C7Problem Framing and Systems ThinkingLevel 4 of 4, Leading
- C8Collaboration and Multidisciplinary TeamingLevel 3 of 4, Independent
- C9Enterprise, Value and Commercial Literacy CriticalLevel 4 of 4, Leading
- C10Professional Conduct and Workplace Performance CriticalLevel 4 of 4, Leading
- C11Learning to Learn and Adaptive CapacityLevel 3 of 4, Independent
- C12Stewardship and Public ContributionLevel 4 of 4, Leading
Critical capabilities for this programme: Intelligent Systems Fluency · Disciplinary Mastery · Enterprise, Value and Commercial Literacy · Professional Conduct and Workplace Performance. A graduate cannot pass out of this programme below the stated level on any capability marked critical.
Programme Learning Outcomes
What you will be able to do
Each outcome is assessed, and each is tagged with the Forward capabilities it is verified against.
- PLO 1Apply animal and fish physiology, nutrition and genetics to production decisions.
- PLO 2Formulate least cost rations meeting nutritional requirements from available ingredients.
- PLO 3Manage animal and aquatic health, biosecurity and welfare in a commercial unit.
- PLO 4Design and operate aquaculture systems including water quality management.
- PLO 5Use sensing, records and analytics to monitor performance and detect problems early.
- PLO 6Apply breeding and genetic improvement methods to a production population.
- PLO 7Operate a livestock or aquaculture enterprise to a measured margin.
Why this programme exists
Demand for animal protein in East Africa is rising faster than production, and the deficit is being met by imports. Meanwhile fish farming, which the region has the water and climate to dominate, remains largely artisanal. This programme co...
Admission requirements
UACE with two principal passes in Biology and Chemistry, or Biology and Agriculture, plus UCE with five passes including Mathematics, Biology and English. Alternative pathways: Foundation Year, diploma entry with advanced standing, mature age entry and recognition of prior learning, all governed by Part A5 and Part G. Online applicants additionally complete the compulsory Digital Readiness orientation under Part D6.
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