Based at the ARU Writtle campus, the Writtle School of Agriculture, Animal and Environmental Sciences is dedicated to fostering sustainable and responsible interactions with the natural world.
Courses at our school share a common purpose – seeking solutions to today's challenges that affect the health of our land, animals, and humans connected to their environment.
Formally known as Writtle University College, we have been focusing on putting science into practice since 1893.
Graduates progress into high-impact careers relevant to modern global demands, with both knowledge and practical skills enabling them to really make a difference in their chosen career.
Being able to positively influence animal welfare, or the sustainable use of natural resources, provides our courses with a common purpose: seeking an integrated and collaborative approach to the appreciation of human influence on the health of our land, our animals and human populations.
Our degree courses are created in close consultation with the industries we support, meaning your learning remains current and relevant in a rapidly changing environment. As part of this focus, many of our courses have professional recognition, endorsements or accreditation, held in high regard among employers.
Many of our courses include field trips and visits, both nationally and internationally to support student learning. This includes a farm visits placement project, regular practical sessions at Colchester Zoo and an annual trip to Umphafa Nature Reserve.
The School’s friendly and supportive staff facilitate the combination of solution-seeking research; practical skills development delivered by industry-experienced individuals and excellent sector links. These elements combine to provide an ideal platform for students to develop a ‘science into practice’ approach to their discipline, together with the opportunity to foster personal connections within their industry of choice. The application of science to practical, real-world problems and their solutions motivates our staff and students to become thought-leaders in their chosen sectors.
Many of our teaching staff have worked and continue to work within their industries and are able to provide real sector insights from professional practice.
Writtle’s 150-hectare estate encompasses exceptional facilities used to enhance delivery, including a working farm (including regenerative agriculture demonstration areas), managed wildlife spaces, a small animal unit housing 200+ species, a modern science centre, a dedicated canine centre and equine centre with housing for around 70 horses.
We value students as individuals and with our smaller cohorts, every student is a name not a number. We recognise that each individual will have different requirements and career ambitions; this is why we ensure everyone is given the support and encouragement needed in order to achieve their goals.
The best way to find out more is to visit our next Open Day. We look forward to meeting you.