Animal Breeding and Genetics Professional Certificate

Get introduced to the main principles underlying genetic improvement programmes in livestock and companion animals.
In this Professional Certificate programme, the focus is on the design and execution of animal breeding programmes, genetic improvement and conservation of genetic diversity.
In this programme you will learn about the basic principles of population, quantitative and molecular genetics. Biological aspects are integrated in the courses by the many hands-on assignments. In the course you’ll learn to understand how to set up and optimize a breeding programme.
Professionals working with animals will be able to use the knowledge from these courses to understand the impact of breeding on animal populations and to use genetic principles to make their decisions. It will allow you an advanced starting point for further studies, such as MSc. level courses in breeding.
This programme is a great first step towards understanding the principles of animal breeding and the sector. Depending upon the animal industry of interest, animal scientists can work in jobs such as a cattle breed association representative, dairy industry breeding consultant and/or company representative for Artificial Insemination (AI) companies. or you can be working for a private breeding company in the case of the swine, poultry and aquaculture industries. In fact, some scientists with experience in animal breeding and genetics go on to work for plant breeding companies.
Join this Professional Certificate programme by top-experts from Wageningen University & Research, ranked #1 for agricultural sciences in the NTU ranking. By joining the programme, you become part of the growing community of students that took their education at the animal breeding and genomics group, which is the centre of excellence for all national and international animal breeding and genomics activities of Wageningen University & Research. The centre is a preferred knowledge and business partner for many national and international clients from both the public and private sector. This includes breeding organisations in commercial and non-commercial livestock, pet animals and horses, the EU and national and foreign governments.