The minor Animal Systems and Management provides a broad, systems-based understanding of how animals function, reproduce, interact with their environments, and are affected by health challenges across natural and production settings. Students learn to view animal populations and production systems through a systems approach, integrating biological, ecological, and managerial perspectives to understand how different components influence overall performance, sustainability, and welfare.

A strong biological foundation is developed through the study of aquatic and terrestrial species, focusing on physiology, behaviour, growth, reproduction, energy use, and health. Ecological principles—such as adaptation, resource use, population dynamics, and interactions with abiotic and biotic factors—are used to interpret how animals respond to environmental pressures in the wild, in captivity, and in production systems.

Health and disease are explored from a mechanistic and physiological perspective, highlighting how infectious agents affect metabolism, behaviour, and productivity, and how immune responses interact with other bodily systems. Reproductive biology and technologies relevant to farm and companion animals further strengthen students’ understanding of the factors shaping fertility and breeding success.

Students are introduced to business economics and management within the food supply chain, learning how business environments, market forces, and strategic planning influence effective decision-making.

Together, the minor equips students with integrative insight into animal ecology, health, and production systems.

The minor consists of the following courses:

• Systems Approach in Animal Sciences (APS20806)
• Aquaculture Biology (AFI20306)
• Introduction to Business Economics, Management and Marketing (BEC21806)
• Introduction to Animal Ecology (WEC21306)
• Reproduction and Fertility (ADP21803)
• Infections and Disorders (ADP22303)

This minor is of interest to students from BSc Toegepaste Biologie, BSc Dier- en Veehouderij, and BSc Animals, Society and Business, and related programmes.

Students acquire knowledge about animal systems and management from a number of disciplinary courses. 

For more details, please see the course details for the separate courses, as linked in the description above.

This minor is of interest to students from BSc Toegepaste Biologie, BSc Dier- en Veehouderij, and BSc Animals, Society and Business, and related programmes.

Textbooks used in the courses are listed in de detailed course descriptions listed above.

In many cases e-book versions of textbooks are available for students, once enrolled, through the Wageningen University Library.

Courses in Wageingen are offered throughout the week Monday-Friday. 

Period 4 has 6 credits and runs for 4 weeks, with usually 1 course of 6 credits.
Peirod 5 and 6 both have 12 credits, run for 8 weeks and usually have one course in the morning and another in the afternoon. 

The detailed schedule of each course is published on TimeEdit, and linked from the course-links given above.  

The annual calendar can be found online.  

Each course has it's own set of assessment methods. This is outlined in the course description linked above.

Upon passing all courses of the minor, the minor is successfully completed.

Written tests of courses can be taken twice each academic year. Once when the course is attended, and once in a subsequent resit period. 
Details on when a written test of a course can be re-taken, are listed in the linked course-descriptions.    

You can address questions to education.animalsciences@wur.nl

This email address is of the programme Animal Sciences and can be used for questions about the entry requirements and content of the minor, as well as options about continuation master programmes in Wageningen.