Program Overview

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Veterinary Medicine and Surgery BVMBVS with BVMedSci

Course Overview

Our veterinary course is highly rated by our students. You will get hands-on with animals from day one and can choose when you start - September 2025 or April 2026.

You'll learn theory and practical aspects of domestic, wild and exotic species, with clinical experience integrated throughout the course. Practicing with our Clinical Associates on your placement year ensures you learn a varied case-load of animals and treatments.

Why Choose This Course?

• 1st - for student satisfaction since 2010. (National Student Survey)
• Dual intake - Choose when you start - September or April. (Visit the dual intake webpage)
• Modern facilities - Our purpose-built vet school lets you get hands-on with animals.
• Hands on - Experience animal handling and RCVS day one competencies from the moment you start the course.
• Placements - Opportunities for placements in veterinary surgeries, farms, zoos and specialist animal centres, give you a broad experience of animals and veterinary medicine.
• 5th in the UK- Our veterinary courses are ranked 5th in the UK by subject ranking (veterinary science) in The Guardian University Guide 2024
• Three qualifications - Graduate with a Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine (BVM) and Bachelor of Veterinary Surgery (BVS) degree. Plus gain an additional award of BVMedSci, after completing an integrated research project in your third year.

Course Details

Qualification

BVMBVS with BVMedSci

Entry Requirements

AAB

UCAS Code

D100

Duration

5 years full-time

Fees

£9,535

Placements

On this course, subject to meeting the relevant criteria, you will undertake a compulsory placement year. You may experience first and second opinion cases, and gain exposure to a varied caseload, in real environments. We have a dedicated EMS team in the school who can support you to find suitable placements.

Placements Cover

• all domestic species
• exotic animal medicine
• livestock production systems
• wildlife conservation

Clinical Associates

The Clinical Associates we work with may change, but currently include:

• Ark Vets Sheffield - Killamarsh
• Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital
• Defence Training Regiment
• Dick White Referrals
• Dovecote Veterinary Hospital
• Oakham Veterinary Hospital
• Pool House Equine Hospital
• Scarsdale - Farm and Equine
• Wright and Morten Vets
• LLM Farm Vets - Bakewell
• Rainbow Equine Hospital
• RSPCA Bolton
• Pinfold Vets
• Scarsdale Vets (small animal)
• PDSA Derby
• PDSA Nottingham
• RSPCA Radcliffe
• RSPCA Leicester (Woodside)
• Twycross Zoo
• Vets4Pets - Eastwood

Additional Costs

You should factor in additional costs into your budget, alongside your tuition fees and living expenses.

Health and Safety Equipment

Compulsory branded and named protective clothing and equipment including:

• boiler suit
• digital thermometer
• waterproof jacket and trousers
• parlour top
• small animal handling tunic
• stethoscope clogs and scrubs (required in your final year)

Total costs for these items are approximately £300. Our vet school shop sells all items at a low cost. A complete list will be provided following your successful application.

Extra Mural Studies (EMS)

Undertaking EMS also incurs extra costs, but these are dependent on the location of your chosen placements in terms of travel and accommodation.

Students choose the location of EMS, so you might be able to undertake most of your EMS from your home - helping reduce these additional costs.

Final Year Placements

In addition, extra costs will be incurred in your final year placements.

Accommodation is provided at some rotations but there will be extra travel costs.

The school currently provides a travel allowance to help towards these costs which are paid directly into your bank account, to assist with these costs.

Scholarships and Bursaries

School of Veterinary Medicine and Science International Student Scholarships

These scholarships will be awarded to the students who perform best overall in the school's admissions process and will be designated when offers for places are made. The scholarship offers a 10% reduction in fees for each of the five years of undergraduate study. This scholarship is open to all applicants classified as 'overseas' for fees purposes.

Home Students

Over one third of our UK students receive our means-tested core bursary, worth up to £1,000 a year. Full details can be found on our financial support pages.

Indicative Modules

Year One

• Animal Health and Welfare
• Circulatory and Respiratory Systems
• Veterinary Neuromuscular System
• Veterinary Personal and Professional Skills 1

Year Two

• Veterinary Endocrine & Integument Systems 1
• Veterinary Gastrointestinal System 1
• Veterinary Personal and Professional Skills 2
• Veterinary Urogenital System

Year Three

• Veterinary Professional Skills 3
• Fundamentals of Clinical Practice
• Veterinary Public Health
• Veterinary Research Project

Year Four

• Veterinary Clinical Science: Small Animal
• Veterinary Clinical Science: Farm Animal
• Veterinary Clinical Science: Equine

Year Five

• Veterinary Clinical Practice: Professional Skills 5
• Veterinary Clinical Practice: Equine
• Veterinary Clinical Practice: Farm Animal and Veterinary Public Health
• Veterinary Clinical Practice: Small Animal

How You Will Learn

We use a variety of teaching methods to help consolidate the theory and practical elements of the course. Teaching is delivered using four main methods:

• Lectures on key topics which will be further developed in self-study or practical sessions
• Practical classes, with clinical skills, live animal experience and lab work
• Structured self-study time, which includes specific learning objectives, learning resources and time limits. These are reviewed in clinical relevance or plenary sessions
• Clinical relevance sessions which are problem-oriented, use clinical material or scenarios, and involve small-group, facilitator-led discussion. These sessions are timetabled at key points throughout the week. They will develop your understanding of significance, check knowledge learnt during self-study time and identify and resolve learning problems

How You Will Be Assessed

You will need to achieve a variety of skill and knowledge-based learning outcomes, through different types of assessment.

Your knowledge is mainly assessed in June examinations, which are online. In addition, informal assessment opportunities allow you to evaluate and reflect on the development of your skills and knowledge as you progress through the course.

Feedback is provided for all assessments and you can discuss your progress with your personal tutor. Find out more about preparing for assessment on the University's webpage.

Contact Time and Study Hours

The majority of our teaching staff hold veterinary qualifications suitable for clinical practice in the UK. Each year we welcome 300 undergraduate students to the school - 150 in September and 150 in April.

During your time on the course you will experience:

• Lectures: 823 hours
• Lab and supervised practicals: 316 hours
• Clinical experience: 1151 hours
• Tutorials, seminars, problem-based learning and self-directed study: 646 hours
• Online and other work: 422 hours
• Extra-Mural Studies (EMS): 1330 hours

Careers Overview

Studying our veterinary course gives you all the knowledge and practical skills you'll need to become a registered veterinary professional. You will be prepared in all aspects of basic, applied and clinical veterinary science, with an ability for deductive thought, problem-solving and research.

Some of our graduates have gone to work for:

• RSPCA
• PDSA
• Veterinary Anatomic Pathology at University of Nottingham
• Oakham Veterinary Hospital Equine
• The Royal Veterinary College (RVC)
• Paragon Veterinary Group
• Rainbow Equine Hospital
• Highcroft Vet Referrals
• Rood & Riddle
• Bell Equine Veterinary Clinic
• Pawsquad
• Anvivets
• Vets4Pets
• YourVets

Job Prospects

Average starting salary and career progression

97.1% of undergraduates from the School of Veterinary Medicine and Science secured graduate level employment or further study within 15 months of graduation. The average annual salary for these graduates was £31,251.*

*HESA Graduate Outcomes 2021. The Graduate Outcomes % is derived using The Guardian University Guide methodology. The average annual salary is based on graduates working full-time within the UK.

Related Courses

• Veterinary Medicine and Surgery including a Gateway Year BVM BVS with BVMedSci BVMBVS
• Veterinary Medicine and Surgery including a Preliminary Year BVM BVS with BVMedSci BVMBVS
• Zoology MSci Hons

Campus

As a veterinary student you will study at our purpose-built veterinary school on Sutton Bonington Campus. The school and campus offer a student experience that's as unique as you are. From sports to events and societies, and even a farmers market.