Bachelor of Veterinary Science (Honours)

Become equipped with the skills to diagnose, treat, manage, and prevent disease in a wide range of companion, production, aquatic and native animals. You will gain strong foundational knowledge throughout your degree, as well as specialised rural and tropical veterinary science skills.

Discover how you can promote and optimise the health and welfare of communities, animals and their environment through studies in epidemiology, zoonoses and public health. As a student of JCU’s Bachelor of Veterinary Science degree, you will learn how to improve the health status of individual animals and populations and analyse, formulate and communicate solutions to complex disease problems using a One Health approach. You’ll gain hands-on experience in implementing and monitoring treatment and management plans as well as see demonstrations of consultation with clients, carers, animal owners and communities.

Explore the strength of JCU’s continued commitment to empowering regional communities and the students within them through the Rural Access Scheme (RAS). If you live or have previously lived in a rural or remote area of Queensland, you may be eligible for a rural place in the Bachelor of Veterinary Science (Honours) at JCU. Learn more about the Rural Access Scheme and the application process today.

Take advantage of JCU’s real-world teaching settings, including an on-campus Veterinary and Emergency Centre and Hospital, a local working cattle station and access to several specialist and diverse veterinary practices. In your final two years, you will complete a variety of clinical placements in both rural and urban veterinary practices.

Upon graduation, you will be a veterinarian equipped to deliver safe and effective health care by working effectively in and across diverse veterinary teams. You’ll be able to identify problems related to animal and public health and lead in the formulation and application of solutions that are appropriate and sustainable in tropical or rural environments.

NOTE: Students wishing to commence a Bachelor of Veterinary Science (Honours) in 2025 should note that face to face teaching for this course begins 27 January 2025. Students must enrol in the core subjects TV1101: Introduction to Veterinary Science; TV1102: Cell Biology and Biochemistry for Veterinary Science and Agriculture and AG1007: Introductory Plants and Animals for Veterinary Science. These subjects are available in Trimester 1 2025.

JCU Veterinary Science (Honours) graduates are internationally recognised as multi-skilled, highly competent professionals who are committed to the health and welfare of animals.

JCU graduates who undertake a career in veterinary science work in a variety of settings, including veterinary clinics, veterinary hospitals, government, universities, pharmaceutical industries, agriculture, biosecurity, quarantine, public health, zoos and wildlife sanctuaries.

Alternatively, upon graduation, you may wish to pursue research in animal science or explore research opportunities in other fields such as allied health.

Successful completion of a Bachelor of Veterinary Science (Honours) means you can gain registration to practice as a veterinarian in the following countries:

Australia: The Bachelor of Veterinary Science (Honours) is accredited by the Australasian Veterinary Boards Council, meaning graduates are eligible to apply for registration to work as a veterinarian in any Australian state or territory. Registration applications are made directly to the veterinary board of the state in which you wish to work.

New Zealand: Successful graduates of the Bachelor of Veterinary Science (Honours) are eligible to apply for registration as a veterinarian in New Zealand through the Veterinary Council of New Zealand. Those graduates already registered as a veterinarian in an Australian state or territory are eligible to apply for registration in New Zealand under the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Agreement (TTMRA) provisions.

The United Kingdom: Graduates with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science (Honours) from James Cook University are eligible to apply to the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons for registration as a veterinary surgeon in the UK. Applicants are required to provide a letter of good standing from the Head of Veterinary Science, or their current licensing authority.

Ireland: JCU’s Bachelor of Veterinary Science (Honours) is a recognised international qualification for the purpose of registration as a Veterinary Practitioner with the Veterinary Council of Ireland (VCI).

South Africa: The South African Veterinary Council (SAVC) recognises James Cook University’s Bachelor of Veterinary Science (Honours) as an international qualification eligible for automatic registration. Those who are registering with SAVC as a veterinarian for the first time are required to complete a one-year Compulsory Community Service (CCS) program.