BSc Bioveterinary Sciences

The BSc Bioveterinary Sciences course is a unique blend of the biological sciences relating to animals, the way they work, their health, their diseases and their relationships with humans.

This course aims to equip you with the latest skills for a range of careers in veterinary science, as well as in STEM and non-STEM industries. You will be taught by a range of skilled scientists and clinicians with extensive experience of animal disease and research. We will cover virtually every aspect of animal biology, management and disease that is likely to interest you.

You will require ambition to succeed in the veterinary field and a desire to improve animal health and welfare. We demand high levels of motivation and, in return, promise a rich and rewarding experience during your time with us.

Our Bioveterinary Sciences degree has a very high employment and/or further study rate post-qualification.

With the expansion and development of paraveterinary groups 'including veterinary scientists, veterinary nurses and veterinary physiotherapists 'there are many opportunities for our graduates to work in roles that complement and support veterinary surgeons in their promotion of animal health and welfare in all its aspects. There is also the opportunity to apply to our Graduate Accelerated BVetMed programme if you aspire to become a veterinary surgeon.

Our graduates go on to enjoy a wide range of careers and further study options, including:

• Animal Health Officer
• Medical Laboratory Assistant
• Information Scientist
• Project Co-Ordinator
• Bloodstock Shipping Agent
• Secondary School Teaching Assistant
• BVetMed in Veterinary Medicine
• Seed Scientist
• Laboratory Technician
• PGCE Primary
• Welfare Assistant
• Raw Materials and Feed Purchaser
• MSc Wild Animal Biology
• Animal Behaviourist and Trainer

They also go on to work for a variety of different employers and institutions, for example:

• Future Science Group
• Imperial College London
• KalVista Pharmaceuticals
• Royal Hampshire County Hospital
• Oxford University
• The Royal Veterinary College
• The Kennel Club
• RSPCA
• The Wild Place Project
• National Institute of Medical Research
• Utrecht University Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA)

Some graduates use their skills to become entrepreneurs or to go into careers one does not necessarily associate with science such as graduate schemes in the actuarial and banking sectors, the conservation and charity sectors or education. There is a broad range of potential careers out there waiting for our graduates in whatever field they wish to turn their hands to. We encourage our graduates to seek fulfilment and enrichment in their careers and aim to expose them to a variety of opportunities that may pique their interest and broaden their horizons. 

• Download Biosciences careers map

One very popular route following graduation from the BSc Bioveterinary Sciences programme is postgraduate study. Since the course was established in 2002 (first graduates 2005) numerous graduates have gone on to study PhDs at the RVC. These have included the following research projects:

• Renal proteases, ENaC, P2X receptors and blood pressure control
• Fat and foul, foal fiends: the role of fatty acid and cholesterol catabolism in the pathogenesis of Rhodococcus equi
• Tissue-specific roles for cyclooxygenase isoforms in endothelial cell function and angiogenesis
• The regulation in bone cells of Sost/sclerostin by mechanical strain
• Spatial vision and social discrimination in the hen: from perception to cognition
• Structural and functional specialisation of locomotion in the cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus)
• Effects of camelid antibodies on disease progression in prion-infected mice
• Comparative sensory biomechanics of locomotion in horses, dogs, and insects
• Identification of host factors which restrict African swine fever virus replication
• Role of the sulphatases Sulf1A and Sulf1B in canine cancer
• Predisposition to pasture-associated laminitis: role of insulin resistance and chronic inflammation
• Deciphering the chemokine repertoire in chickens and their role in disease resistance
• Physiological and biomechanical assessment of free-ranging sports dogs.

BSc Bioveterinary Sciences graduate Michelle Reeve, who is currently a PhD student in the RVC's Structure and Motion Lab, has been featured in The Independent newspaper discussing her research in the lab and the path that has brought her here - Where might a career in science take you?

If you would like to apply for undergraduate studies, you must complete an application through the general undergraduate application process using the University and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS), unless you are applying as a North American College applicant to our Veterinary Medicine course, in which case you must apply through VMCAS (see here for further details).

Please consult undergraduate course information for individual course entry requirements. Qualifications and procedures vary depending on the course you apply for.

The RVC no longer requires any applicants to sit the Biomedical Admissions Test (BMAT) when applying to the Veterinary Medicine programme, or any other RVC course.

For any further questions regarding undergraduate courses, please contact our Admissions Office: [email protected].