Veterinary Science, BVSc

Students of this course will benefit from a dual campus experience with learning across both city and nearby rural campuses. The Clifton campus is situated in the vibrant cultural hub that is Bristol city centre and home to our pre-clinical facilities at the UK's only School of Anatomy. Students are also taught at the nearby Bristol Veterinary School, located on our rural Langford campus.

For the first three years you will be primarily based at the main University campus in Clifton, with time spent at the clinical campus in Langford. Years four and five are taught mainly at the Langford campus, with an extended final clinical year which includes on-site and off-site placements with our educational partners. In the final year, students develop their clinical skills with the support of experienced veterinary surgeons, including some shifts outside normal working hours. Bristol Veterinary School is home to a range of extensive facilities including a dairy farm, Langford Vets multidisciplinary small animal referral hospital, farm animal and small animal practices, and diagnostic labs, with an equine practice nearby. We also have our own on-site abattoir. You will benefit from our on-campus award-winning clinical skills lab, cutting-edge labs and access to our celebrated team of clinical demonstrators, who will nurture you to develop confident practical skills. We partner with other organisations to ensure students have ample experience across a wide range of species, such as opportunities to work in equine hospitals, the charity sector and with exotic species. Graduates will be able to pursue global career opportunities due to the courses various accreditations, including the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).

Bristol Veterinary School holds accreditations from the following professional bodies:

• The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)
• The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS)
• The European Association of Establishments for Veterinary Education (EAEVE)

This means that graduates of Bristol Veterinary Schools Veterinary Science Programmes can practice in the UK, as well as multiple countries around the world after registering as a member of the RCVS.

The RCVS have a mutual agreement with the Australasian Veterinary Boards Council (AVBC), the Veterinary Council of Ireland (VCI) and the South African Veterinary Council (SAVC), which means graduates of Bristol Veterinary Schools veterinary science programmes are also able to practise in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and South Africa.

For full information on Bristol Veterinary School's accreditations, please visit the accreditation page.

Course structure

Informed by leading teaching methodology research, an innovative and interactive revised programme has been created. Students benefit from an increasing use of collaborative and case-based learning and are hands-on from day one, with teaching and placements in a range of settings including veterinary practices, farms and the on-site abattoir. Students work alongside experts in their field and develop curiosity, problem solving, teamwork and decision-making skills across a wide range of veterinary contexts.

The updated curriculum features themes which instill scientific foundations, professional skills, clinical reasoning, practical skills and veterinary public health. Students also spend time on farms and in veterinary practices during vacations (Extra-Mural Studies; EMS), as required by the RCVS.

Year 1 - The first year forms a solid foundation for the following four years of the course, covering the anatomy and physiology of a range of body systems and the husbandry and handling of common species.

Year 2 - This year will cover the body’s response to disease and how this is handled. Continuing with the anatomy and physiology of body systems whilst learning about the husbandry and handling of pigs, poultry and exotic pets.

Year 3 - During this year, students will learn how to diagnose and manage common conditions in a range of body systems. Practical learning will focus on clinical examination, surgical skills and communication skills.

Year 4 - Students will continue to build on knowledge of diagnosis and management of common conditions, working through increasingly complex cases and problems, and learning more advanced practical skills.

Year 5 - During the extended final year, students will put all their skills and knowledge into practice by undertaking supervised core rotations in a range of workplace settings. They will meet clients and their animals and learn about prioritisation and diagnosis of problems, deciding on treatment plans, and working effectively within a clinical team. For more information on course requirements please see the admissions statement below.

Full details about the course structure and units for this course can be viewed in the programme catalogue.

You can apply for undergraduate courses through theUniversities and Colleges Admissions Service(UCAS). The UCAS institution code for the University of Bristol is BRISL B78.

Entry requirements vary for each course. Please check our undergraduate course listings for details of specific requirements.

Students who have successfully completed either the University of Bristol International Foundation Programme or an appropriate foundation/bridging programme such as those offered by our partners, and have met the entry requirements for their chosen degree, will be considered for admission to undergraduate courses.

• Applicants with the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma or A-Levels will be considered for direct admission to our undergraduate degree programmes. Entry requirements are listed in ourUndergraduate Prospectus.
• If you have studied the American curriculum, entry requirements are listed on ourUSA country page.
• Applicants who have completed the Tawjihi (Certificate of General Secondary Education) with required grades, combined with the successfully completed American tests, a total of THREE in any combination from the list provided on ourUSA country page, will be considered for admission to our Bachelor degree courses.
• Applicants who have successfully completed the first year of a Jordanian university degree with a GPA of 3.5 out of 5.0 (or 3.0 out of 4.0)will be considered for admission to the first year of our Bachelor degree courses.