Veterinary Science (BVSc)

Aberystwyth School of Veterinary Science is delivering the BVSc Veterinary Science degree in collaboration with the Royal Veterinary College (RVC). Aberystwyth University has been established since 1872, and for over a hundred years has been delivering innovative research in the Agriculture, Animal and Biological Sciences.

Established in 1791, The RVC is the UK’s largest and longest established independent veterinary school and is a member institution of the University of London. The RVC is ranked as the world’s number one veterinary school in the QS World University Rankings by subject, 2019.

The Bachelor of Veterinary Science degree, jointly hosted at both Aberystwyth University and the RVC offers you a chance to train at two world-leading institutions.

Accreditation

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) quality assures veterinary degrees at UK vet schools by means of specific accreditation standards. Graduates from accredited schools join the RCVS register as members allowing them to practise veterinary surgery in the UK. Aberystwyth University, the Royal Veterinary College and the RCVS are working together to ensure that the new degree meets these standards and that graduates will be eligible for registration. Under the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966, veterinary degrees must have a “recognition order” from the Privy Council before graduates can automatically be eligible for registration with the RCVS.

The Privy Council will take advice from RCVS on this. The process takes a number of years as full approval cannot be considered until after the RCVS undertakes a formal inspection of the full course and its standards in 2026 when the first cohort of students will have completed their degrees. Until that time, both institutions are liaising regularly with the RCVS to ensure that progress towards accreditation is maintained.

Should any unforeseen issues arise, the Veterinary Surgeons Act includes a provision to help ensure that those completing their final exams in an as-yet-unapproved degree may still be allowed to register, in that the Privy Council may invite the RCVS to set examinations for any students attending a non-approved UK veterinary degree course, or alternatively appoint RCVS External Examiners to oversee the standard of the final year examinations. Students who pass the RCVS-controlled examinations would then be able to register with the RCVS and practise as veterinary surgeons in the UK, regardless of the outcome of the degree’s accreditation process. This is in line with the arrangements for any new veterinary degree programmes.

Practical and Clinical Teaching

Animal Husbandry Extra-Mural Studies (AHEMS)

AHEMS is undertaken during the first two years of the programme. AHEMS placements are designed to help you consolidate your learning about animal husbandry, develop animal handling skills, and learn about animal industries. You must complete 12 weeks of AHEMS before entry to the third year of the course. To gain a stronger insight into Welsh veterinary needs, six weeks of these AHEMS will be performed in Wales.

Clinical Extra-Mural Studies (ClinEMS)

ClinEMS is the time dedicated to gaining practical clinical experience in the latter years of your veterinary science programme to support your learning and clinical experience. ClinEMS will allow you to gain experience in a variety of different clinical and other veterinary-related organisations, where you will consolidate your learning about diagnosis and management of animal diseases, enhance your practical clinical skills, and acquire greater understanding of how veterinary organisations operate.

During the third, fourth and fifth years you will undertake ClinEMS placements, totalling 26 weeks of placements. To gain a stronger insight into Welsh veterinary practices, 13 weeks of these ClinEMS will be performed in Wales.

Intramural clinical rotations

In the final two years of the course, your clinical experience will focus on:

• observation, discussion and practical experience as a clinical team member within the RVC hospitals, and in clinical enterprises in which the RVC is a collaborating partner

• during your time on rotations your learning and understanding will be complemented by a broad range of lectures, seminars and workshops.

Our Staff

The majority of teaching staff in the Department of Life Sciences are qualified to PhD level and are research active. Vocational courses also have staff whose background lies within industry. The Department has a large number of research only staff with whom students may have contact.

Teaching is organised in strands. These strands are visited on multiple occasions, initially focusing on the healthy animal, and progressing through diseases of different systems, their investigation and management. There are also non-system strands that focus on the underpinning science and the impact of animal disease on public health.

In the first two years you will be based in the heart of Wales at Aberystwyth University, studying the biology underpinning veterinary sciences, acquiring basic farm animal, horse and companion animal handling and examination skills, developing your communication, problem solving and team working skills. Aberystwyth University has a long history of animal health teaching and research and is committed to educational excellence.

In your third, fourth and fifth years you will be based at the RVC’s Hawkshead Campus in Hertfordshire where you will acquire the advanced knowledge and practical skills in the clinical sciences necessary for you to become a registrable veterinarian. During this period your clinical training will be undertaken in a range of the RVC’s clinical facilities and affiliated veterinary practices as well as a specific rotation at Aberystwyth University focused on production animal issues relevant to Wales.

The RVC has three outstanding academic and clinical departments. Lecturers at Aberystwyth University and the RVC in each department are not only world-class researchers and clinicians who are passionate about their field; they are highly qualified teaching professionals. At Aberystwyth University, students will benefit from the extensive university farms, Lluest Equine Centre and other teaching facilities.

The strands making up the basis of teaching are as follows:

From first to the third year:

• Principles of Science
• Locomotor
• Cardiovascular and respiratory
• Urogenital: renal
• Urogenital: reproduction
• Alimentary system
• Neurology and special senses
• Lymphoreticular and haematopoietic
• Skin
• Population medicine and veterinary public health (PMVPH)
• Scholarship evidence-based medicine.

During the fourth and fifth years:

The majority of teaching during the fourth and fifth years of the programme is in the form of clinical rotations, where you will work in small groups in a variety of clinical environments. 

Students participate in both intramural rotations and ClinEMS placements across species and disciplines. They will also undertake a research project of their choice.

Further programme specifications are available here.

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) accredits UK veterinary degrees to ensure new veterinary surgeons are fit to practise on graduation, and thus eligible to join the RCVS Register as Members of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. Only those individuals registered with the RCVS can call themselves veterinary surgeons and practise veterinary surgery in the UK. The RVC, Aberystwyth University and the RCVS are working closely together to ensure that our BVSc course meets the standards required for the RCVS to grant full accreditation in 2026 when the first cohort of students graduate.

Graduates develop an in-depth scientific knowledge that may be applied to a broad range of career pathways including the spectrum of clinical practices, veterinary and biomedical research, veterinary public health and food security, conservation medicine and a range of activities with government and veterinary-related industries. Additionally, having trained partially in Wales throughout the degree, graduates will be extremely well-suited to continue their career in Welsh practices and other veterinary institutions and employers.

Full information concerning our Entry Requirements are available on our Veterinary School webpages. Click here to find out more.

Full information regarding our English Language requirements are available on our Veterinary School webpages. Click here to find out more.

Further information on how to apply can be found in our FAQs.

Work Experience

To apply for the BVSc you will need to have prior work experience in order to have developed animal handling skills and obtained an insight into the work of veterinary surgeons. Before you apply, you must have completed the minimum requirements:

• A total of 70 hours (e.g. 10 full days) of work experience (paid or voluntary) in one or more veterinary practices
• A total of 70 hours in one or more non-clinical working environments with live animals (excl. the home environment/family business/pet ownership), with at least 35 in large animal (excluding horse riding and horse ownership/family farm).

The above 140 hours must be obtained within the 18-month period directly preceding the application deadline. Earlier experience is welcome but will not count towards the 140 hour requirement.

Interviews

All applicants to this course must attend an interview if invited and cannot receive an offer without attending an interview. Interviews will be held at Aberystwyth University at a time to be confirmed.

Invited applicants will be required to bring to the interview their passport (in some cases, another valid form of photo ID will be acceptable), original certificates for their GCSEs and (if already completed) A Levels or equivalent qualifications and reference letters to cover the minimum work experience requirements as stated above.