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Course overview

Please note: There are only 50 places available for September 2025 entry.

This course aims to provide the scientific grounding and work experience needed to support graduate entry into Veterinary Medicine courses. But it would also interest to those wishing to move into other animal-related professions.

You will develop a strong understanding of the science behind improving the health and welfare of animals - focusing on animal biology and physiology to understand animal health and diseases.

You will cover nutrition, biotechnology, microbiology, disease science, and disease control. You'll also learn about the global animal health industry, how animal diseases spread, and risks to other animals and humans.

Knowledge will be shared in the classroom and you will do practicals in our laboratories, farm, and Companion Animal House.

Furthermore, you will gain work experience needed for entry to veterinary medicine programmes. Settings for this might include clinical practice or research facilities such as the Harper Adams Future Farm.

This will enable you to plan to meet the entry requirements of your preferred Veterinary Medicine course, should this be your next step. Or it will increase awareness of other career options. You will reflect on this experience, developing your personal, professional and research skills and undertaking a review project.  

The course uses teaching methods including lectures, tutorials, case studies, and practical sessions. Online resources will also support your learning. The course lasts six semesters over two years, including at least five weeks of directed study/independent study within the Christmas, Easter and Summer inter-semester periods of each year of study. For the third and sixth semesters, you'll have a mix of online and on-campus learning, with at least five days of intensive on-campus teaching.

A range of different methods will be used to assess your learning. These will include written coursework, practicals, online tests, laboratory reports and presentations. You will also complete reflective writing and complete research review projects.

There will be assessments from early in the course to help you become familiar with how each type works. You will also be able to see how the assessments are relevant to your studies and future career.

The grounding provided in both science and applied animal studies opens up opportunities in many areas.

It is important to realise that by studying this course you will not qualify as a vet (i.e. you can’t diagnose and treat animals)

However, it could provide an opportunity to progress to Veterinary Medicine through the graduate entry route, subject to your performance and to the requirements of any vet school you might apply to. 

Further opportunities include working in veterinary pharmaceutical companies that produce animal health products. Or in the animal nutrition or biotechnology industries or in a research capacity. 

You would also be well qualified to work as an animal health inspector for a local authority or Defra.