BSc Veterinary Nursing and Companion Animal Behaviour (D313)

2022 entry
View courses for 2021 entry

UCAS code	D313
Application method	UCAS
Course duration	4 year(s) full-time
Tuition fees	Fees quoted are for 2021 entry only. Fees for 2022 will be confirmed, subject to government approval, later in 2021. Home students: £9,250 per year EU students: £24,700 per year International students: £24,700 per year Channel Islands and Isle of Man students: £10,750 per year Additional fees: For veterinary nursing trainees there is a registration fee paid to the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons when you enrol which was £196 in 2020/21. During your practical training you are expected to wear a uniform. There will be the opportunity to order and purchase uniforms during your first year before going out to placement. Transport and accommodation costs may be incurred as a result of placements. Further information on tuition fees, living costs and financial support.
Location of course	Clifton campus, Langford campus, Placements
Part-time study	Part-time study is not available for this course

About BSc Veterinary Nursing and Companion Animal Behaviour

If you care about animals then this exciting degree can lead to a range of careers, from working as a veterinary nurse in general practice, to opportunities in the field of behaviour and welfare for animal charities or the commercial sector.

Having achieved accreditation from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), the course is provisionally validated by the Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour (ASAB) as fulfilling the academic requirements for accreditation as a Certificated Clinical Animal Behaviourist (CCAB) and already provides you with the opportunity to begin gaining the practical experience needed for certification as a CCAB. For more information, please visit the ASAB website. Full validation is expected in 2022 (subject to satisfying ASAB's conditions) and will apply to all graduates of the course.

Your first two years are based predominantly within Bristol city centre where our pre-clinical facilities are situated at the UK's only School of Anatomy. Years three and four are based at Bristol Vet School in the beautiful Somerset village of Langford. Along with dedicated state-of-the art clinical facilities, you'll find everything to make you feel at home, including a café, gym, and on-site accommodation.

View all our courses

See a list of all degrees at Bristol, and find more information about the course, assessment and career prospects.

Course structure

Year one: you will learn the fundamental concepts of anatomical science and physiology, and the principles of veterinary nursing and pre-clinical science.

Year two: anaesthesia and fluid therapy, surgical nursing and theatre practice, medical nursing, diagnostics and therapeutics. You will study the principles of animal ethology, behavioural development and behaviour 'first aid' in practice.

Placement: to meet the clinical placement requirements of the RCVS, you will spend time in clinical practice during the vacation in years one and two, usually close to your home.

Year three: placement year spent in a first-opinion veterinary practice (currently within a 50 mile radius of Langford) and on rotations in the on-site referral hospital. You will also study professional veterinary nursing practice through lectures and online tutorials.

Year four: units in applied clinical veterinary nursing, clinical skills in companion animal behaviour and a ten-week research project on a topic of your choice, supervised by one or more of our expert academic team.

Find out more about the course structure and units available for Veterinary Nursing and Companion Animal Behaviour

Typical offer for BSc Veterinary Nursing and Companion Animal Behaviour - applicants must meet one of the following

A-level Standard offer	BBC including BB in Biology and another science-related subject
International Baccalaureate Diploma Standard offer	29 points overall with 14 at Higher Level, including 5, 5 at Higher Level in Biology and in another science-related subject
Cambridge Pre-U offer	Requirements for principal subjects are as for A-level, where D1/ D2 is A*, D3 is A, M1/ M2 is B, and M3 is C.
Access to HE Diploma offer	Access to HE Diploma in Animal Management, Applied Science, Biology combined with Chemistry, Biomedical Sciences, Bioscience, Life Science, or Science. The 45 graded Level 3 credits must include: at least 21 credits at Distinction and 18 at Merit or above; and at least 12 credits at Distinction in Biology units and 9 at Distinction in another accepted science Mature students are welcome to contact mature-students@bristol.ac.uk to check the suitability of their Access course.
BTEC offer	DMM in Applied Science, Animal Management or Equine Management
Scottish Qualifications Authority offer	Advanced Higher: BB in Biology and another science-related subject, and Standard Higher: BBBBC
Welsh Baccalaureate offer	Requirements are as for A-levels, where you can substitute a non-subject specific grade for the Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate at that grade.
European Baccalaureate offer	73% overall, with 8.0 in Biology and another science-related subject
UK qualifications	Further information about UK qualifications
International qualifications	Accepted international qualifications

Specified subjects

Science-related subjects include: Chemistry; Geography; Geology; Mathematics; Further Mathematics; PE; Physics; and Psychology.

Applicants must also meet these requirements

GCSE profile requirements	Profile: Standard numeracy requirement (4 or C in GCSE Mathematics or equivalent) and Standard literacy requirement (4 or C in GCSE English or equivalent) Further information about GCSE requirements and profile levels.
English language requirements	If English is not your first language, you need to meet this profile level: Profile C Further information about English language requirements and profile levels.
Additional requirements	Work experience is required; please see the Admissions Statement.