New degree course aims to offer alternative route to vet school

An English university has unveiled a new course it claims will offer students who don’t go straight to vet school a faster route into graduate training programmes.

Academics at the Harper Adams University have developed an accelerated, two-year veterinary bioscience programme they say offers the scientific grounding necessary to progress on to future veterinary medicine courses.

And, with thousands of students set to receive their A-level results tomorrow (15 August), places on the programme will be available through the clearing system.

Course subjects

Subjects including nutrition, biotechnology, microbiology, disease science, pain biology and management, and disease control are covered in the course.

Head of department Jane Thomas said that, while other career options can be pursued through it, the course had been developed to provide the scientific and work experience foundations necessary for postgraduation entry to a veterinary medicine programme.

She said: “Primarily, this degree programme is here for those who do not meet the entry requirements to progress directly on to vet school.

“For students who are intending to go on and study veterinary medicine, this course will work with you to identify and complete work experience requirements needed for entry to those programmes.”

Partner institution

The university, which is one of the partner institutions behind the Harper and Keele vet school, already works with organisations including the RCVS, VMD and NOAH to deliver some of its other courses.

Further details of the new programme can be found via the Harper Adams website.