Do you enjoy studying science and finding out how scientific principles can be used to prevent disease and improve the health of animals? Are you interested in learning more about the biology of a range of animals (farm, companion and equine) in order to know what is best for their overall health? Then this four-year course could be the right choice for you. It is a highly vocational course where the underpinning sciences are relevant and useful. So time spent in the laboratory will be balanced with the study of live animals. Basic health sciences such as anatomy, physiology, immunology, nutrition and molecular biology are studied as are the sciences of animal disease – epidemiology, microbiology, parasitology, and pharmacology. Modules in the early part of the course are concerned with normal body structure and functioning along with aspects of molecular biology and genetics. The principles underlying animal health are followed by a study of the processes involved in animals’ responses to disease and how animal diseases are spread. Companion animals and farm livestock are given equal weighting on the course. There are also opportunities to choose modules which relate to horses, nutrition and food. This ability to choose allows you to specialise or gives you the flexibility to study over a wide area.

The grounding provided in both science and applied animal studies also opens up opportunities in many areas of research. 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) but there are opportunities to work alongside vets and other scientists in the veterinary pharmaceutical companies that produce animal health products as well as in the animal nutrition or biotechnology industries. Some graduates have gone on to study Veterinary Science at veterinary school to eventually qualify as a veterinary surgeon. You would also be well qualified to work as an animal health inspector for a local authority or Defra.