Overview
Gain 1,800 hours placement in a vets’ practice while learning practical skills at College of West Anglia and scientific theory at ARU in Cambridge. This three-year foundation degree offers lots of hands-on contact with animals so you can learn to provide treatment and preventative care needed to become a registered veterinary nurse with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS).
If you love animals and want to help protect and care for them, our course is for you. It’s approved by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) so when you graduate, you’ll have the skills you need to apply to register with them as a veterinary nurse.
You’ll get 1,800 hours of placement experience, working with animals in RCVS-approved veterinary training practices. In the classroom you’ll also get a grounding in scientific theory, with a particular focus on animal behaviour and welfare.
Your choice of modules will affect the material you cover. By choosing certain modules you’ll be on your way towards qualifying for the academic part of the new Pet Behaviour Counselling Award.
Your classes will be split between the College of West Anglia at Milton, near Cambridge, and Anglia Ruskin’s campus in the centre of Cambridge. Your year will be divided into two semesters, and you’ll attend around 12 hours of classes per week.
You should have an interest in the health and welfare of animals, and a good communicator who enjoys working as part of a team. You should also have a clear understanding of the range of practical work done in veterinary practices, so it would be helpful if you did some relevant work experience before applying.
Careers
Veterinary nursing is a rewarding career with lots of opportunities for to work independently or for specialising. As veterinary nurses continue to take on more responsibilities, they’re becoming more in demand and so employment prospects are very good.
Our course provides the skills you need to register as an RCVS veterinary nurse. It also includes 1800 hours of practice placement in an RCVS-approved veterinary training practice, so you’ll have fantastic experience to show to potential employers.
As a qualified veterinary nurse, you’ll work alongside vets who look after domestic animals. You’ll help provide expert care for sick animals and to prevent diseases and conditions. You’ll be able to carry out diagnostic tests, apply medical treatments and even perform minor surgical procedures under supervision.
Besides working in a veterinary practice, you could get a job in a laboratory, university, research establishment, zoo or wildlife park, pharmaceutical company, charity or kennels.
As you progress in your career, you could take on extra responsibilities like supervising other staff, looking after animal hospital wards, practice management and teaching or training other staff.
Further study options include moving on to our BSc (Hons) Veterinary Nursing and Applied Animal Behaviour course.
Modules & Assessment
Year one, core modules
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Principles and Practice of Veterinary Nursing
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Work Based Learning 1: Companion Animal Handling, Husbandry and Welfare for Veterinary Nursing
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Preparing for Practice Placement
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Veterinary Nursing Within the Surgical Environment
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Animal Anatomy and Physiology
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Introduction to Animal Behaviour
Year two, core modules
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Principles and Practice of Diagnostics for Veterinary Nursing
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Biomeasurement
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Principles and Practice of Anaesthesia for Veterinary Nursing
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Emergency, Critical and Perioperiative Care
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Animal Health and Nutrition
Year three, core modules
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Practical Application Module
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Preparation for Professional Practice
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Animal Therapy and Rehabilitation
Years 2-3 core modules
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Practice Placement 1
Assessment
Throughout the course, we’ll use a range of assessment methods to help you measure your progress. Beside exams you’ll do laboratory skills tests, computer-based exercises, essays, and produce practical and project reports.
You’ll have a total of 1800 hours of practice placement in an RCVS-approved veterinary training practice. During this time, you’ll be under continuous assessment.
To become an RCVS registered veterinary nurse, you’ll need to take the RCVS SVN Level II and Level III external exams (in addition to any exams for your course modules). You’ll also build a portfolio of your practical experience.
Where you’ll study
Your faculty
The Faculty of Science & Engineering is one of the largest of the four faculties at Anglia Ruskin University. Whether you choose to study with us full-time or part-time, on campus or at a distance, there’s an option whatever your level – from a foundation degree, BSc, MSc, PhD or professional doctorate.
Whichever course you pick, you’ll gain the theory and practical skills needed to progress with confidence. Join us and you could find yourself learning in the very latest laboratories or on field trips or work placements with well-known and respected companies. You may even have the opportunity to study abroad.
Everything we do in the faculty has a singular purpose: to provide a world-class environment to create, share and advance knowledge in science, technology and engineering fields. This is key to all of our futures.
