When you complete this course, you will have developed skills in the diagnosis and management of disease in all common species of farm animals (cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry and fish) and companion animals (horses, dogs, cats, and others). As a result of the unique structure of the CSU course, you will have particular aptitude, skills and knowledge for working in the farm animal industries.
To achieve this, the course provides a solid grounding in agricultural production systems and the integration of nutrition, genetics, economics and epidemiology into the management of herds and flocks. The CSU course recognises the role of veterinarians in ensuring the safety of animal products for human consumption and the welfare of animals in livestock production systems.
In addition to your scientific and technical training, you will also develop a range of life skills and business skills which will help you in your work as a rural veterinarian.
Where it will take you
Veterinarians may be employed in private practice and in herd management consultancy, the public sector, research and diagnostic services, pharmaceutical research and development, and captive animal health.
Your course is recognised by industry
The process of accreditation of the course by the Australian Veterinary Boards Council (AVBC) has commenced. Final accreditation does not take place until the final year of the initial intake which will be in 2010.
Practical exerience
Clinical teaching in surgery, anaesthesia, diagnostic imaging, individual animal medicine and population medicine will take place in year four in clinical settings and will develop the student’s ability to solve problems in the health and disease management of individual animals, herds and flocks. This will be done by continuing a case-based approach to learning, which will require students to integrate all of their prior learning in the course.
Students will be unable to effectively participate in the clinical teaching in year four unless they have a high level of knowledge and understanding of the basic sciences taught in years one and two, pathology, parasitology, microbiology, nutrition, reproduction, the integration of veterinary medicine into animal production systems, and have developed the skills of integrated learning in clinical, case-based contexts through the problem based learning curriculum of second semester, year three.
Credit
CSU does not usually expect students to repeat relevant study completed at an acceptable standard at university level. However, there are some subjects in the Bachelor of Veterinary Science / Bachelor of Veterinary Biology for which credit will not be granted.
Honours stream
To transfer into the Honours stream at the beginning of the fifth year, you must have obtained a grade point average of 5 or higher in all 8 point or 16 point subjects that you studied in second, third and fourth year. Successful students will be included in a special program of Honours workshops and tutorials in fifth year and choose a project and potential supervisor during first semester.