Veterinary Degrees Online

Our understanding of the behaviour of other animals has flourished over recent decades. Yet the discipline still presents many challenges and is set to provide some of the major scientific breakthroughs of the 21st Century. There has never been a more exciting and important time to be a student of Animal Behaviour. This programme at Anglia Ruskin is the longest-established degree course in Animal Behaviour in the United Kingdom and attracts students from throughout Europe.

You will gain a thorough understanding of how and why animals behave in the ways they do, and learn how this knowledge can be applied in areas such as the management and conservation of wild and domesticated animals. You will also acquire the skills needed to carry out your own investigations in order to contribute to future discoveries.

Members of the lecturing team are able to draw on their extensive experience from studying the behaviour of animals living on all five continents, as well as in many of the surrounding oceans and seas, to bring exciting examples and opportunities to their teaching. The team includes, for example, the Director of the Animal Behaviour Research Unit in Mikumi National Park (Tanzania). Staff are also involved in field and captive studies closer to home and have research links with a range of organisations studying British wildlife as well as at Britain’s most respected zoos.
Module guide
The core theme of the Animal Behaviour programme is the study and interpretation of the natural behaviour of animals and reflects the development of the discipline from both psychological and zoological origins. The Animal Behaviour programme covers the study of behaviour across the range of wild, farm, companion and laboratory animals.

At the start of the course, you will be given a comprehensive introduction to animal behaviour within a broader scientific, especially biological, context. This enables you to fully explore your specialist subject at higher levels. You will then go on to study the developmental, physiological, and evolutionary aspects of animal behaviour in more detail and practise observational study skills. In addition, the application of animal behaviour to areas such as welfare and pest control is developed.

The final phase of the course sees students extending their understanding of the evolution and function of animal behaviour in advanced topics such as behavioural ecology and sexual selection. All honours students are required to undertake a research project during the second half of their degree.
Year one core modules:
Animal Behaviour in Context
Biomeasurement
Core Biology
Introduction to Animal Behaviour & Welfare
Animal Form and Function
Year two core modules:
Biological Bases of Behaviour
Concepts in Animal Behaviour
Practical Biology
Preparation for Research
Applied Ethology and Animal Welfare
Year three core modules:
Undergraduate Project
Advanced Topics in Behavioural Ecology
Behavioural Ecology
Special Topics in Animal Behaviour
Associated careers

The practical skills you will acquire through this course will be useful in a variety of professional fields, although this degree will be of particular value to anyone wishing to pursue a career within wildlife conservation or zoo education. The pathway also provides excellent general training as a scientist, enabling you to work in the field or in the laboratory for a wide range of organisations. Potential employers include: government agencies, environmental consultancies, wildlife conservation organisations, educational and research establishments. The course may also lead on to further postgraduate study and a research career.
Assessment

This course uses a wide range of methods of assessment including essays, practical reports, computer based assessments, presentations, debates, steeplechase tests, reviews of scientific papers and examinations. The weighting of different assessment methods varies between modules and levels of study.
Special features

Field Trips – The Department organises a wide range of one-day and residential field trips to a variety of exciting locations both in the UK and abroad. Residential field trips currently include deer watching in Rum, Scotland; marine, terrestrial and freshwater ecology and animal behaviour in Devon; seabirds and seals in the Farne Islands, Northumberland; marine biology in western Scotland; Bialowieza primeval forest in Poland; zoo design and management in the Netherlands; tropical wildlife and ecology in Kenya, and diving and marine biology in the Red Sea.

The objective of the Bachelor’s degree program in Laboratory Animal Management is to prepare graduates to provide the daily care for the animals used in biomedical research, and to provide support to the veterinary and research staff within a research facility. Graduates will be prepared to assume supervisory roles relating to the overall management of laboratory animal care personnel and the animal care facility.
The Massachusetts Society for Medical Research has identified the lack of sufficient appropriately trained staff caring for Laboratory Animals as one of the biggest threats to the more than $2.5 billion dollar industry of biomedical research in New England. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, this field is expected to grow faster than average through 2016. The Worcester area is home to several scientific research and development companies which are significant employers in this area.

The College’s modern, on-campus veterinary clinic houses a kennel, laboratory animal rooms, dog training and grooming rooms in addition to clinical facilities. Field trips to area research facilities supplement the hands-on experience in the classroom and laboratory. Students are encouraged to work part-time in a biotechnical research setting to enhance learned technical skills. This is facilitated by the internship and preceptorship components of the curriculum which may result in additional employment opportunities.

This program has been specifically developed for those individuals who feel a strong attachment toward animals and want to work closely with them on a daily basis. Emphasis is placed on the practical aspects of animal care and management. The primary focus is on dogs and cats but students also receive instruction in the health maintenance and care of laboratory animals.

Many students who select the Animal Care program are actually undecided as to which specific area in the animal care field best suits them. One of the strengths of the program is that it exposes students to the wide variety of opportunities in the animal care profession. The College’s modern, on-campus veterinary clinic houses a kennel, dog training and grooming rooms and laboratory animal rooms.

Graduates of this program are prepared to demonstrate correct kennel management procedures; evaluate and modify canine behavior; perform basic grooming skills; and demonstrate proper health, safety and nutritional practices for companion animals.

Description:
Veterinarians play a major role in the healthcare of pets, livestock, zoo animals, and sporting and laboratory animals. Some veterinarians work in livestock production and in research, broadening the scope of fundamental theoretical and applied knowledge. Others use their skills to protect humans against diseases carried by animals and conduct clinical research into human and animal health problems.

JCU’s School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences has offered the Bachelor of Veterinary Science since 2006. Students will acquire the knowledge and skills to diagnose, treat and prevent disease in a wide range of animals including companion animals, farm animals, aquatic species and native fauna. In addition, students will acquire a thorough knowledge of animal production systems, particularly tropical animal husbandry and aquaculture.

The final year of the course is devoted to clinical and professional training and is delivered in a series of clinical rotations through veterinary hospitals, practices, laboratories and government agencies in Mackay, Townsville, Cairns, Charters Towers and Malanda. Graduates will be eligible for registration as a veterinarian.

Duration:
5 years full-time

Mode:
On campus (Internal), full time

Workload:
Normal workload expectations are a minimum of 10 hours per week for every subject, including class contact hours, preparation and time spent on assessment tasks.

Type:
Undergraduate

Credit points:
120 credit points o

Intake:
February

Campus:
Townsville

Skillful veterinary technicians may perform many of the same duties for a verterinarian that a nurse would do for a physician, including routine laboratory and clinical procedures. This program provides training in veterinary health and the handling of a variety of animals from the domestic to the exotic, as well as laboratory animals encountered in a veterinary practice or biomedical research setting. While veterinary technicians serve as important paraprofessional members of the veterinary medical team, veterinary technicians do not diagnose animal illnesses, prescribe treatment or perform surgery.

The program’s curriculum includes such topics as anatomy and physiology, radiology, parasitology, surgical nursing and assisting and other related scientific areas of veterinary health or related skills areas. The curriculum is not intended to provide admission to a college of veterinary medicine.

A critical component of the program is student participation in clinical internships.

To enter the program, students must meet the following admission requirements:

Completion of a high school diploma or GED.
Achievement of indicated assessment scores or completion of preparatory coursework.
Completion of ENG 131 – Technical Writing or ENG 121 – English Composition I with a grade of “C” or better.
Completion of BIO 111 – General College Biology with a grade of “C” or better (no more than 7 years old).
Completion of HPR 178 – Medical Terminology, with a grade of “C” or better.
Complete an Intent to Enroll (application) form available at the Larimer Campus.

Admission to the program is limited to the first 24 students (each fall and spring) who have submitted the appropriate admission materials. It is strongly recommended students complete the required general education courses prior to beginning the program.

The Veterinary Technician works under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian in assisting with animal health care, in a wide variety of employment settings. He/she is a valuable asset to the veterinary medical team. The role of a Vet Tech in an animal health care setting is a diverse and exciting one. The technician is expected to be knowledgeable in many areas of veterinary care. Some of these areas include: surgery, anesthesia, radiology, bandaging, pharmacology, dentistry, nutrition, laboratory procedures, animal care and handling, client communication, receptionist skills, and office management. Knowledge of a variety of species of animals is essential as well.

Program Overview:
The Veterinary Technology program at Pierpont Community College was established in 1976 and is one of approximately 100 such programs and is fully accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association. This accreditation qualifies graduates of the program to take the National Board Exam and the licensing exam in every state to become Registered Veterinary Technicians. This is a two-year associate degree program and is not a pre-veterinary medicine course of study.

Students in the program receive training in all aspects necessary to become educated, competent and professional Veterinary Technicians. Areas of study include: anatomy & physiology, chemistry, microbiology, parasitology, animal diseases, animal care and handling, pharmacology and clinical procedures relative to farm and laboratory animals. These areas of study involve both classroom lectures as well as practical laboratories using live animals.

As part of the educational program students receive practical experience by doing two preceptorships in two separate veterinary facilities. The student does have a choice in the type of facility in which to gain clinical experience. These preceptorships provide the student with over 500 hours of actual work experience and also the potential for job references or recommendations.

Veterinarians play a major role in the health care of pets, livestock, zoo, sporting, and laboratory animals. Some veterinarians use their skills to protect humans against diseases carried by animals and conduct clinical research on human and animal health problems. Others work in basic research, broadening the scope of fundamental theoretical knowledge, and in applied research, developing new ways to use knowledge.

Prospective veterinarians must graduate with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM or VMD) degree from a four-year program at an accredited college of veterinary medicine and must obtain a license to practice. There are 28 colleges in 26 states that meet accreditation standards set by the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Council on Education. The prerequisites for admission vary. Many of these colleges do not require a bachelor’s degree for entrance, but all require a significant number of credit hours—from 45 to 90 s.h.—at the undergraduate level. However, most of the students admitted have completed an undergraduate program. Applicants without a bachelor’s degree find it difficult to gain admittance.

In addition to satisfying pre-veterinary course requirements, applicants must submit test scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), the Veterinary College Admission Test (VCAT), or the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), depending on the preference of the college to which they are applying. Currently, 22 schools require the GRE, 4 require the VCAT, and 2 accept the MCAT.

The Associate of Science Degree in Pre-Veterinary Medicine is intended to fulfill preadmission requirements on the freshman and sophomore levels for a school of veterinary medicine; students will need to transfer to a four-year school to continue working toward a Bachelor’s degree. Most students who are admitted to a veterinary medicine program have completed the bachelor’s degree. The curriculum in the WSCC catalog is not designed for transfer to any specific school. Students may to talk with a faculty advisor about a particular college or university’s course requirements and transfer.

Career and Major Information:

Veterinarians play a major role in the healthcare of pets, livestock, and zoo, sporting, and laboratory animals. Some veterinarians use their skills to protect humans against diseases carried by animals and conduct clinical research on human and animal health problems. Others work in basic research, broadening the scope of fundamental theoretical knowledge and, in applied research, developing new ways to use knowledge.

Most veterinarians perform clinical work in private practices. More than one-half of these veterinarians predominately, or exclusively, treat small animals. Small-animal practitioners usually care for companion animals, such as dogs and cats, but also treat birds, reptiles, rabbits, and other animals that can be kept as pets. About one-fourth of all veterinarians work in mixed animal practices where they see pigs, goats, sheep, and some nondomestic animals, in addition to companion animals. Veterinarians in clinical practice diagnose animal health problems; vaccinate against diseases, such as distemper and rabies; medicate animals suffering from infections or illnesses; treat and dress wounds; set fractures; perform surgery; and advise owners about animal feeding, behavior, and breeding.

A small number of private practice veterinarians work exclusively with large animals, focusing mostly on horses or cows; some also care for various kinds of food animals. These veterinarians usually drive to farms or ranches to provide veterinary services for herds or individual animals. Much of this work involves preventive care to maintain the health of the food animals. These veterinarians test for and vaccinate against diseases and consult with farm or ranch owners and managers on animal production, feeding, and housing issues. They also treat and dress wounds, set fractures, and perform surgery—including cesarean sections on birthing animals. Veterinarians also euthanize animals when necessary. Other veterinarians care for zoo, aquarium, or laboratory animals (Occupational Outlook Handbook 2004-2005).