Veterinary Biosciences
Factfile
| Typical Entry Requirements | A level grades AAB-ABB (340-320 points) |
|---|---|
| Required Subjects | Two science/maths A levels, preferably Biology and Chemistry. |
| English Language Requirements | An IELTS score of 6.5 or equivalent for non-native-English-speaking applicants. |
| Other Suitable Qualifications | BTEC National Diploma - DDD-DDM (in an appropriate science subject) A wide range of other qualifications will be considered on an individual basis such as HND, Irish Leaving Certificate, Scottish qualifications, Access Diplomas and Foundation courses. |
|---|---|
| Selection Process | Offers are made in terms of grades. We do not include General Studies in our offers. We may invite candidates for interview. We invite suitable candidates to visit the University to find out more about the programme and meet staff and students. |
Animal health and disease are constantly in the news. For example, the recent swine flu pandemic and the outbreak of E.coli 0157 infection in humans highlight the importance of understanding the links between animal and human health. Our understanding of the scientific basis of these topics has increased dramatically, but the challenges remain – and global warming is likely to bring new diseases to this country. If you are interested in learning about the science behind this, and contributing to the enhancement of animal (and indirectly human) health, then this is the programme for you. Please view the Veterinary Scientist profiles to learn more about what sort of career our Veterinary Biosciences Degree could lead you to.
Surrey has a long-standing reputation for excellence in both teaching and research in the biomedical sciences. This degree builds on these strengths and is run in collaboration with experts from the Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA) and the Institute for Animal Health (IAH), based within 20 minutes of the University.
Would you like to discover what our practical laboratory sessions are really like? Click here to preview a video of a first year Microbiology practical lesson which features interviews with students from Microbiology, Biotechnology and Veterinary Biosciences.
Further information
Degree Programme
BSc (Hons) Degrees
| Degree | UCAS code | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| * Programme includes a professional training year | ||
| BSc (Hons) Veterinary Biosciences | D300 | 3/4* years |
Our Degree
Our Veterinary Biosciences programme provides excellent training for students intending to work in veterinary public health, research and diagnostics. It also provides a broad education in the biosciences, including the interface between human and veterinary medicine, for those with interests in veterinary sciences who may then go on to work in a wide variety of fields, with opportunities in organisations such as Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and the (Veterinary Medicines Directorate) VMD. It does not provide recognised training for those wishing to practise as a vet, although it may be suitable as an entry point for such a recognised programme.
Our modular programme structure provides a broad range of skills in your first year that ensure a solid foundation on which to build for your specialisation in the final year. Transfer between this and other programmes in the biological sciences is usually possible at this stage.
Your second year combines further studies in fundamental sciences with specialised animal science modules. The optional professional training year, after your second year, will complement your academic knowledge and enhance your employment prospects upon completion of your degree. Your final year consists of core modules in specialised aspects of animal science, combined with a choice of a wide range of optional modules, together with a research project conducted in one of our own research laboratories or, subject to arrangement, neighbouring research institutes.
A limited number of our 2009 Veterinary Biosciences students will have the opportunity to undertake a two-month summer research internship at the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine. This is something we hope to continue in future years.
Animal Handling Course
You will have the opportunity to work for up to one week on rotation on a pig, sheep, cattle or poultry farm. This period will provide you with a basic training in animal handling and real practical experience of working with animals. You will also learn about the practical aspects of disease control on farms.
Programme Overview
The programme starts with a broad base of the fundamental subjects that provide you with a strong understanding of the key elements that underpin all modern biological sciences. You will then progress towards a more detailed study of the specific aspects of veterinary sciences.
The modular structure of the programme combines core modules with a broad range of options. This enables you to tailor the programme to your own interests while maintaining a coherent package of the key elements.
At Level 1 you will acquire a broad basic knowledge and practical skills, including cell and molecular biology, microbiology and biochemistry. The programme has the flexibility to accommodate students with and without A level Chemistry, to bring every student’s knowledge to the standard necessary for Level 2. There is an opportunity to study one of seven modern languages if you wish. At the end of Level 1 you will participate in the animal handling course at the Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA).
During Level 2 the broad base of the programme is expanded to include animal virology and immunology, as well as mammalian physiology and animal nutrition.
Additional modules throughout Levels 1 and 2 focus on preparing you for your professional training year, as well as future employment, through key skills-based modules including management and communication, scientific writing, ethics in industry, CV design and interview techniques. The addition of a professional training year after Level 2 will help make you a well-rounded, knowledgeable and eminently employable biological scientist.
At Level 3 you will study core modules focusing on the scientific basis of health and disease in animals, plus a range of optional modules. These are combined with a research project carried out within one of our research groups, or at a neighbouring research institute, under the supervision of a member of academic staff. This will give you the opportunity to explore a research area you are especially interested in and develop specialised lab-based skills and experience
Programme Structure
Level 1
Modules include:
- Biochemistry: Metabolism
- Molecular Biology and Genetics
- Cell Biology
- Practical Cell and Molecular Biology
- Physiology
- Practical Microbiology and Physiology
- Microbiology: Microbes and Health
- Practical Bacteriology
- Chemical and Biochemical Foundation or Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry Foundation
- Key Skills 1
- Animal Handling
Optional modules include:
- Practical Biochemistry
- Food Science
Level 2
Modules include:
- Practical Biochemistry and Immunology
- Molecular Biology and Genetics
- Introduction to Immunology
- Animal Virology
- Analytical Biochemistry
- Cellular Microbiology
- Physiology
- Animal Nutrition
- Neuroscience
- Key Skills 2
Optional modules include:
- Pharmacology
- Pathology and Medicine
- Metabolism in Health and Disease
- Food Microbiology
- Current Topics in Microbiology
Level P
- Optional professional training year
Level 3
Modules include:
- Pathogenesis of Infectious Diseases
- Epidemiology and Control of Infectious Diseases
- Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety
- Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology
- Comparative Immunology
- Animal Infectious Diseases
- Research Project
Optional modules include:
- Molecular Biology and Genetics
- Clinical Immunology
- Food Microbiology
- Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics
- Systems Biology: Genomes in Action
Professional Training
Our students are encouraged to take advantage of the excellent professional placement provision we offer. Our experienced professional training tutors will help you to choose between, and apply to, a strictly vetted selection of excellent placements in industry, research laboratories and academia.
For this programme, you will have the opportunity to undertake professional training year placements at the nearby VLA and the Institute for Animal Health, giving you a unique opportunity to work in these world-class veterinary research institutes. The professional training year at the VLA offers students an opportunity to work in a number of disciplines, such as pathology, bacteriology, virology, epidemiology, bioinformatics, risk analysis, neuropathology and parasitology, along with veterinary scientists and vets. For their professional training year, students will be an integral part of a research team dealing with both the diagnosis and fundamental research into infectious diseases of animals.
The professional training year is of immense benefit to students, both in their final-year study and in helping them to get appropriate jobs after graduating.
Ten reasons to study Veterinary Biosciences at Surrey
- Gain specialist understanding of animal health and disease
- Taught by internationally recognised researchers from the University and specialist veterinary research institutes
- Trips to local world-leading veterinary surgeries
- State-of-the-art teaching laboratories
- Learn about the exciting advances in biological research
- A flexible modular programme
- Undertake your final-year research project in a top-rated research group
- Transferable skills developed in preparation for employment
- A professional training year with many international opportunities
- Benefit from our close links to national centres for veterinary science and animal health
Top for Jobs
Biological science graduates from the University of Surrey have typically gone on to become, for example, postgraduate researchers, or laboratory scientists within the Health Protection Agency, NHS, the Veterinary Laboratories Agency or the Institute for Animal Health. Many have entered related industries, in the pharmaceutical, food and agriculture sectors.
Career Opportunities
Our graduates are found in academic and industrial research laboratories throughout the world. Look for Surrey amongst the top universities for employment in both general and subject-specific league tables.
The Veterinary Biosciences programme provides excellent preparation for a wide range of careers in veterinary research, animal health and disease, public health, food and pharmaceutical industries. The programme may also provide a suitable platform for undertaking a further undergraduate degree in veterinary medicine or a postgraduate degree (MSc or PhD).
The majority of graduates from our Biomedical and Chemical Science programmes go immediately into the job market, but further study is also a popular choice.
Teaching
We offer a modular degree based on a structured programme of advanced study which allows you to pursue the subjects essential to your particular degree, but at the same time offers you the flexibility to study other subjects of interest.
During your first year, almost half of your time is spent in laboratory practicals. In your second year, this decreases to around a quarter of your time. In your final year you will conduct your own scientific research project, usually in one of our state-of-the-art research laboratories.
Facilities
The laboratories in which you will undertake practical work have recently been fully refurbished and are equipped with state-of-the-art technology and audiovisual equipment.
Our commitment to the development of your practical skills means that you will spend a great deal of time utilising these facilities. For your research project at Level 3, you will work within our research laboratories alongside active researchers.
Assessment
Each module is assessed individually and credits are awarded for the successful completion of each one. Assessment is by a combination of examination and/or coursework. Credits are then accumulated towards the award of Bachelor of Science (BSc) with Honours.
Academic Support
You will be allocated a personal tutor to guide you through the programme and to advise on module option and career choices, helping you get the most from your studies with us. You will also be paired with a Biological Sciences student from the year of study above you so that you can benefit from their recent experience on our programmes.
Contact Details
T: 0800 980 3200 or +44 (0)1483 681681
What our students say
Graduate Profile: Alun Carter
BSc Microbiology (Medical)
The lectures are superb and make the learning process really enjoyable. There is also an excellent balance of lecture and lab-based modules.
The quality of placements reflects the close links the University has to the industrial sector of microbiology. I undertook an industrial placement in a hospital pathology department which improved my knowledge in the field of medical microbiology and helped me decide that I would like to pursue a career in microbiology.
After graduating I applied for a PhD at the Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA) looking at the efficacy of commercial probiotic bacteria in poultry. The PhD was in collaboration with the University of Surrey. The VLA has an excellent reputation in the veterinary bioscience world. I’ve had the pleasure of working with some of the best scientists in the industry and some really promising up-and-coming scientists. The equipment and facilities in relation to veterinary research are arguably some of the best in Europe. The facility has been in the front line dealing with avian influenza and the foot-and-mouth outbreaks. Thanks to my undergraduate degree it has given me an opportunity to work at a world-class research facility in the veterinary microbiology sector.
Graduate Profile: Rebecca Strong
BSc Biochemistry
I chose to come to Surrey because of its academic rating and the fact that there was a placement year offered by the course. I felt this would make me more attractive to employers.
The location close to Guildford town centre and good leisure facilities was also a positive factor. The campus is quite compact and makes it easy to get around to all the facilities. There are great sporting facilities on site and close by, and the lake is a lovely setting in the summer to sit beside and have lunch or study!
My course had a wide range of modules covering various topics and gave me a great overview of biochemistry and other aspects, such as bacterial and virological diseases, which were of particular interest to me. The practical classes and the project in the final year gave me great experience for going on to do my PhD at the nearby Institute for Animal Health (IAH).
After I graduated I knew completing a PhD at IAH was the right move for me, and the undergraduate degree prepared me well for this. My PhD studies examined the role of host cell protein synthesis in foot-and-mouth disease virus infection and that led me into a job as a research scientist at the VLA. I will be carrying out research into exotic/endemic pestiviruses such as classical swine fever, bovine viral diarrhoea virus, and border disease virus.
