Veterinary Biosciences with Foundation Year

Why choose this course

• Study a research-led curriculum focused on animal health, where you can select from optional modules on topics including animal behaviour, biodiversity, environment and sustainability, pharmacology, and pathology and medicine.

• Take the opportunity to get industry-ready with our award-winning Professional Training placements.

• Access our £12.5 million Innovation for Health Learning Laboratory and state-of-the-art Veterinary Pathology Centre to enhance your practical skills, and use equipment found in research facilities.

• Learn from lecturers who are actively researching areas such as animal and human immunology, ecology and conversation, vaccine development, antimicrobial resistance, animal nutrition, and chronobiology, and apply their findings to their teaching.

We’re preparing you for the future by integrating AI into every course, building digital skills, confidence and creativity that employers value in tomorrow’s workplace.

What you will study
In your first year, you’ll study topics that are fundamental to veterinary biosciences, including biochemistry, cell biology, principles of evolution, molecular biology and genetics, microbiology, and veterinary anatomy and physiology, ensuring you have a solid foundation upon which to build the rest of your degree.

During your second year, you’ll get the option to learn about the pathogenesis of major human diseases, gain an understanding of endocrinology, including the role of individual hormones, delve deeper into animal nutrition and food microbiology, and study animal and plant ecology.

In your third year, you’ll study animal infectious diseases, exploring prevention and control strategies and their impact on public health and safety, in addition to veterinary immunology, gaining an insight into comparative immunology between animal species specificities and exploring their immune responses. You’ll also select four modules, exploring topics such as animal behaviour, animal diversity, epidemiology of infectious diseases and food security.

You’ll also complete a research project, bringing together all the practical, analytical, and presentation skills you’ve developed. Recent projects include:

• Investigating the nutritional, behavioural, and environmental factors influencing the welfare of Asian small-clawed otters and Amur tigers in European zoos

• Investigating the contributing factors associated with canine osteoarthritis

• Pre-clinical evaluation of a novel vaccine against malaria.

Foundation courses
A foundation year can develop your skills and make it easier to get started at university. It is an extra year of study at the start of your course that leads in to a full degree programme. Foundation courses are a great option if:

• You don’t have the grades for a full degree course.

• You have non-traditional qualifications or experience.

• You’re starting university after some time away from education.

• You’re looking for more support during the transition into university study.

Life as a foundation year student
During a foundation year, you’ll learn about your chosen subject, develop your study skills and get used to university life. On successful completion of your foundation year, you’ll be ready to progress to the first year of your degree course.

As a foundation year student, you’ll be a full student of the University and part of our community. You’ll have access to all our campus facilities and support.

Course Modules

To see the full range of modules for this course please visit our website – the link is under the Course contact details. You will also find full details of the programme, including programme structure, assessment methods, contact hours and Graduate prospects.