Regulations for The Bachelor of Veterinary Science - BVSc

Qualification Regulations

Part I

Part II

Admission

The Bachelor of Veterinary Science consists of two parts, being a pre-selection phase followed by the professional phase.

1. Admission to the pre-selection phase of the Bachelor of Veterinary Science requires that the candidate will meet the University admission requirements as specified.

2. Entry to the professional phase is by selection in accordance with criteria established by the Veterinary Student Selection Sub-Committee, which will include consideration of academic performance, non-academic performance and relevant experience. Candidates whose first language is not English must show evidence of English language competence that meets the requirements of the Veterinary Council of New Zealand.

3. Notwithstanding Regulation 13 candidates seeking admission or re-admission into the Degree of Bachelor of Veterinary Science after the first year (100-level), will be prioritised in accordance with the criteria outlined under the Progression, Re-Entry and Transfer Policy for the Degree and may only be (re)admitted should sufficient places be available.

Qualification requirements

4. Candidates for the Bachelor of Veterinary Science shall follow a fixed programme of study, over at least 5 years, which shall consist of courses totalling at least 600 credits, comprising a first, second, third, fourth, and fifth year (100-, 200-, 300-, 400-, and 500- level). The courses for each year are prescribed in the Schedule to the Degree.

5. Notwithstanding Regulation 9, a candidate who has satisfied the requirements for a course at a university or other tertiary institution where, in the opinion of the Pro Vice-Chancellor (or delegate), the content and standard are substantially the same as for the Degree of Bachelor of Veterinary Science may, subject to the approval of, and under conditions required by, the Academic Lead of the BVSc Programme (or their delegate), be given credit for that course.

6. Candidates may, at the discretion of the Pro Vice-Chancellor (or delegate), be permitted to enrol into the Bachelor of Veterinary Science after the first year, but no later than the start of the fourth year, subject to:

(a) being in good standing in a recognised Veterinary Science degree programme or equivalent; and

(b) having passed, with sufficient merit, courses recognised as equivalent to specified BVSc courses or unspecified credit, not exceeding 360 credits.

Specialisations

7. The Degree of Bachelor of Veterinary Science is awarded without specialisation.

Academic requirements

8. Every candidate for the Degree of Bachelor of Veterinary Science shall perform, to the satisfaction of the Pro Vice-Chancellor (or delegate), approved practical work in accordance with the following courses:

(a) 227.110 Farm Practical Training;

(b) 227.130 Veterinary Work Integrated Learning 1

(c) 227.230 Veterinary Work Integrated Learning 2

(d) 227.310 Farm Practical Work;

(e) 227.410 Veterinary Practical Work.

Credit will be given only for the practical work completed in accordance with the conditions detailed by the Veterinary Practical Work Committee.

Student progression

9. Candidates must pass all course(s) offered in each semester of the programme before progressing to the next semester of the programme except in the Fifth Year which consists of a 120-credit course that runs all year. This includes all zero-credited courses. In special circumstances, 227.110 and 227.130 may be deferred until the second year of the programme with permission of the Academic Lead for the BVSc Programme (or their delegate) but must be passed no later than 31 December of the BVSc2 year before the candidate may progress to the next year of the programme. 

10. Students required by Regulation 2 to show proof of English Language competence may, under special circumstances and with permission from the Head of School or delegate, defer such provision and proceed to the First Year of the professional phase. In order to proceed to the Second Year, proof of English Language competence that meets the requirements of the Veterinary Council of New Zealand, must be provided by 1 February of the year in which the student plans to commence the Second Year of the BVSc.

11. For candidates selected into the BVSc programme in 2022 or earlier the Pro Vice-Chancellor (or delegate) may admit any candidate to a supplementary assessment in a course or courses in which the candidate failed to gain a pass, in accordance with the BVSc Supplementary Assessment Policy.

12. For candidates selected into the BVSc programme in 2022 or earlier the Pro Vice-Chancellor (or delegate) may grant students a compensated pass with a C- grade for any one course in a year (with the exception of pass/fail courses) in light of their overall performance for the year, where either of the following conditions apply:

(a) for a course that is failed on the basis of not achieving a total mark of at least 50%: any compulsory minimum marks in individual assessments in that course are achieved, and only that course in the year is failed with an overall mark of at least 48%, and at least a C+ grade pass has been obtained in all other courses in the year; or

(b) for a course that is failed on the basis of not achieving the required compulsory minimum mark in an assessment: the attained mark in the compulsory assessment is no more than 2 percentage points below the minimum required, and at least a C+ grade has been obtained for all other assessments for that course, and the minimum marks have been achieved in all other courses that year.

13. Candidates must re-enrol in consecutive academic years unless approved in writing by the Academic Lead of the BVSc Programme (or their delegate).

14. The Bachelor of Veterinary Science may be awarded with Distinction to the top 15 percent of the final year class, based on the grade average achieved upon first attempt in 300-, 400- and 500-level courses.

Completion requirements

15. A candidate’s programme of study may not exceed 8 years from the date of first enrolment in the Professional Phase of the Bachelor of Veterinary Science, unless a specified time of suspension or extension has been approved by the Pro Vice-Chancellor (or delegate). Extensions granted will appear on the candidate’s academic record.

16. Candidates may be graduated when they meet the Qualification and Academic requirements within the prescribed timeframes; candidates who do not meet the requirements for graduation may, subject to the approval of Pro Vice-Chancellor (or delegate), be awarded an exit qualification should they meet the relevant qualification requirements.

Unsatisfactory academic progress

17. For candidates enrolled in the Degree of Bachelor of Veterinary Science, any one of the following will lead to exclusion from that qualification:

(a) failure of the first semester of the Professional Phase of the programme;

(b) failure of the same year in two successive attempts (for candidates enrolled in the BVSc curriculum commencing in 2022 or earlier), or failing to pass the same semester in two successive attempts (for candidates enrolled in the BVSc curriculum commencing in 2023 or later);

(c) failure of any two years of the programme

(d) not passing all courses in a year on the first attempt (i.e. without supplementary assessments or repeating the year) in any three years of the programme;

(e) failure to complete the requirements of the Degree within eight years from the date of first enrolment in the professional phase of the Degree;

Persons excluded from the Degree of Bachelor of Veterinary Science under clause 17(a) to 17(e) will only be readmitted to the programme (or offered the opportunity to apply for reselection into the Professional Phase) with approval of the Pro Vice Chancellor (or their delegate) under such conditions as they may determine.

18. Breaches of professional conduct:

For candidates enrolled in the Degree of Bachelor of Veterinary Science, any one of the following may lead to permanent exclusion from that qualification:

(a) being subject to criminal charges; or

(b) being subject to disciplinary proceedings of the University or of a professional body; or

(c) significant or repeated breaches of the Veterinary Student Code of Conduct.

Transitional provisions

19. Subject to any Maximum Time to Completion regulations and the Abandonment of Studies provisions specified in Part I regulations for the degree, candidates enrolled prior to 1 January 2024 who have successfully completed all course requirements will be granted the following exemptions (if applicable):

(a) Students who have successfully completed the requirements of the First Year are exempt from completing 227.130;

(b) Students who have successfully completed the requirements of the Second Year are exempt from completing 227.130 and 227.230.

These transition arrangements expire 31 December 2030.

20. Subject to any Maximum Time to Completion regulations and the Abandonment of Studies provisions specified in Part I regulations for the degree, candidates enrolled in the Bachelor of Veterinary Science who have successfully completed 227.108 and 227.109 prior to January 2023 may substitute these for 227.120 until 31 December 2027.

21. Subject to any Maximum Time to Completion regulations and the Abandonment of Studies provisions specified in Part I regulations for the degree, candidates enrolled in the Bachelor of Veterinary Science who have successfully completed 227.222, 227.223, 227.225, 227.226, 227.221 and 227.224 prior to January 2024 may substitute these for 227.231 and 227.232. Any such candidates that then do not complete the requirements of Third Year prior to January 2025 may take the special topic courses from Schedule C to ensure they can move to the next year of the programme. This transition arrangement expires 31 December 2030.

22. Subject to any Maximum Time to Completion regulations and the Abandonment of Studies provisions specified in Part I regulations for the degree, candidates enrolled in the Bachelor of Veterinary Science who have successfully completed 227.311, 227.312, 227.313, 227.314, 227.316, 227.317 and 227.325 prior to January 2025 may substitute these for 227.331 and 227.332. Any such candidates that then do not complete the requirements of Fourth Year prior to January 2026 may take the special topic courses from Schedule D to ensure they can move to the next year of the programme. This transition arrangement expires 31 December 2030.

23. Subject to any Maximum Time to Completion regulations and the Abandonment of Studies provisions specified in Part I regulations for the degree, candidates enrolled in the Bachelor of Veterinary Science who have successfully completed 227411, 227413, 227414, 227416, 227418, 227425, 227431, 227432 and 227433 prior to January 2026 may substitute these for 227441 and 227442.

Schedule for the Bachelor of Veterinary Science

Pre-Selection Phase

First Year

Professional Phase

First Year

Second Year

Third year

Schedule C: Third year Transition Schedule (Choose no more than 120 credits from)

Fourth Year

Schedule D: Fourth Year Transition Schedule (Choose no more than 120 credits from)

Fifth Year