Choosing a university to study at can be a challenging process, particularly if you want to study a veterinary science degree and know you will be spending four or five years there! The university rankings differ between websites which can also make things confusing (see The Guardian and The Complete University Guide for examples). However, we’ve put together a guide which includes five of the top veterinary science universities to help make that process a little easier.
The key things to look out for when making your choice are: the content of the course and whether it matches your interests, the entry requirements and whether you can meet them, your career prospects with that degree, how previous students have found the course, and the location of the university. Most veterinary science degrees also require an amount of work experience in the field, so if you are thinking about applying for one of these courses, you need to make sure you have this.
Glasgow is possibly the hardest university to get into for veterinary science, but don’t let that put you off! The career prospects after graduating are very high, which is definitely something to bear in mind. There are two separate undergraduate courses: Veterinary Biosciences is a four year course which is focused on the biology of animal health and disease, whereas Veterinary Medicine and Surgery is a five-year course which includes more practical elements and training to enter into the profession.
The veterinary science degree at Edinburgh has a big emphasis on transferable skills and while it prepares its undergraduates for veterinary practice, it also provides a grounding for careers in biomedical research. The city of Edinburgh is a beautiful and exciting place to study, so if location is something that is important to you, it’s definitely worth considering.
Liverpool has quickly become one of the favourite universities for veterinary science. Student satisfaction is high at Liverpool and they pride themselves on being an exciting and innovative research community. With this course, the first three years provide a grounding in biomedical science and the professional skills you need for veterinary practice, while the final two years involve clinical practice.
Nottingham’s veterinary science degree has the highest student satisfaction of all the universities mentioned here, so that is something to take into account. Its entry standards are also a little lower than some of the other institutions, such as Cambridge and Glasgow. It places emphasis on hands-on experience with animals from the beginning and provides the opportunity to experience a variety of veterinary placements over the duration of the course.
Cambridge may sound like an intimidating option but it can be a rewarding experience for many! It’s a renowned institution, and having Cambridge on your academic record is definitely impressive. The course prides itself on a thorough education in veterinary science which includes intensive practical and clinical training. However, it is important to bear in mind that this course has a lower student satisfaction compared to some of the other universities and is hard to get into but does look impressive!
We hope this blog post has been useful in helping you get a little bit closer towards that all-important decision. Remember: decide what will be most important to your own personal university experience and choose the veterinary science degree that matches it. Make sure you visit different universities and ask questions about the courses so you can get a comprehensive picture of what the degree will be like.
If you have any questions for Synergy Vets, feel free to get in touch with us.