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About this course
This foundation degree combines a solid grounding in scientific theory with technical and practical learning. It is accredited by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), enabling successful graduates to register as fully qualified veterinary nurses. The course covers all elements of a veterinary nurse’s role, including the provision of skilled supportive care for sick animals; undertaking theatre work, laboratory diagnostic tests and radiography; assisting in consultation rooms; ordering medication; and ward work, including the general care and treatment of in-patients.
During your course you will have opportunities to attend several contact days, the Nottingham Trent University congress and also visit specialist veterinary practices. Your contact days will give you the opportunity to practice practical skills, attend lectures from professional experts and have one-to-one tutorials with your course tutors. Our Nottingham Trent University congress includes a variety of sessions from external veterinary practitioners.
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The course integrates work experience in RCVS-approved veterinary training practices with teaching at the University. According to the National Student Survey 2024, 92% of FdSc Veterinary Nursing students are positive about the teaching on their course. -
You'll undertake your clinical placements in two blocks, with the first one taking place in the summer between your first and second year of study. Your final year will then be spent completely in a veterinary practice. -
You will be eligible to register with the RCVS as a Registered Veterinary Nurse (RVN) on graduation from the FdSc Veterinary Nursing course. -
100% of our FdSc Veterinary Nursing graduates are in work or further study within 15 months of finishing their degrees (of those available for work or study, latest Graduate Outcomes Survey 2021/22).
What you’ll study
The FdSc course is accredited by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) so on successful completion of the course, you will be eligible to apply to enter the RCVS register of Veterinary Nurses. Registration with the RCVS enables you to undertake the veterinary care and treatment of animals as stipulated in the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 (Schedule 3 Amendment).
Animal Husbandry (20 credits)
Learn essential husbandry and management skills required to care for a range of animals competently within a veterinary practice and how to provide client support.
Introduction to Animal Disease (20 credits)
Gain an understanding of the causes of disease, the function of the animal immune system and influences of management on animal health.
Applied Functional Anatomy (20 credits)
Gain a broad understanding of animal structure and function across a range of species, and of how this applies to clinical practice.
Essential Veterinary Nursing Skills (20 credits)
You’ll begin to develop your knowledge of practical aspects of healthcare, including physical examination techniques, and basic nursing and laboratory skills.
Practice Administration and Communication Skills (20 credits)
You’ll learn essential skills for working in a veterinary practice. These include legal and professional regulations, teamwork, the roles and responsibilities of practice staff, time management, and organisational and communication skills.
Clinical Behaviour (20 credits)
Learn about the main behavioural problems in pets. This module encompasses behaviours that cause distress to owners and / or their pets, and in addition, those that affect the clinical management of these patients. You’ll examine their causes, diagnosis, treatment and preventative measures.
Placement (approximately 12-week clinical placement, June - September)
Undertake a clinical placement in an approved veterinary training practice.
Applied Medical Nursing (40 credits)
You’ll develop knowledge of nursing care frameworks, medical diseases and disorders, and veterinary nursing interventions. You’ll also explore patient assessment and triage in nursing emergency and critical care patients.
Anaesthesia and Pain Management (20 credits)
You’ll develop your knowledge of anaesthetic preparation, induction, maintenance and recovery. You’ll also explore different strategies for pain management in small animal patients.
Diagnostic Aids (20 credits)
Learn how to prepare patients for, and conduct, diagnostic procedures, and how to recognise abnormal test results.
Pharmacology and Complementary Therapies (20 credits)
Learn about the key principles of pharmacology and the evaluation of legislation, storage, supply and administration of veterinary medicines. You’ll also look at various complementary therapies and their significance within the veterinary field.
Surgical Nursing and Theatre Practice (20 credits)
Learn how to prepare for surgical procedures and assist within the surgical environment. You’ll develop the skills required to assist the veterinary surgeon as a scrubbed nurse during surgical procedures on patients.
FdSc Veterinary Nursing Placement (approximately 37-week clinical placement)
Undertake a clinical placement in an approved veterinary training practice. You’ll also attend several contact days at the University to enhance your learning, and to prepare you for your final practical examinations.
Further information on what you'll study
You can progress on to our BSc (Hons) Veterinary Nursing Science (final year top-up) degree after successful completion of the course.
We regularly review and update our course content based on student and employer feedback, ensuring that all of our courses remain current and relevant. This may result in changes to module content or module availability in future years.
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How you're taught
You will be taught through a variety of methods including group seminars, lectures and practical sessions.
You’ll be taught by our RCVS-registered veterinary nurses and veterinary surgeons during your course. Visiting professionals and specialists will also support your learning.
Assessments include reports, presentations and exams. You will also undertake practical exams and assignments to test your competency.
During the course, you’ll spend a significant amount of time on clinical placements within approved small animal veterinary training practices. This will allow you to develop your skills further within the veterinary industry. You will also attend several contact days in Year Three at the University in preparation for the final year practical exams.
Please note that field trip locations may vary and are subject to availability and change.
Careers and employability
Your career development
After graduation, you are eligible to register with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) if you fulfil the requirements of both NTU and the RCVS. Our graduates gain employment in veterinary hospitals, practices or referral centres. In addition, you’ll be able to pursue a career in the allied veterinary industries. Opportunities exist in research and academia, pet food and medical supply companies, the pharmaceutical industry, and animal welfare organisations.
100% of our FdSc Veterinary Nursing graduates are in work or further study within 15 months of finishing their degrees
(of those available for work or study, latest Graduate Outcomes Survey 2021/22).
You can also progress on to the BSc (Hons) Veterinary Nursing Science (final year top-up) course.
Excellent placement opportunities
Learning in the workplace will take place throughout the course.
You'll spend a minimum of 1,800 hours (37.5 hours per week) in clinical placement, split across two blocks:
- 12 weeks between the start of June and the end of August between years one and two
- 37 weeks between July and April in the final year.
The clinical placements will be within approved training veterinary practices. These placements will facilitate your development of employment skills and provide you with the opportunity to apply your acquired skills and knowledge. In addition, you will achieve a greater depth of understanding and be able to develop your practical skills to enable you to achieve the RCVS Day One Competencies and Skills and complete the required Nursing Progress Log.
We will support you in finding placement through our network of affiliated veterinary practices. You may wish to return to practices closer to home and we endeavour to support you to ensure that the practices chosen are regulated to the same standards as our affiliated practices.
NTU Enterprise
You'll also have the opportunity to turn your ideas into a viable business with help from NTU Enterprise, NTU's purpose-built Centre for Entrepreneurship and Enterprise, a support centre to help students create, develop and grow their own businesses.
Campus and facilities
As a dedicated home for our animal, rural and environmental science courses, the Brackenhurst Campus has a character all of its own. From the population of almost 2,000 students and staff to the animals themselves — cats and cattle, sheep and horses — it’s all about community. Relax with a coffee in the Orangery; kick back with your coursemates in the Brack Bar; enjoy the peace and quiet of our Victorian walled garden or Eco-Library; grab a pal and wander through 500 acres of stunning countryside.
The Veterinary Nursing Centre houses a simulated practice, which allows practical experience in a safe environment before students go into veterinary practice. Students studying Veterinary Nursing also access our Animal Unit to gain experience in handling a range of species.
You can train on a variety of equipment such as multi-parameter patient monitor, endoscope, ECG machine, simulation x-ray machines.
The Veterinary Nursing Centre includes:
- a reception where you’ll be assessed on providing clients with relevant information on recommended animal feed, worming and flea treatment along with issuing over-the-counter medication.
- a dispensary where you can practice calculating dosage rates and dispensing drugs for patients.
- a consultation room with a fully equipped room for pet clinics and client interaction where you can practice major aspects of the veterinary nursing role, such as discharging animals from surgery care and giving owners advice on the general husbandry and welfare of their pets. Support in this training environment is provided by visiting professionals.
- X-ray machines and Tin Canis dog-skeleton models which allow you to practice positioning dogs and other animals for X-rays.
- a laboratory including microscopes and diagnostic tests that help identify abnormal parameters. There is also a selection of other industry-standard surgery equipment.
- a hospital with kennel facilities which allow you to learn the different cleaning and setup techniques required for the array of species and diseases seen in veterinary practice.
- a full surgery preparation area which includes ECG monitoring, drug administration, instrument preparation, and two fully functioning anaesthetic machines.
- a theatre where you will be taught surgical scrub techniques and aseptic instrument trolley set up. You will also learn how to handle instruments correctly and assist the veterinary surgeon with specific operations and procedures.
Our Brackenhurst Campus sits on the doorstep of Southwell: a picture-perfect market town filled with rustic pubs, cosy cafés, and boutique shops. A little further afield, and served by reliable buses that run late into the night, you’ve got Nottingham — one of Britain’s top 10 student cities, and one of Europe’s top 25. It’s stuffed with history, culture, and well-kept secrets to discover at your leisure: enjoy lush green spaces, galleries, hidden cinemas and vintage shopping by day, and an acclaimed food, drink and social scene by night.
Entry requirements
UK students
Standard offer: 64 UCAS Tariff points from three qualifications, including an A-level Science subject grade C or equivalent.
Other requirements: GCSEs - English Language, Science and Maths grade C / 4.
You will also need:
- An interview
- Work experience
See Additional entry requirements below for more information about subjects, offers and work experience requirements.
Additional requirements for UK students
Work experience required
- A minimum 70 hours in a small animal veterinary practice, completed after September 2022.
- Full weeks are preferred, but single days are considered. Weekend work is accepted where practices offer a normal service, including surgery, on those days.
- A minimum of 35 hours must be completed prior to application. Any additional hours must be planned and completed before 30 April 2025. Details of this must be included on your work experience form or your application will be rejected.
Subjects accepted
For this course we accept the following Science subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Human Biology, Zoology and Psychology.
If you are taking a BTEC, or other non-A-level qualification, check how your modules match our requirements.
Alternative offers
If you are not offered a place on this course, you may be offered a place on an alternative course.
Access to Higher Education courses
If you’re aged 19+ and don’t have the qualifications to meet the entry criteria, you can study an Access to HE course right here at NTU. These one-year courses are designed specifically as an alternative route to university.
Meeting our entry requirements
Hundreds of qualifications in the UK have UCAS Tariff points attached to specific grades, including A-levels, BTECs, T Levels and many more. You can use your grades and points from up to three different qualifications to meet our criteria. Enter your predicted or achieved grades into our Tariff calculator to find out how many points your qualifications are worth.
Other qualifications and experience
NTU welcomes applications from students with non-standard qualifications and learning backgrounds, either for year one entry or for advanced standing beyond the start of a course into year 2 or beyond.
We consider study and/or credit achieved from a similar course at another institution (otherwise known as credit transfer), vocational and professional qualifications, and broader work or life experience.
Our Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer Policy outlines the process and options available for this route. If you wish to apply via Recognition of Prior Learning, please contact the central Admissions and Enquiries Team who will be able to support you through the process.
Getting in touch
If you need more help or information, get in touch through our enquiry form.
International students
Academic entry requirements: 64 UCAS Tariff points from three qualifications, including an A-level Science subject grade C or equivalent.
Other requirements: GCSEs - English Language, Science and Maths grade C / 4.
You will also need:
- An interview
- Work experience
See Additional entry requirements below for more information about subjects, offers and work experience requirements.
We accept equivalent qualifications from all over the world. Please check your international entry requirements by country.
Please note this course is not open to students requiring a Tier 4 / Student Route visa.
Additional requirements for international students
Work experience required
- A minimum 70 hours in a small animal veterinary practice, completed after September 2022.
- Full weeks are preferred, but single days are considered. Weekend work is accepted where practices offer a normal service, including surgery, on those days.
- A minimum of 35 hours must be completed prior to application. Any additional hours must be planned and completed before 30 April 2025. Details of this must be included on your work experience form or your application will be rejected.
Subjects accepted
For this course we accept the following Science subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Human Biology, Zoology and Psychology.
If you are taking a BTEC, or other non-A-level qualification, check how your modules match our requirements.
Alternative offers
If you are not offered a place on this course, you may be offered a place on an alternative course.
Please note this course is not open to students requiring a Tier 4 / Student Route visa.
English language requirements
View our English language requirements for all courses, including alternative English language tests and country qualifications accepted by the University.
If you need help achieving the language requirements, we offer a Pre-Sessional English for Academic Purposes course on our City campus which is an intensive preparation course for academic study at NTU.
Other qualifications and experience
If you have the right level of qualifications, you may be able to start your Bachelors degree at NTU in year 2 or year 3. This is called ‘advanced standing’ entry and is decided on a case-by case basis after our assessment of your qualifications and experience.
You can view our Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer Policy which outlines the process and options available, such as recognising experiential learning and credit transfer.
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Getting in touch
If you need advice about studying at NTU as an international student or how to apply, our international webpages are a great place to start. If you have any questions about your study options, your international qualifications, experience, grades or other results, please get in touch through our enquiry form. Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world.
Policies
We strive to make our admissions procedures as fair and clear as possible. To find out more about how we make offers, visit our admissions policies page.
