Female Student In Lab Using Microscope

Bioveterinary Science

BSc (Hons) Top-up Level 6

You’ll join the final year of the BSc (Hons) Bioveterinary Science course, building on your previous knowledge. Top-up courses are equivalent to the final year of an undergraduate degree and allow you to 'top up' an existing qualification into a full honours degree.

Develop your specialist scientific knowledge with this Bioveterinary degree. Prepare for a veterinary medicine degree or an exciting career within animal science.

Key Information

Course Duration: 1 year full-time; part-time available
UC UCAS Code: D398
Part or Full Time: Full Time / Part Time
Level of Study: Undergraduate Degrees
Typical Offer: A pass at Foundation Degree or HND in animal science or management related subject or a recognised diploma from Fleming College, Canada.

You’ll benefit from access to diverse facilities, including professional-standard laboratories, a 70-species animal collection with domestic and non-domestic species, 380-hectares of commercial farmland across five sites, and a large equine centre.

Expand your knowledge and understanding on a range of animal health topics supporting individual interests and career aspirations. Irrespective of subjects chosen, graduates have developed skills in critical enquiry and evaluation of current process and practices in Bioveterinary Science.

You'll acquire current subject knowledge that can be applied to solve challenges within industry, and be exposed to a range of veterinary diagnostic practices and be confident to assist with animal health assessments.

Academic requirements 

  • A pass at Foundation Degree or HND in an animal science or management related subject 
  • We welcome students with equivalent qualifications; please contact us to discuss 

 

Non-academic options 

  • Direct entry into Level 6 can be subject to interview and approval of prior content covered in anatomy, animal disease, biochemistry and general immunology principles 
  • Previous learning towards a university-level qualification or relevant work experience may count as credit for this course 

 

International students 

  • We welcome applications from international students and accept international qualifications at equivalent levels to the above 
  • You may also need to evidence proficiency in English language 

 

Please contact us for further information.

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Your career

Benefit from a diverse range of industry opportunities that will support you to develop the skills, experience, and connections for your graduate career. 

Graduate destinations

As a BSc (Hons) Bioveterinary Sciences graduate, you could progress onto a career in research, clinical laboratories, pharmaceuticals, environmental science, science communication, teaching, or to study veterinary medicine as a graduate. You’ll also develop key transferable skills that you can apply in a range of other graduate careers.

Our careers team can support you to find and prepare to secure your perfect role. Recent graduate destinations on related degrees at Hartpury University have included:

  • Veterinary medicine
  • Canine Hydrotherapist
  • Journal Editor Wiley
  • Research Assistant Animal Health Trust
  • Master's and PhD programmes
  • Laboratory Technician
  • Research Assistant Animal and Plant
  • Health Agency
  • Scientific Editor, BSAVA
Success Stories

Your support network

You'll benefit from a strong support network from day one to be the best you can be. This will range from your personal tutor and specialist academic support team (our Achievement and Success Centre) to dedicated wellbeing and employability (Innovation, Careers and Enterprise) centres.

Academic support

You’ll have your own personal tutor while you’re here who will support you to succeed in your studies. You’ll also have access to our academic and wellbeing support teams who run regular workshops and one-to-one sessions on campus and online.

Alongside this, we have a comprehensive bank of online study skills resources to help you make the most of your qualification.

Your learning experiences

You'll experience a range of teaching methods to strengthen your digestion of topics, including lectures, workshops and practical sessions, as well as supported work placement learning as part of many courses.

Your career

Each year of your course will be made up of two semesters, within which you’ll study compulsory and optional modules on different industry-focused topics, enabling you to develop your own unique portfolio of knowledge, skills and experience, ready for your career. The course is taught in English.

Course information

Overview

You’ll benefit from access to diverse facilities, including professional-standard laboratories, a 70-species animal collection with domestic and non-domestic species, 380-hectares of commercial farmland across five sites, and a large equine centre.

Expand your knowledge and understanding on a range of animal health topics supporting individual interests and career aspirations. Irrespective of subjects chosen, graduates have developed skills in critical enquiry and evaluation of current process and practices in Bioveterinary Science.

You'll acquire current subject knowledge that can be applied to solve challenges within industry, and be exposed to a range of veterinary diagnostic practices and be confident to assist with animal health assessments.

Entry requirements

Academic requirements 

  • A pass at Foundation Degree or HND in an animal science or management related subject 
  • We welcome students with equivalent qualifications; please contact us to discuss 

 

Non-academic options 

  • Direct entry into Level 6 can be subject to interview and approval of prior content covered in anatomy, animal disease, biochemistry and general immunology principles 
  • Previous learning towards a university-level qualification or relevant work experience may count as credit for this course 

 

International students 

  • We welcome applications from international students and accept international qualifications at equivalent levels to the above 
  • You may also need to evidence proficiency in English language 

 

Please contact us for further information.

Employability

Your career

Benefit from a diverse range of industry opportunities that will support you to develop the skills, experience, and connections for your graduate career. 

Graduate destinations

As a BSc (Hons) Bioveterinary Sciences graduate, you could progress onto a career in research, clinical laboratories, pharmaceuticals, environmental science, science communication, teaching, or to study veterinary medicine as a graduate. You’ll also develop key transferable skills that you can apply in a range of other graduate careers.

Our careers team can support you to find and prepare to secure your perfect role. Recent graduate destinations on related degrees at Hartpury University have included:

  • Veterinary medicine
  • Canine Hydrotherapist
  • Journal Editor Wiley
  • Research Assistant Animal Health Trust
  • Master's and PhD programmes
  • Laboratory Technician
  • Research Assistant Animal and Plant
  • Health Agency
  • Scientific Editor, BSAVA

How you'll study

Your support network

You'll benefit from a strong support network from day one to be the best you can be. This will range from your personal tutor and specialist academic support team (our Achievement and Success Centre) to dedicated wellbeing and employability (Innovation, Careers and Enterprise) centres.

Academic support

You’ll have your own personal tutor while you’re here who will support you to succeed in your studies. You’ll also have access to our academic and wellbeing support teams who run regular workshops and one-to-one sessions on campus and online.

Alongside this, we have a comprehensive bank of online study skills resources to help you make the most of your qualification.

Your learning experiences

You'll experience a range of teaching methods to strengthen your digestion of topics, including lectures, workshops and practical sessions, as well as supported work placement learning as part of many courses.

Your career

Each year of your course will be made up of two semesters, within which you’ll study compulsory and optional modules on different industry-focused topics, enabling you to develop your own unique portfolio of knowledge, skills and experience, ready for your career. The course is taught in English.

Modules

What you'll study

This course builds on the knowledge you have gained in previous studies to reach the level of a BSc(Hons) degree.

You will study both compulsory and optional module which you’ll be able to choose from to suit your interests and career goals. Optional modules change each year in line with student, industry and research demands. You can attend introductory sessions for optional modules before deciding which ones to study.

Module credits

On successful completion of your modules, you’ll gain academic credit that accumulates towards your award. The marks you gain over the course of your programme will contribute towards your final degree classification

Your final year allows you to focus on subject areas linked to your career interests and develop a skill set that supports your aspirations. You’ll complete a substantial research project as part of your dissertation module, which will give you experience of planning, implementing, and reporting on a specialist topic. In addition, you’ll be exposed to contemporary challenges in the subject area and more advanced theory and practice, including gaining an insight into current research in the field of bioveterinary science.

Compulsory Modules

Investigative skills for the Successful Undergraduate

Prepare for undertaking a research project.

Applied research project

Independent research and analysis in an animal-related field with one-to-one support from an academic. Utilise our on-site animal facilities or work with an industry partner to ensure your project is addressing a real-world issue.  You’ll have an investigative skills module, which will help you to develop the research skills you need to succeed.

You could present your research at a national or international conference, or get your work published in peer-reviewed academic press.

Immunology and Animal Disease

Address the immunological basis of disease, disease transmission and how animal disease can impact on public health.

Pharmacology

Pharmacology covers the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of common drug classes used in veterinary species. The module also examines topics such as resistance and residues, as well as controlled drug prescription, storage and disposal requirements.

Epidemiology

You will study how diseases are transmitted and spread through populations and understand how the dynamics of this spread can be studied and monitored. You will use this knowledge to analyse appropriate methods to help avoid, track and control disease epidemics.

Optional Modules

Advanced Animal Microbiology

This module analyses a range of biotechnologies and diagnostics used in the study of animal microbiology, providing students with an in-depth understanding of the underlying principles behind these advanced techniques. Students will evaluate current developments in microbial molecular genetics and how this research is applied to advance treatment and control strategies in veterinary science.

Current issues in Livestock Science

The module will investigate a broad range of topics that will allow the student to gain further knowledge and understanding of the key developments in sustainable livestock production and management and be able to critically analyse and evaluate development impact on all stake holders in the industry (producers, consumers and animals).

Modules

Overview

What you'll study

This course builds on the knowledge you have gained in previous studies to reach the level of a BSc(Hons) degree.

You will study both compulsory and optional module which you’ll be able to choose from to suit your interests and career goals. Optional modules change each year in line with student, industry and research demands. You can attend introductory sessions for optional modules before deciding which ones to study.

Module credits

On successful completion of your modules, you’ll gain academic credit that accumulates towards your award. The marks you gain over the course of your programme will contribute towards your final degree classification

Level six (year one)

Your final year allows you to focus on subject areas linked to your career interests and develop a skill set that supports your aspirations. You’ll complete a substantial research project as part of your dissertation module, which will give you experience of planning, implementing, and reporting on a specialist topic. In addition, you’ll be exposed to contemporary challenges in the subject area and more advanced theory and practice, including gaining an insight into current research in the field of bioveterinary science.

Compulsory Modules

Investigative skills for the Successful Undergraduate

Prepare for undertaking a research project.

Applied research project

Independent research and analysis in an animal-related field with one-to-one support from an academic. Utilise our on-site animal facilities or work with an industry partner to ensure your project is addressing a real-world issue.  You’ll have an investigative skills module, which will help you to develop the research skills you need to succeed.

You could present your research at a national or international conference, or get your work published in peer-reviewed academic press.

Immunology and Animal Disease

Address the immunological basis of disease, disease transmission and how animal disease can impact on public health.

Pharmacology

Pharmacology covers the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of common drug classes used in veterinary species. The module also examines topics such as resistance and residues, as well as controlled drug prescription, storage and disposal requirements.

Epidemiology

You will study how diseases are transmitted and spread through populations and understand how the dynamics of this spread can be studied and monitored. You will use this knowledge to analyse appropriate methods to help avoid, track and control disease epidemics.

Optional Modules

Advanced Animal Microbiology

This module analyses a range of biotechnologies and diagnostics used in the study of animal microbiology, providing students with an in-depth understanding of the underlying principles behind these advanced techniques. Students will evaluate current developments in microbial molecular genetics and how this research is applied to advance treatment and control strategies in veterinary science.

Current issues in Livestock Science

The module will investigate a broad range of topics that will allow the student to gain further knowledge and understanding of the key developments in sustainable livestock production and management and be able to critically analyse and evaluate development impact on all stake holders in the industry (producers, consumers and animals).

The modules contain a mixture of scheduled learning – lectures, workshops and practical sessions – alongside independent learning. Students are expected to dedicate at least two to three hours of independent study per contact hour. 

Year Contact learning Placement learning Independent learning
Level six  21% 0% 79%

You will be assessed through a mixture of written exams, practical exams and written assignments. Many of the modules will be marked based on a mixture of assessment types, whilst others will be based solely on one type of assessment. Feedback will be given via a mixture of ways, including during sessions, on assessment submissions and in tutorials.

Year Written exam Practical exam Coursework
Level six  19% 25% 56%

Each year of this course is taught over two semesters, normally consisting of 12 weeks of scheduled teaching and then assessment weeks, with an overview below:

  • Scheduled teaching takes place between 8:30 to 20:30 Monday to Friday
  • Wednesday afternoons are normally reserved for sports and cultural activities
  • Work placements may entail different days and hours
  • Part-time students may need to attend learning activities five days each week, depending on modules selected
  • Timetables are available during enrolment week.
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Please visit our student finance page for information on tuition fees and student loans, as well as non-repayable grants, bursaries and scholarships, eligible to different groups, to support with study costs.

Fees & Finance

For further details about this course, including the programme specification and module descriptions, please visit our document library.

Resource library

Accommodation

Settle into an accommodation option to suit your taste and budget – at Hartpury University, undergraduate students can choose to live on-campus surrounded by Gloucestershire’s beautiful countryside or off-campus in the heart of Gloucester City centre. Enjoy the best of both worlds.

Hartpury University Accommodation

Finance

We can help you understand how it all works, and what you need to do next. Find out everything you need to know about tuition fees, student loans and bursaries and scholarships. In 2021/22, we provided assistance to over 1/3 of our students through bursaries, scholarships and grants, totalling a little under £1million.

Hartpury University Finance

Support

When you become a student at Hartpury, you become part of our community. As a small university, we provide personalised support based on your individual requirements and aspirations. Our teams cover wellbeing, achievement and success, learning support, careers, and more. From wellbeing, safety and employability, to finance, accommodation and IT, our staff will answer your questions or get you set up with someone who can.

Hartpury University Student Support
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TEF Gold

Our undergraduate provision has been awarded Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) Gold in all aspects - Overall, Student Experience, and Student Outcomes.

GUG 2025 Top 10 Teaching Quality Landscape

Teaching quality

Ranked in the top 10 universities for teaching quality (The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide, 2025).

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Graduate employability

97% of our graduates are in employment, further study or other purposeful activity (Graduate Outcomes, 2024). 

Nss 2024 Top 10 Academic Support

Academic support

We’re a top 10 university for academic support (NSS 2024, UK universities).

Skai Walker
“It's amazing that Hartpury offers the opportunity to work with different species as part of the degree. As part of the course, I did a 40-hour internship in the Animal Collection. I’ve been getting hands on with exotic animals – meerkats, skunks and prairie dogs. ”
Skai Walker
BSc (Hons) Human-Animal Interaction

Turn your passion into your career

The physical and emotional needs of animals is at the heart of everything we do. Working with research-active staff, our students contribute to studies that are helping us understand animals like never before.

Put theory into practice and boost your CV with access to over 70 species, laboratories, animal therapy and hydrotherapy centres, a new Equine and Animal Assisted Activities Area on a 360-hectare campus that provides an ideal environment.

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Important information

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of our published course information, however our programmes are reviewed and developed regularly. Changes or cancellation of courses may be necessary to ensure alignment with emerging employment areas, to comply with accrediting body requirements, revisions to subject benchmark statements or as a result of student feedback. We reserve the right to make necessary changes and will notify all offer-holders of changes as and when they occur.