Join a world-leading veterinary science programme and fast track your veterinary career
By studying veterinary science at Massey University in New Zealand, you’ll join a world-leading veterinary programme that will qualify you to work as a veterinarian in many different areas.
If you successfully complete Massey University's Bachelor of Veterinary Science you will be qualified in just five years. You will need to work hard, and apply yourself, but the result will be an interesting, varied, and rewarding career. Upon graduating, you will have the opportunity to work in a wide variety of challenging and rewarding areas relating to animal and human health.
If you choose to work as a clinical veterinarian you’ll provide high-quality care for animals, whether they are pets, working animals, farm livestock, or wildlife. You’ll use diagnostic and communication skills to promote the health and wellbeing of a range of animals, to make a real difference for both them and their owners.
There are many other career opportunities for you with your veterinary qualification, such as:
- Animal incursion investigator helping to diagnose new and emerging animal diseases, and working on responses to potential outbreaks.
- Food safety and biosecurity
- Veterinary researcher contributing to animal health and production
- Protecting endangered wildlife at home or abroad.
Accreditations and rankings
The Massey University BVSc programme is fully accredited by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), the Australasian Veterinary Board Council (AVBC), and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). In fact, our veterinary school was the first in the Southern Hemisphere to be accredited by the AVMA. The BVSc also has reciprocal recognition from the South African Veterinary Association (SAVA).
This means you could work as a veterinarian not only in New Zealand, but also the UK, Australia, Canada, the USA, and many other countries. You’ll also get some amazing world experience while you study.
The Massey University veterinary school has been given the maximum rating of 100 for employer reputation and the veterinary degree is ranked 15 overall in the world in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) rankings (the only ranking system for veterinary programmes globally).
Bachelor of Veterinary Science Programme
- Massey University is the only tertiary provider authorised in New Zealand where students can study to become a veterinarian. There are 100 places in the programme for domestic students and 24 for international students each year.
- The academic year begins in late February and has two semesters each year.
- Degree length is a maximum of five years of full-time study. This is composed of a pre-selection phase (semester one) and the professional phase (semesters 2-10).
- The pre-selection phase is offered at the Auckland Campus (Albany) and the Palmerston North Campus (Manawatū). The professional phase is offered solely at the Palmerston North campus (Manawatū).
- The BVSc programme attracts high quality students and is rigorous and challenging but the rewards are worth the hard work and effort required.
- The BVSc degree has a strong emphasis on both high level academic instruction and 'hands on' practical training. It is a broad degree which covers all common domestic species so you can work with any species upon graduation.
Teaching and Research Facilities
Veterinary teaching and research facilities includes access and involvement for students within four on-site clinics (companion animal, production animal, equine and wildlife), as well as numerous university farms. A new 24-hour pet emergency centre and equine hospital opened in 2014, and building is underway on a new wildlife hospital. A strength of IVABs is its research and expertise with native New Zealand wildlife. 'Wildbase' is a dedicated new facility for the treatment and recovery of rare, native and endangered avian species.
Admission
International students from the UK generally obtain admission to the BVSc programme by Group 1 international admission. Group 1 students come to New Zealand and undertake the Pre-Selection Semester (semester one) to compete for entry into the professional phase of the programme. Selection into the Professional Phase (4.5 years) of the BVSc degree is competitive, and is judged on academic performance.
Previous UK applicants have been very successful at being selected into the professional phase as Group 1 applicants. To give yourself the best chance of being selected, you should have:
- A background in physics, chemistry, biology or mathematics,
- Academic admission to university (e.g. A-levels)
- English Language competency if English is not your first language (Toefl/IELTS)
Massey’s History in Veterinary Sciences
Massey University began teaching the Bachelor of Veterinary Science degree in 1965 following the early beginnings of the university as an agricultural college (1927). Massey has always had an exceptional international reputation in land based sciences and is now, as a comprehensive multi-disciplined teaching and research institution, among the top three percent of the QS World University Rankings.
Contact Study Options if you would like further information about this degree or university.
Programme details
Duration: Five years to become a fully qualified veterinarian
Start: Semester one (February) for pre-selection; Semester two (July) for professional phase
Tuition fees*: First Semester NZD$14,570, Semesters 2-10 NZD$29,310 per semester (*Tuition fees quoted are estimates only)
Massey University
Contact Study Options for free advice and application assistance
0117 911 5610
020 7353 7200