Faculty of Veterinary Science
Welcome from the Dean
It is my pleasure to welcome you to the Faculty of Veterinary Science and to congratulate you on your admission. Now you can really begin to fulfil your dream of becoming a veterinarian or animal scientist. During the next several years you can expect to work hard, but the training will be focused and the rewards high.
Upon graduation you will have the knowledge and understanding that will prepare you for success in your chosen profession. You will, of course, be responsible for showing leadership in all matters relating to animals.
As Australia's first university, founded in 1850, the University of Sydney is steeped in tradition but is also mindful of the need to respond to the changing needs of the community and country. The Faculty of Veterinary Science shares that philosophy and is now celebrating more than 95 years of continuous world-class education.
The excellent staff in the faculty are committed to providing you with the latest and best possible learning experience in the years to come. They will guide you through the difficult times and prepare you for life-long learning. In particular, the Associate Dean for Students, her two Sub-deans, the Faculty Manager and the supportive staff in the faculty office will be essential contacts to enable you to learn effectively. They will help you to make contact with a wide range of University services that help students who may experience medical, financial, emotional or learning difficulties.
Students undertaking the Bachelor of Veterinary Science will be working with a wide range of animal species and at all times there will be obligations to ensure the highest standards of care for these animals. You will also be given the responsibility early on in the course to act as ambassadors for the faculty when visiting veterinary practices, farms and other animal facilities. Later in the course you will be involved in the two Veterinary Teaching Hospitals, in Sydney and at Camden, and in external partner practices run by private practitioners. In these clinics you will take part in the treatment of companion and production animals under the supervision of experienced veterinarians.
The faculty's Veterinary Teaching Hospitals also employ many veterinarians with specialist qualifications and you will be trained by them in state-of-the-art methods of diagnosis and therapy.
The Bachelor of Animal and Veterinary Bioscience degree involves studies in the structure and function of animals, their management and welfare in an agricultural, para-veterinary, laboratory or wildlife context.
As an Animal and Veterinary Bioscience student you will learn how to apply the knowledge and principles of science to the understanding and management of the production, processing and marketing of animal products and to the management and conservation of our natural resources, including native and endangered species.
Emphasis will be placed on the development of analytical, quantitative, computing and communication skills, as well as practical animal handling and management. You will gain specialist research skills in fourth year through the completion of a research project.
The degree provides an excellent path to careers in the animal industries, and animal and biomedical research. It will cover a wide spectrum of aspects in animal production, health and management.
While most of our BVSc graduates find satisfying careers in clinical practice, the broad knowledge and skills acquired during the five years can open up a wide range of careers. Graduates of animal and veterinary bioscience have proved to be highly employable in a wide range of disciplines. Most graduates are employed in the animal industries or research or undertake postgraduate training, both in Australia and overseas.
Knowledge in the broad area of Veterinary Science and Animal Bioscience is expanding at a tremendous rate, and it is important to have access to information on new diseases and animal related topics not only in Australia but internationally as well. To deal with this there is ongoing curriculum review and our aim is to give you the tools to undertake independent learning, which will by necessity have to continue after you graduate.
To ensure that our curriculum is meeting your needs, you also will be asked to provide regular evaluation of your courses, which is very important if we are to ensure that we can provide you with the very best possible teaching and learning opportunities.
On behalf of all the staff, I reiterate our welcome to the faculty and to your first step in becoming professional colleagues in what is a noble and rewarding task – the care and welfare of animals.