collageReading through the article below will definitely give you free access to the best and latest information on online veterinary courses south africa, veterinary schools in south africa.
What’s more? You will find related posts on how much does it cost to study to become a vet in south africa on collegelearners.
if you love animals you’ve probably dreamed of growing up to be a vet at some point in your life. A passion for animals is crucial to being a vet. Along with saving animal’s lives, you’ll need to make some tough decisions and put your patient above yourself.
A vet isn’t necessarily only the person you take your cats and dogs to. Vets can specialise in birds, farm animals, cattle etc. Whether you see yourself living in a city, helping people’s treasured fur babies or if you see yourself out in the bush, there is a place for you within the veterinarian realm.
Tip: Before applying to study Veterinary Science, job shadow a few different types of vets to see if this really is something you would like to pursue after school.
Required School Subjects
For Veterinary Science, you will need to have the following high school subjects:
- English Home Language or First Additional Language – 60%
- Physical Science – 60%
- Mathematics – 60%
Institution and APS
The only place to study Veterinary Science in South Africa is at the University of Pretoria’s Onderstepoort campus.
You will need an APS of 35 (minimum) to qualify.
Required Qualification/s
In South Africa, you can only study a Bachelor of Veterinary Science (BVSc), or you can opt for the Bachelor of Veterinary Nursing (BVetNurs) as a second option if you don’t make it in for veterinary science. However, the only way you can practice as a Veterinarian in South Africa, regardless of which route you take after, is through obtaining your BVSc degree through UP.
Required Skills
You will need to have the following skills in order to succeed as a Vetenarian:
- analytical skills
- communication skills
- problem-solving
- time management
- self-motivation
- customer care
Where you can work
According to the University of Pretoria, your career opportunities lie in:
- State veterinary services: rehulations, surveillance, control, prevention of diseases, etc.
- Private practice: this would be domesticated animals, farm life, wild life, production animals, etc.
- Research: there is a wide variety of research fields out there, for example, within biomedical science.
- Academia: You could lecture, take on research projects within the university, etc.
- Diagnostic laboratories: for things like toxicology, pathology, etc.
- Veterinary public health: Ensuring that cattle and livestock used for human consumption is safe and meets all health and safety regulations.
- Commerce: You could join a sales and management company to sell animal goods and services or you can join the pharmaceutical industry.
- Consultancy: You can work within the various animal industries to providing advice and consulting.
- Laboratory animal science: you would be involved with the ethics behind animal experiments and testing.
- Wildlife management: you can work in ranches, conservation or zoological institutions. This field has been growing massively in SA in recent years.
- Poultry production: you would be involved with food security.
- Animal welfare: this is where you can get involved with SPCA type work – clinical services and management for the wellbeing of animals.
- International employment: as a UP graduate, you can legally work in the United Kingdom, Australia and Namibia.
Working Hours
If you’re actually working in a job where you medically treat animals, chances are you can be called out at any time of the day for emergencies, regardless of whether or not you work in a practice with set operational hours. Just as it is with humans, animals can demand medical attention at any time.
If you opt for something more in the consultancy or commerce line of work, you’re more likely to be able to conform to normal working hours.
Expected Salary
Depending on your experience, specialty, industry and management level, your salary could vary quite drastically. But the median salary for someone with a BVSc degree is R469 893 per annum, or R39 152 per month.
What to expect
During your studies you’ll cover a wide variety of subjects that will assist you along with your career. You’ll cover things like:
- Language and study skills
- Academic information management
- Genetics
- Biometry
- Chemistry
- Medical terminology
- Animal diversity
- Veterinary professional life
- Ecology
- Ethics
- Physiology
- Surgery
- Etc
You’ll be studying full time for six years, so the further along you get with your studies, the specific and in-depth your modules and topics will be. You’re final year will only be practical work to put your theoretical knowledge to work to ensure you graduate as an adequate veterinarian. You can find more exact details about your modules and the work you would cover.
During your studies, you’ll be introduced to the various fields and industries mentioned in the careers section above. This will allow you a look into what a career in that field would be. Be sure to get as involved as possible so that you can make an educated decision on where you would want your future as a vet to lie.
Online Veterinary Courses South Africa
Undergraduate & honours qualifications
Diploma in Animal Health
| Qualification stream: | Animal Health |
| Qualification code: | 98026 – AHE |
| NQF level: | 6 |
| Total credits: | 360 |
| SAQA ID: | 101065 |
| APS/AS: | 18 |
| Rules: The Diploma: Animal Health is approved for registration with the SAVC. It is compulsory for each student to register with the South African Veterinary Council (SAVC) the first time they register for ANH3604/ANH3605 and maintain the registration throughout the remaining part of the course. The relevant form is available on the SAVC website (http://www.savc.org.za. The form should be completed by the student and then stamped by Unisa at ANY UNISA CENTRE. The student should liaise with the SAVC Tel: 012 345-6347/6360: fax: 012 345-6369 to complete the registration process. No student is allowed to proceed with their work-integrated learning (WIL) if they have not registered with the SAVC. Practical work forms an integral part of this qualification. Therefore, no student will be able to graduate if they have not completed all the practical modules. | |
| Purpose statement: The primary purpose of the diploma is to qualify learners as animal health technicians who will be competent in applying animal health care, disease control and management techniques in the prevention and control of animal diseases in order to support animal and veterinary public health. | |
| This qualification will be presented using both online and distance learning modes. |
Who can register?
- Applicants may only register once they have received confirmation from Unisa that their application for admission has been accepted. Unisa reserves the right to not process and / or to cancel your registration if it is found that you were incorrectly admitted to a qualification. Admission to the alternative qualification is not automatic. It will depend on whether you comply with admission requirements and if space is available.
- Re-registering students may register for the 2021 academic year once the registration period opens.
Please note: Should you wish to start a new qualification, please apply online for the alternative qualification during the prescribed application period.
How to choose your modules
Each Unisa qualification is structured in such a way that you need to pass a certain number of NQF level credits within a certain amount of time in order to graduate.
You may not register for more than the allowed maximum number of credits / modules per academic year and / or semester:
- For the 2021 academic year, you must register for your semester 1 and 2 modules by 12 March 2021. There will be no semester 2 registration period. No exceptions or registration extensions will be permitted.
- The maximum number of credits that will be allowed is 120 credits.
The maximum number of credits do not include supplementary and / or aegrotat examinations from a previous semester. Modules taken for non-degree / non-diploma purposes also count towards the maximum number of credits allowed.
You must take your available time into consideration when choosing your modules, as this will impact your academic performance. You need approximately
- 6 to 8 hours per week for semester modules.
- 4 to 6 hours per week for year modules.
Veterinary Schools In South Africa
Where can you study Veterinary Science in South Africa?
There is only one vet school in South Africa and it is located in the capital city, Pretoria. The vet school has it’s own campus in the northern suburbs of Pretoria. Vet students spend the first year of the degree in Hatfield, Pretoria and the remaining years of the degree on the veterinary campus.
How long is the course?
The Bachelor of Veterinary Science degree is a six-year course.
What language is Veterinary Science presented in?
In first year, students can choose to study subjects in either English or Afrikaans. From second year onwards the subjects are all presented in English but most test papers are in English and Afrikaans.
collage