Ulster University has launched Northern Ireland’s first veterinary nursing degrees, with courses set to begin in September.
The university will offer a full-time course in veterinary nursing, and a part-time course in animal healthcare and practice. Both courses will take place at Ulster University’s Coleraine campus.
The launch comes amid staff shortages in the veterinary industry, as Northern Ireland remains the only part of the UK with no specialist vet school.
While the College of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Enterprise [CAFRE] offers diplomas in veterinary nursing, Ulster University courses are Northern Ireland’s first degrees in veterinary nursing.
The Minister of Agriculture, Environment, and Rural Affairs, Andrew Muir, said the courses were “advancing Northern Ireland’s high animal health and welfare standards”.
Veterinary nurses
Both degrees are four-year courses, and will include clinical practice time in veterinary surgeries across Northern Ireland. Ulster University is expecting the first 30 graduates in 2029.
Upon successful completion of the veterinary nursing programme, students can apply to the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons to become a registered veterinary nurse.
The vet-to-nurse ratio in Northern Ireland is 1:3, compared to the 1:1 ratio in Great Britain.
In 2022, a report issued by the Department of Agriculture, Environment, and Rural Affairs (DAERA) found that the veterinary profession in Northern Ireland has grown at a “slower rate than the rest of the British Isles”.
Dr. Esther Skelly-Smith from Northern Ireland Veterinary Association said: “We have a massive farming and equine sector here in Northern Ireland and it’s vital we have highly qualified and skilled professionals for them.
“Veterinary nurses are an essential part of a vet practice team as they relieve the pressures put on vets and ease the workflow process. These courses can only be a good thing.”
The application deadline for the BSc in veterinary nursing is Wednesday, January 25. Applications for the part-time course in animal healthcare will remain open until September.
