Veterinary General Practice PGCert – 2024 entry *
Key information
Start date: September 2024
- Study mode and duration
- Full-time: 1 year
- Part-time: 22 months
Why choose this course
- Study on a course that has been designed and supported by veterinary educators with a wealth of general practice experience.
- Gain a thorough understanding of the skills and attributes required for veterinary general practice in the UK. This UK Level 7 qualification will help international veterinarians prepare for the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) statutory membership examination.
- Expand your existing professional knowledge and skill set to advance your career or gain the support and guidance necessary to return to veterinary practice in the UK after a career break.
- Benefit from a flexible, online course structure, with access to an extensive virtual library of learning materials.
What you will study
On this course, you will learn about the skills and attributes required in the UK for small animal general practice, equine general practice, production animal general practice, and veterinary public health, pathology and professional skills.
You will be taught the Day One Competencies that are required for new graduate veterinarians, as established by the RCVS.
You will also learn the importance of sustainability, employability, resourcefulness and resilience, digital capabilities, and global and cultural awareness and how they relate to the role of a veterinarian.
Teaching
This course is delivered through online learning. All the module materials will be available on our virtual learning platform, SurreyLearn. You will have access to step-by-step instructional documents and videos, covering all Day One skills required for veterinary practice. You will also be able to join live interactive sessions hosted by academics from our School of Veterinary Medicine throughout the course.
At the end of the course, you will be required to visit us in person for an intensive two-week period in which you will receive clinical skills teaching and undertake an assessment of your practical ability
Assessment
You will be required to take an online examination at the end of the first semester. You will finish the course by taking objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) in person at our School of Veterinary Medicine, located on Surrey’s Manor Park campus.
Your examinations will be assessed by Surrey academics, some of whom have been RCVS examiners.
International students travelling to the UK
Due to the module structure of this programme, we are unable to provide sponsorship on the Student Route. International students should make use of the Visitor Visa Route to attend the practical component of the programme. Further details can be found on our apply for a visa page.
Unfortunately, the University cannot guarantee that Visitor Visa applications will be successful, and a refusal may result in students being unable to successfully complete the programme.
Careers and graduate prospects
We offer careers information, advice and guidance to all students whilst studying with us, which is extended to our alumni for three years after leaving the University.
Whether your aim is to register with the RCVS to practise in the UK, gain a PGCert to expand your skill set or return to the workforce after a career break, this course will provide you with the necessary support and training.
Completion of this PGCert will provide you with the knowledge and understanding required to prepare for the RCVS statutory membership examination. Veterinarians who are not registered with the RCVS must pass this examination to practise in the UK.
100 per cent of our veterinary medicine and science graduates are in employment or further study (Graduate Outcomes 2023, HESA).
Academic year structure
The academic year is divided into two semesters of 11 weeks each. The course is conducted online and formal teaching will take place in semester 1.
In semester 2, you will be required to spend two weeks at our School of Veterinary Medicine where you will have practical clinical skills sessions followed by related examinations.
Where possible this course has been structured to align with the dates of the RCVS statutory membership examination. Visit the RCVS website for more information.
Modules
Modules listed are indicative, reflecting the information available at the time of publication. Modules are subject to teaching availability, student demand and/or class size caps.
The University operates a credit framework for all taught programmes based on a 15-credit tariff.
The structure of our programmes follows clear educational aims that are tailored to each programme. These are all outlined in the programme specifications which include further details such as the learning outcomes:
Timetable
New students will receive their personalised timetable in Welcome Week. In later semesters, two weeks before the start of semester.
Scheduled teaching can take place on any day of the week (Monday – Friday), with part-time classes normally scheduled on one or two days. Wednesday afternoons tend to be for sports and cultural activities.
View our code of practice for the scheduling of teaching and assessment (PDF) for more information.
Contact hours
Contact hours can vary across our modules. Full details of the contact hours for each module are available from the University of Surrey's module catalogue. See the modules section for more information.
Entry requirements
Pre-requisite is a veterinary degree.
Do I meet the requirements for this course?
We require you to submit a full application so that we can formally assess whether you meet the criteria published. Unfortunately, we are unable to provide an outcome based on an enquiry (via email, webform enquiry, phone or live chat).
English language requirements
IELTS Academic: 7.0 overall with 7.0 in each element.
These are the English language qualifications and levels that we can accept.
If you do not currently meet the level required for your programme, we offer intensive pre-sessional English language courses, designed to take you to the level of English ability and skill required for your studies here.
Recognition of prior learning
We recognise that many students enter their course with valuable knowledge and skills developed through a range of ways.
If this applies to you, the recognition of prior learning process may mean you can join a course without the formal entry requirements, or at a point appropriate to your previous learning and experience.
There are restrictions for some courses and fees may be payable for certain claims. Please contact the Admissions team with any queries.
Fees
Start date: September 2024
Full-time - 1 year
- UK
- £4,500
- Overseas
- £5,600
Part-time - 22 months
- UK
- £1,200*
- Overseas
- £1,400*
- For the unstructured self-paced part-time course, the fee shown above is per 15 credits for the 2024-25 academic year
- The dissertation module is charged as a 15-credit module for fee purposes
- These fees apply to students commencing study in the academic year 2024-25 only. Fees for new starters are reviewed annually
- Annual fees will increase by 4% for each subsequent year of study, rounded up to the nearest £100, subject to any overriding applicable legislative requirements.
View the list of fees for all postgraduate taught courses.
Payment schedule
- Students with Tuition Fee Loan: the Student Loans Company pay fees in line with their schedule (students on an unstructured self-paced part-time course are not eligible for a Tuition Fee Loan).
- Students without a Tuition Fee Loan: pay their fees either in full at the beginning of the programme or in two instalments as follows:
- 50% payable 10 days after the invoice date (expected to be early October of each academic year)
- 50% in January of the same academic year.
- Students on part-time programmes where fees are paid on a modular basis: cannot pay fees by instalment.
- Sponsored students: must provide us with valid sponsorship information that covers the period of study.
The exact date(s) will be on invoices.
Additional costs
You will need to cover the costs of travelling to the UK for the two-week residential visit (usually in April) at our School of Veterinary Medicine. This includes accommodation and travel to the campus while you are here.
Scholarships and bursaries
We're committed to making sure that we offer support for students who might need it.
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Course | Status |
|---|---|
Veterinary General Practice PGCert Full-time, 12 months, September 2024 | Applications open Closing date: Monday 1 July 2024 |
Please note that we may have to close applications before the stated deadline if we receive a high volume of suitable applications. We advise you to submit your application as soon as it is ready. | |
Veterinary General Practice PGCert Part-time, 22 months, September 2024 | Applications open Closing date: Monday 1 July 2024 |
Please note that we may have to close applications before the stated deadline if we receive a high volume of suitable applications. We advise you to submit your application as soon as it is ready. | |
Admissions information
Once you apply, you can expect to hear back from us within 14 days. This might be with a decision on your application or with a request for further information.
Our code of practice for postgraduate admissions policy explains how the Admissions team considers applications and admits students. Read our postgraduate applicant guidance for more information on applying.
Terms and conditions
When you accept an offer to study at the University of Surrey, you are agreeing to follow our policies and procedures, student regulations, and terms and conditions.
We provide these terms and conditions in two stages:
- First when we make an offer.
- Second when students accept their offer and register to study with us (registration terms and conditions will vary depending on your course and academic year).
View our generic registration terms and conditions (PDF) for the 2023/24 academic year, as a guide on what to expect.
Disclaimer
This online prospectus has been published in advance of the academic year to which it applies.
Whilst we have done everything possible to ensure this information is accurate, some changes may happen between publishing and the start of the course.
It is important to check this website for any updates before you apply for a course with us. Read our full disclaimer.
Subject to validation
This programme is subject to approval. This means that it has received initial agreement from the University and is currently undergoing a detailed final approval exercise, through the University’s quality assurance processes.
These processes are a requirement for all Higher Education Institutions within the UK, to ensure that programmes are of the highest standard. Occasionally there may be instances where the University may delay or not approve the introduction of the programme.
Contact details
University of Surrey Admissions
Contact Admissions TeamAddress
University of Surrey
Guildford
Surrey GU2 7XH