Bioveterinary Sciences with Foundation
Bioveterinary sciences is the application of the biological sciences to the study of animal health, disease and welfare. It draws on cell biology, genetics, microbiology, immunology, pharmacology and physiology to understand how diseases develop in animals, how they can be prevented and treated, and how animal health intersects with human health and environmental sustainability. The discipline is not the same as veterinary medicine, which is a clinical professional programme, but it provides the scientific foundations for careers in research, industry and allied health professions that work alongside the veterinary sector.
At Reading, this four-year programme begins with a foundation year, which provides the biological and scientific groundwork for students entering with non-standard qualifications or who benefit from additional preparation. Following the foundation year, you will study the core biological sciences relevant to animal health, including microbiology, virology, immunology, genetics, physiology, pharmacology and the epidemiology of animal disease. You will also examine animal welfare science, comparative anatomy and the ethical dimensions of working with animals in scientific and commercial contexts.
Reading has research strengths in veterinary parasitology, animal disease and food safety. The typical entry tariff is 104 UCAS points.
Graduates work in animal health research, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies developing veterinary medicines and vaccines, government agencies responsible for animal disease surveillance and food safety, laboratories, wildlife conservation, academic research and allied roles in the veterinary sector. Many graduates also continue to postgraduate study in animal health, disease epidemiology, biomedical science or conservation biology. The scientific foundation that bioveterinary sciences provides also opens pathways into human biomedical research and public health, particularly in areas where animal and human health intersect, such as zoonotic disease and antimicrobial resistance.