The attendance pattern for Year 1 and Year 2 of the Bachelor of Veterinary Biology is full time or part-time according to candidate choice.

The attendance pattern for Year 3 to Year 6 is full-time only.

Admission to this course is on the basis of a secondary school leaving qualification such as the NSW Higher School Certificate (including national and international equivalents) and tertiary study. English language requirements must be met where these are not demonstrated by sufficient qualifications taught in English. Special admission pathways are open for educationally disadvantaged applicants, rural applicants and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Applicants are ranked by merit and offers for available places are issued according to the ranking. Details of admission policies are found in the Coursework Rule. In addition, admission to this course requires the applicant to sit a Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT) and submit a Commitment to Veterinary Science Form. The results of this process will form part of the ranking of applicants.

The units of study that may be taken for the course are set out in Table of units of study for Bachelor Veterinary Biology/Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.

To qualify for the award of both degrees, a candidate must successfully complete 288 credit points comprising:

144 credit points from the Bachelor of Veterinary Biology, and

144 credit points from the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.

Progression to Year 3 of the program is based on academic merit in Year 1 and Year 2 of the program.

All students with a Year 1 plus Year 2 weighted average mark (WAM) of 75 or greater will be eligible for progression to Year 3.

Students with a Year 1 plus Year 2 WAM of less than 75 but greater than or equal to 65, may be offered progression to Year 3 based on academic merit if places are available.

Students with a Year 1 plus Year 2 WAM of less than 65 will not be eligible for entry into the Year 3 of the program.

Students that fail to achieve progression into Year 3 of the combined degree will be transferred to the Bachelor of Animal and Veterinary Bioscience or general Bachelor of Science with credit for the units of study completed.

Candidates who discontinue after Year 3 without completing the combined degree, but have satisfactorily completed 144 credit points including all requirements for Year 1, Year 2 and Year 3 may exit with the Bachelor of Veterinary Biology. Completion of the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in the future will require a new application for admission to that course and completion in accordance with the resolutions governing that degree.

Candidates for the degree may enrol in the units of study prescribed for Year 4 of candidature only after completion of Year 1, Year 2 and Year 3.

Candidates for the degree may enrol in the units of study prescribed for Year 5 of candidature only after completion of Year 1, Year 2, Year 3 and Year 4

Candidates for the degree may enrol in the units of study prescribed for Year 6 of candidature only after completion of Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4 and Year 5.

Honours in the Bachelor of Veterinary Biology is available to meritorious candidates who complete an additional year of full time study, after the successful completion of Year 3. Students must complete the requirements for the honours course full-time over two consecutive semesters. If the Faculty is satisfied that a student is unable to attempt the honours course on a full time basis and if the Dean so recommends, permission may be granted to undertake honours part-time over four consecutive semesters.

Students who qualify to undertake honours in the Bachelor of Veterinary Biology may elect to enrol in the honours programme:

by suspending candidature from the Bachelor of Veterinary Biology/Doctor of Veterinary Medicine for one year after successful completion of Year 3 or Year 4 or Year 5, with the permission of the Faculty; or

by undertaking the honours course after completion of both degrees in the combined program.

The Bachelor of Veterinary Biology/Doctor of Veterinary Medicine is awarded as either Pass or Honours. The honours degree, Bachelor of Veterinary Biology Honours/Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, is awarded in classes ranging from First Class to Third Class.

The grade of honours and the honours mark are determined by performance in the honours course.

Honours is awarded in the following classes:

Candidates for the award of the Honours degree who do not meet the requirements, and who have not already graduated, will be awarded the pass degree.

A candidate may abandon the combined programme and elect to complete a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Animal and Veterinary Bioscience in accordance with the resolutions governing that degree.