Access to HE Diploma (Veterinary Science)

Develops the ability to structure academic arguments, write with clarity and present work appropriately for a scientific audience. Learners apply these principles to their own assignments throughout the diploma, building confidence in scholarly communication.

Equips learners with strategies for engaging efficiently with scientific and academic texts, including methods for extracting and recording key information from multiple sources. An understanding of how language functions in technical contexts underpins this unit.

Examines the organisation of living cells, exploring organelles, membrane function and the stages of the cell cycle including mitosis and meiosis. Learners develop the ability to analyse cellular activity and understand how cell division relates to growth, reproduction and disease.

Introduces the principles of atomic structure and chemical bonding, investigating how the arrangement of electrons determines the properties of different substances. Learners also explore intermolecular forces and the role these play in biological and pharmaceutical systems.

Surveys the biology of animal cells and investigates the diverse mechanisms by which non-human animals move and perceive their environments. Comparisons are drawn across species to highlight the relationship between structure, function and ecological niche.

Explores the processes of mitosis and meiosis in detail and examines how genetic information is inherited and expressed. Learners investigate sources of genetic variation and the implications for animal breeding, inheritance of disease and conservation genetics.

Investigates how non-human animals communicate, learn and respond to their environments, and examines the welfare needs of animals in captive and domestic settings. The unit also covers UK animal welfare legislation and the roles of professional welfare organisations.

Covers the biochemical pathways of aerobic and anaerobic respiration, from glycolysis through the Krebs cycle to the electron transport chain. Learners compare energy yields across pathways and consider how respiratory processes adapt under different physiological conditions.

Examines nutrient requirements, digestive anatomy and the physiological processes by which different animals extract energy from food, including comparisons between monogastric and ruminant systems. Learners calculate energy requirements at different life stages and evaluate the causes and management of nutritional imbalances.

Introduces the principles of organic chemistry, examining the structure and reactions of alkanes, alkenes and arenes. This foundational unit supports later study of drug chemistry and the biochemical molecules central to veterinary and biological science.

Compares the feeding, respiratory, circulatory and reproductive systems across a range of animal species, drawing out the adaptations that allow different organisms to thrive in their environments. Learners consider how physiological differences inform veterinary and zoological practice.

Explores how the molecular structure of pharmacological compounds determines their therapeutic function, covering key concepts in medicinal chemistry including isomerism, drug design and methods of drug detection. This unit is particularly relevant to veterinary pharmacology and clinical practice.

Develops quantitative skills for analysing biological and research data, covering measures of central tendency and spread, frequency distributions and bivariate analysis. These skills underpin scientific report writing and are essential for degree-level research methods modules.

Examines the rates of chemical reactions, thermodynamic principles of energy transfer and the dynamics of chemical equilibria, including acid-base systems relevant to biological fluids and pharmaceutical formulations. Learners apply these concepts to real-world veterinary and biochemical contexts.

Explores the relationships between organisms and their habitats, covering ecosystem structure, energy flow, biodiversity and the principles of conservation management. Learners also evaluate the role of government policy and NGOs in environmental protection and wildlife conservation in the UK.