The Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine (MVB) at SETU is a five-year programme designed to prepare graduates for professional veterinary practice through a strong combination of scientific knowledge, clinical training, and real-world experience.
Programme Structure
The MVB is delivered across three integrated phases:
- Foundation Phase
Build a strong grounding in the scientific principles that underpin veterinary medicine, including animal biology, anatomy, and related disciplines. - Clinical Phase
Develop your understanding of disease, diagnosis, and treatment through a scaffolded active learning approach, supporting collaborative and applied learning. - Professional Phase
Gain extensive hands-on experience through a fully distributed model of clinical education, preparing you for practice in real veterinary settings.
A Unique Approach to Clinical Training
A defining feature of the SETU MVB programme is its fully distributed clinical education model.
During the final phase, learning takes place entirely in workplace-based clinical rotations across SETU’s Veterinary Distributed Clinical Network. Students gain experience in core areas of veterinary practice while working alongside professionals in real environments.
All partner practices are carefully selected and undergo rigorous assessment and training to ensure a high-quality, consistent learning experience.
Facilities and Learning Environment
Students benefit from access to specialist facilities at Teagasc Kildalton College, including:
- Animal handling and husbandry facilities
- Animal biology and anatomy teaching spaces
A free bus service operates between the SETU Cork Road Campus and Kildalton, supporting easy access to these facilities.
Additional Information
Please note that there is no QQI entry route available for the MVB in Veterinary Medicine for 2026 entry. Development of these pathways is ongoing, with further information to follow.
Year 1
| Semester 1 | Semester 2 |
|---|---|
| Science of Veterinary Structural and Endocrine Systems | Science of Veterinary Alimentary Systems |
| Animal Behaviour, Welfare and Husbandry | Science of Veterinary Cardiorespiratory Systems |
| Veterinary Professional Skills | Animal Husbandry and Nurition |
| Veterinary Ethics and Teamwork |
Year 2
| Semester 3 | Semester 4 |
|---|---|
| Science of Veterinary Renal Systems | Science of Veterinary Nervous Systems |
| Science of Veterinary Reproduction | Evidence Based Veterinary Medicine and Clinical Skills |
| Veterinary Research and Clinical Skills | Veterinary Business |
| Science of Veterinary Disease - Genetics, Immunology and Pharmacology | Science of Veterinary Disease - Microbiology, Parasitology and Pathology |
| *Pre-Clinical Extra-Mural Studies will take place outside of normal academic time and must be completed by the end of year 2 |
Year 3
| Semester 5 | Semester 6 |
|---|---|
| Clinical Veterinary Medicine - Cardiorespiratory | Clinical Veterinary Medicine - Orthopaedics |
| Clinical Veterinary Medicine - Gastroenterology | Veterinary Surgry & Anaesthesia |
| Veterinary Diagnostics & Therapeutics | Veterinary Public Health |
Year 4
| Semester 7 | Semester 8 |
|---|---|
| Clinical Veterinary Medicine - Urogental | Clinical Veterinary Medicine - Neurology |
| Clinical Veterinary Medicine - Endocrinology and Dermatology | Veterinary Critical Care, Emergency Care and Toxicology |
| Herd Health and Population Medicine | Preparing for the Veterinary Profession |
Year 5
| Semester 9 | Semester 10 |
|---|---|
| Essential Veterinary Skills | Small Animal Clinical Studies |
| Veterinary Elective Rotations | Farm Animal Clinical Studies |
| Veterinary Final Year Portfolio | Equine Clinical Studies |
| Veterinary Pathology and Public Health | |
| All year 5 teaching consist of clincial rotations within partner practices in SETU's Distrubted Clinical Network. | |
| *Clinical Extra-Mural Studies will take place outside of normal academic time and must be completed by the end of year 5. |
Minimum entry requirements for MVB in Veterinary Medicine
Applications will be accepted via the CAO only. Students must meet the following minimum entry requirements;
1. Leaving Certificate requirements
Biology or Chemistry: H4 (equivalent to at least a Grade C at A-Level)
1 other subject: H5
4 subjects: O6/H7
English or Irish: O6/H7
Mathematics: O6/H7
2. Work Experience Requirement
Students will be required to complete a total of 60 hours of relevant veterinary or animal handling work experience. Specifically, 30 hours should focus on farm animal/equine experience and 30 hours should focus on small animal experience.
This work experience must be completed within THREE YEARS of applying to the veterinary medicine programme.
A portfolio (time log and references) based on this experience will also be required.
Eligible premises include:
• Farm: dairy, beef, poultry, pigs, stud, sheep or other farm animal enterprise. Not tillage
• Riding schools
• Animal sanctuaries/charities
• Zoo
• Veterinary diagnostic laboratories
• Or similar veterinary/animal related premises
Important notes:
Looking after your own pets and working with animals on own premises does not meet this requirement.
If you have completed work experience in a mixed premises, or veterinary diagnostic lab or any premises caters to both small animal and farm animal/equine, then 50% of the hours completed at this premises would satisfy the farm animal/equine requirements and 50% the small animal requirement.
Work Experience Log
Please print the work experience log reference template and complete by hand.
Students should post their work experience log to the CAO before the 1st July - CAO, Tower House, Eglinton Street, Galway, H91 X25V, Ireland. Please include your CAO application number when sending documents to the CAO.
Veterinary Experience Log Reference Template
3. Occupational Health:
As part of the registration process for the MVB programme (i.e once accepted onto the SETU Veterinary Medicine Programme), each student will be asked to complete a medical declaration and take part in a medical screening process. These steps are to ensure readiness for animal related learning activities and placement. If the student is unable to complete the process, we will provide guidance on alternative programme options.
MVB applicants are encouraged to declare any health, wellbeing or fitness-to-practice concerns that might affect their ability to meet professional practice requirements. With the applicant's consent, the Health & Safety Office will review this information to identify any reasonable accommodations and supports for placement. If supports cannot be provided, we will hold an open discussion and where possible, we will facilitate alternative programme options.
HEAR/DARE
SETU will allocate at least one place for eligible applicants under the HEAR scheme and one place for eligible applicants under the DARE scheme.
Graduates of Veterinary Medicine have a wide range of career opportunities in animal healthcare, research, and public health. Career paths include:
- Clinical veterinary practice – Work as a veterinary surgeon in small animal, equine, or farm animal practice, diagnosing and treating a variety of medical conditions.
- Specialist veterinary fields – Pursue further training in areas such as surgery, dermatology, cardiology, or exotic animal care.
- Animal welfare and conservation – Work with animal charities, shelters, or wildlife conservation organisations to promote animal health and well-being.
- Public health and food safety – Join government agencies or organisations involved in disease control, food safety, and veterinary public health.
- Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Research – Contribute to the development of veterinary medicines, vaccines, and treatments in research and pharmaceutical industries.
- Education and academia – Teach future veterinary professionals in universities and contribute to veterinary research.
- Regulatory and policy roles – Work in national and international organisations setting animal health and welfare policies.
- Agri-food industry and livestock management – Support animal health in agriculture and livestock industries, ensuring productivity and sustainability.
Veterinary Medicine graduates are in high demand, and the skills acquired during this degree create global career prospects in both private and public sectors
Mature Applicants
There is currently no graduate entry options for this program. Graduates can apply as mature students provided they are 23 years old 1 January on the year of application. No exemptions will be given for any modules on the MVB programme due to the integrated modules which focus on clinical application.
SETU will reserve at least 15% of places on the Veterinary Medicine course for mature applicants.
Mature applications are assessed across several areas, including second-level and third-level education, relevant training such as QQI awards, and work experience. Mature applicants must also hold at least a H4 in Biology or Chemistry in the Leaving Certificate or an equivalent qualification.
All mature applicants must apply through the CAO by 1 May and submit their supporting portfolio through their CAO application by 1 July. All mature applicant offers will issue in CAO Round A at the beginning of July.
Requirements include:
- Same minimum requirements as all applicants- At least H4 in LC Biology or Chemistry or equivalent (A-Level Grade C equivalent) and 60 hours work experience as detailed above
- Application via CAO by 1 May
- Portfolio submission by 1 July. Details on what to include in this portfolio are available in the CAO Mature Student Handbook
SETU's MVB programme has been designed to align with the Veterinary Council of Ireland (VCI), the European Association of Establishments for Veterinary Education (EAEVE), and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) accreditation standards for veterinary medicine programmes.
The accreditation process involves a comprehensive review of all aspects of the MVB programme, including curriculum, clinical teaching, and student supports. The Veterinary Council of Ireland grants full accreditation to new veterinary programmes retrospectively, i.e. final accreditation can only be granted once the first cohort of veterinary students graduates from the MVB programme.
The MVB programme has been validated by an external panel of veterinary and educational experts as part of SETU's programme evaluation process. SETU is fully engaged in the VCI accreditation process, with pre-accreditation visits planned for years one and three of the programme. The final accreditation visit will take place upon graduation of the first cohort of the MVB programme.
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