Bachelor’s degree
Bachelor of Veterinary Nursing
Unitec · Veterinary Nursing (Environmental and Animal Sciences) · Mt Albert, Auckland, New Zealand
- Official award
- Bachelor of Veterinary Nursing
- Pathway
- Veterinary nursingStated for New Zealand
- Format
- On campus3 years' full-time, with distance learning available in Year 3, and part-time options available in Years 2 and 3
- Tuition
- NZ$8,400per year, as displayed on 2026-10-19
About this program
A three-year degree that extends the veterinary nursing diploma with a final year of research and critical thinking, including a research project. Placements total at least 750 hours in the first two years.
Role the program prepares for: Qualified veterinary nurse, with research and management options.
- Subject
- Veterinary nursing
- Department
- Veterinary Nursing (Environmental and Animal Sciences)
- Awarding body
- Unitec
Qualification and professional pathway
Pathway is classified only from a statement on an official page. An award title such as DVM, BVSc, BSc or MSc does not decide it, and no degree, accreditation or listing by itself grants permission to practise anywhere.
- Degree level
- Bachelor’s degreeA first degree. A bachelor’s title does not by itself show whether a program leads to veterinarian, nurse or technician roles: the study pathway is shown separately.
- Pathway
- Veterinary nursingPrograms preparing veterinary nurses. The role, title and regulation differ by country and are not interchangeable with veterinarians or technicians.
- Why we classify it this way
- The page lists qualified veterinary nurse (eligible for voluntary registration) as the career outcome.“Qualified veterinary nurse”Source
- Prior degree required
- No
- Further professional requirements
- Voluntary registration as a veterinary nurse is available in the second year of study.Source
| Route | Duration | Credits | Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry from secondary school | 3 years' full-time, with distance learning available in Year 3, and part-time options available in Years 2 and 3 | 360 | 42 credits at NCEA Level 3 or higher, including 14 credits in each of two science-related subjects and 14 credits in another approved subject; plus English and Mathematics creditsSource |
| Existing professional qualification required | Not published | – | Cross-crediting for the New Zealand Certificate in Animal Technology (Veterinary Nursing Assistant) or the New Zealand Diploma in Veterinary Nursing (Companion Animal)Source |
Accreditation, evaluation and recognition
Recorded for this program and campus, with the authority’s role. Program accreditation, evaluation status, professional-body recognition, eligibility toward registration, institutional recognition, directory listings and memberships are different things; none of them is automatic permission to practise, and recognition in one country does not guarantee registration in another.
No accreditation, recognition or registration-pathway record for this program has been verified yet. That does not mean none exists; check the national authority and the institution.
Study structure
- Delivery
- On campusTaught at the listed campus.
- Study mode
- Full-time, Part-time
- Duration
- 3 years' full-time, with distance learning available in Year 3, and part-time options available in Years 2 and 3
- Credits
- 360 360 credits (3.0 EFTS)Credit systems differ between countries and institutions.
- Campus attendance
- Students studying onsite must attend classes in person at our Mt Albert campus
- Clinical placement
- In your first two years you will complete at least 750 hours of work experience; first-year placement is arranged by Unitec for onsite students and second-year placement is arranged by the student.at least 750 hours in the first two years
- Thesis or dissertation
- Work on a real world research project relevant to the veterinary industry in Year 3.
- Intakes
- February (Year 3 intake can be February or July)
- Campus
- Mt Albert campus
Teaching language
- Taught in
- English
- English
- English teaching not verifiedAn English-language website does not mean a program is taught in English.
- Differences by campus or pathway
- Taught onsite at Mt Albert. A distance learning option exists for Year 3 only (students progressing to Year 3 or transferring from the diploma); Years 1 and 2 by distance are through the diploma instead.
Admissions
- Animal or veterinary experience
- Not published
- Interview
- Interview possible
- Previous qualification
- 42 credits at NCEA Level 3 or higher including science credits, or cross-crediting
- Science prerequisites
- 14 credits in each of two science-related subjects
- Documents
- Veterinary Nursing Student Declaration Application and two referees
Fees and costs
Original currency is authoritative. Each price keeps its basis (per year, per credit, whole program), academic year and student category, and is never converted. Annual tuition and whole-program tuition are different figures.
| Item | Amount | Applies to | Dated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual tuition fee, domestic (approximate, includes GST, excludes CSSF levy)Tuition | NZ$8,400per year, as displayed on 2026-10-19 | Domestic/NZ students | 19 October 2026Source |
No total is shown: the sources do not state a whole-program figure and the published duration and fee basis do not support a calculation.
Clinical or laboratory charges, equipment and protective clothing, mandatory travel, placement expenses and insurance are not listed by the institution on the pages we checked; ask what is extra.
Sources and verification
Not published on the program’s source pages: animal or veterinary experience requirement, accreditation or recognition record.
Sources and how this was checked
Last checked 19 October 2026. Each fact carries a verbatim quote that is re-checked against the live page. Research methodology.
Sources (checked 19 October 2026)