Bioveterinary Science

Bioveterinary science applies the methods and knowledge of the biological sciences to the study of animal health, disease and physiology. It sits between fundamental biology and veterinary medicine, focusing on the scientific investigation of how diseases develop in animals, how the immune system responds, how drugs act on animal biological systems, and what insights animal health research can provide for both veterinary practice and human biomedicine. It is a discipline that matters both economically, given the scale of the livestock and companion animal industries, and scientifically, given what animal models and veterinary data reveal about biology more broadly.

At the University of Liverpool, this three-year full-time programme includes a year abroad, providing the opportunity to study at a partner institution overseas and broaden your understanding of how animal health science is practised in different national and institutional contexts. You will study animal physiology, microbiology, immunology, parasitology, pharmacology and disease pathology, developing both theoretical knowledge and laboratory skills relevant to bioveterinary investigation. Liverpool's strong reputation in veterinary education provides a rich academic and professional context for the programme.

Graduates are well placed for careers in veterinary research, animal health companies, pharmaceutical and biotechnology firms, public health agencies and academic institutions. Laboratory-based roles in disease surveillance, drug development, clinical trials and regulatory science are all accessible pathways. The year abroad adds an international dimension that is valued in research and in international organisations concerned with animal and public health.

Many graduates also proceed to postgraduate study in pharmacology, immunology, veterinary public health, wildlife disease or molecular biology, often with a view to research careers. Some use the degree as preparation for graduate-entry veterinary programmes.