The National Association of Veterinary Physiotherapists, in collaboration with Harper Adams University College, provide a Post-graduate Diploma/MSc in Veterinary Physiotherapy.

NAVP chose HAUC as its education provider for many solid reasons. With a reputation for excellence and innovation, the Shropshire campus of HAUC offers state-of-the-art facilities, and rewarding courses, for undergraduate, postgraduate and lifelong learners in the rural, animal and land-based sectors. Further, HAUC is consistently voted "Best University College" in the UK by the Sunday Times University Guide, and is number 1 in the league of graduate employability.

HAUC already provides undergraduate courses in Animal based subjects including Veterinary Nursing, Bioveterinary Science, Animal Behaviour and Welfare. This, together with its strong research ethos in the animal sector, made HAUC the ideal academic partner for NAVP and our students.

The Veterinary Physiotherapy course is extremely popular and applications always exceed the 20 places that are on offer each year. Therefore the standard of students who are offered places is the very highest.

Programme structure

Year one is the pre-clinical year, where student veterinary physiotherapists learn the complex comparative anatomy and locomotion of veterinary mammals, together with intense study of the science of biomechanics and injury. Also taught in this year with be animal welfare, behaviour and law.

To teach on this pre-clinical year, NAVP have attracted a host of specialist lecturers who are world renowned in their subject. These include:

• Dr. Sue Kempson, the highly respected anatomist from Edinburgh Veterinary School, who is also the President of NAVP
• Dr. Peter Milner, Equine Orthopaedic Specialist and Lecturer in Equine Orthopaedics and Neurology at Liverpool Veterinary School
• Dr. Giunio Cherubini, European Specialist in Canine Neurology from Dick White Referrals in Newmarket, together with his specialist Veterinary Physiotherapist, Helen Fentem-Jones
• Dr. Eithne Comerford, European specialist in small animal surgery and lecturer in small animal orthopaedics at Liverpool Veterinary School
• Brenda Gilligan, Solicitor and specialist in Animal Law

Year two will be the clinical year when students will receive intensive practical instruction from Senior NAVP Physiotherapists at the partner college of HAUC, Reaseheath , who have some of the finest equine facilities in the Country. Clinical training relating to small animals will be given within the specialist Veterinary Nursing unit at HAUC.

Students will receive a full year of “hands on” tuition from some of the finest Veterinary Physiotherapists in the world, learning techniques such as joint mobilisation, massage, hydrotherapy, electro-therapy treatment and remedial exercise prescription. Most of the 2nd year will be taught in a clinical environment with actual cases referred by veterinary surgeons, many from Liverpool Veterinary Hospital. All the Veterinary Physiotherapists who teach on this clinical year are specialist “Accredited Clinical Educators” to ensure that students receive the highest possible level of clinical instruction.

This purely practical second year is unique to this course and will give the student an unrivalled tutoring in the skills of Veterinary Physiotherapy.

Having successfully completed these 2 years, students will be awarded a PgD and will be granted membership of NAVP, giving them industry recognition as a practicing Veterinary Physiotherapist. Candidates can then elect to carry on and take the year 3 module of "Research Methods and Dissertation". Successful completion of this module will endow the student with an MSc.

Entry Criteria

To apply for a place on this course you will need the following:

• A first degree in an animal science/health related subject of at least 2:1 category
• Extensive experience with large and small animals.

However, it is important to note that the course is usually oversubscribed by candidates who meet, or exceed, these criteria, and any candidate should ensure that they can demonstrate an “added value” to their CV by completing, for example, voluntary work in animal shelters or additional relevant qualifications.