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- Diploma Programme in Veterinary Medicine
Programme code
Language of instruction
through selective admissions process each winter semester
ECTS points
semesters divided into 3 phases
places allocated every winter semester
Successful completion of a diploma thesis
Academic degree
Why study Veterinary Medicine?
Many young people know from an early age that they want to become a veterinarian when they grow up. But many other professions are possible with a degree in veterinary medicine as well. Besides the delivery of veterinary care to individual animals or entire herds, graduates with a degree in veterinary medicine also work in the pharmaceutical sector, in research, and in food production and safety.
Vetmeduni therefore offers students the opportunity to choose their individual focus during their studies in order to cover the numerous aspects of veterinary medicine in the best possible way.
The programme
The aim of the Diploma Programme in Veterinary Medicine is to impart theoretical and practical knowledge of the subject matter, to practise and promote relevant psychosocial and practical skills, and to develop a basic sense of ethics necessary to fully engage in the veterinary profession. The module “Economics/Communication/Reflection/Personal and Scientific Education”, which extends from the first to the twelfth semester, ensures basic training in personal, business and social skills. Students also have the opportunity to deal in-depth with specific issues within the field of veterinary medicine and to integrate themselves into the research activities of the various organisational units of the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna.
- Principles of Veterinary Medicine
- Organ Structure, Morphology and Function
- General Introduction
- General Pathology and Pharmacology
- Animal Husbandry and Animal Welfare
- Electives
- Practical training: 2 weeks
- General Clinical Training
- Advanced Introduction
- Disease Aetiology, Pathogenesis, Prognosis and Prevention
- Introduction to Animal Diseases, Basic Pharmacology
- Outpatient Clinic – students work under supervision
- Veterinary Public Health
- Endocrinology and Reproduction
- Clinical Rotation I (14 weeks)
- Electives
- Practical training: 10 weeks
- Specialisation
- Advanced Training
- Medical Biometry and Epidemiology
- Veterinary Public Health and Veterinary Forensics
- Statistics and Probability for Veterinary and Animal Science
- Electives
- Practical training: 10 weeks specialisation module and 4 weeks at slaughterhouse
- Diploma thesis
- Science in Veterinary Medicine
- Ethics in Veterinary Medicine
- Economics in Veterinary Medicine
- Communication/Reflection with Animal Patients, Owners and Stakeholders
- EU GDPR
- Animal Experiment Legislation
The focus of Phase 3 is on providing students with specialised clinical training. The diploma thesis must be submitted during this phase of study or before. The specialisation training aims to provide students with in-depth preparation for their practical work in the chosen subfield of veterinary medicine. Students can choose from the following modules:
- Small Animal Medicine
Clinical, diagnostic, manual and therapeutic skills in all areas of small animal medicine.
- Ruminant Medicine
Clinical, diagnostic and manual skills for individual animal medicine and herd health management, farm visits.
- Ruminant Medicine in Alpine Region
Clinical, diagnostic and manual skills for individual animal medicine and herd health management, farm visits. The focus of the training is on the special features of alpine ruminant husbandry and medicine. This module is organized by the branch office of the Vetmeduni in Tyrol.
- Animal health, food safety and alpine farming
Clinical, diagnostic and manual skills for individual animal medicine and herd health management. Preparation for current issues of livestock farming in the Alpine region with regard to animal health, animal welfare as well as resource- and environmentally friendly, efficient and economical animal production, taking into account the challenges of climate change for alpine farming.
- Pig and Poultry Medicine
Clinical, diagnostic and manual skills for pig and poultry medicine and herd and flock health management.
- Equine Medicine
Clinical, diagnostic, manual and therapeutic skills in all areas of horse medicine.
- Food Science, Veterinary Public Health
All links in the food production chain (from feed production, breeding and animal husbandry to the consumer).
- Laboratory Animal Medicine
Specialisation in the breeding, housing and care of laboratory animals, appropriate animal experiment designs and alternatives to animal experimentation.
- Conservation Medicine (Zoo and Wildlife Medicine)
Interaction of different environmental conditions on human and wildlife health, zoo/wildlife medicine, conservation medicine, nature conservation and species conservation.
. - Reproductive Biotechnologies
Animal production, breeding hygiene, reproductive problems, genetic manipulation, genome conservation.
Graduates of the Diploma Programme in Veterinary Medicine primarily pursue careers in the following fields:
- Veterinary treatment and care
- Herd and flock health management
- Food production and food safety
- Private or public health services
- Pharmaceutical, biotechnology or other industrial companies
- Public administration
- Feed production and feed safety
- Universities, research institutes or other research/education facilities
- Animal welfare / environmental protection
