Why Study / Key Benefits

Massey’s Master of Veterinary Medicine is a postgraduate continuing-professional-development qualification specifically designed for qualified veterinarians. It is delivered primarily by distance learning and allows practising veterinarians to deepen their knowledge while continuing their professional and personal commitments.

Key benefits include:

• Advanced postgraduate study beyond the knowledge obtained in a primary veterinary degree.
• Flexible distance and online learning that can be undertaken from anywhere in the world.
• Ability to select courses around particular areas of veterinary interest.
• Development of stronger clinical reasoning and evidence-based decision-making skills.
• Access to Massey University Library resources, including peer-reviewed journals and research material.
• Development of skills in evaluating scientific literature and applying evidence to clinical cases.
• Opportunities to undertake either a research report or supervised professional-practice capstone.
• Business-related courses can be incorporated as personal variations, allowing veterinarians to develop management and leadership skills.
• The qualification is intended for veterinarians who want to advance their knowledge without undertaking a traditional full-time campus-based veterinary programme. 

Programme Structure and Subjects / Topics

The MVM has a flexible structure. Students select between 60 and 75 credits of taught courses and then complete 45–60 credits through research or professional practice.

Examples of current taught courses include:

Small-animal medicine and surgery:

• Canine and Feline Gastroenterology – 15 credits
• Canine and Feline Endocrinology – 15 credits
• Canine and Feline Oncology – 15 credits
• Diagnostic Imaging for Small Animal Veterinarians – 15 credits
• Clinical Pathology in Small Animal Practice – 15 credits
• Canine and Feline Neurology – 15 credits
• Cardiorespiratory Medicine for Small Animal Veterinarians – 15 credits
• Canine and Feline Emergency Medicine – 15 credits
• Dermatology for Small Animal Veterinarians – 15 credits
• Canine and Feline Orthopedic Surgery – 15 credits
• Canine and Feline Soft Tissue Surgery – 15 credits
• Ophthalmology in Small Animal Practice – 15 credits.

Production-animal topics:

• Advances in Ruminant Nutrition for Veterinarians – 15 credits
• Calf Medicine, Health and Management – 15 credits
• Advanced Mastitis Management for the Production Animal Veterinarian – 15 credits
• Lameness Investigation and Control for Cattle Veterinarians – 15 credits
• Veterinary Clinical Reproduction and Fertility – 15 credits.

Evidence, epidemiology and professional development:

• Introduction to Evidence-Based Practice – 15 credits
• Applied Veterinary Epidemiology – 15 credits
• Special Topic – 15 credits
• Special Topic – 30 credits.

Introduction to Evidence-Based Practice develops skills in critically evaluating veterinary literature for evidence-based medicine, using examples from production animals, wildlife, companion animals and horses. Applied Veterinary Epidemiology develops skills in epidemiological study design and disease-outbreak investigation across a range of species.

Research/capstone options include:

• Research Report (MVM) – 45 credits
• Research Report (MVM) – 60 credits
• Advanced Professional Practice in Veterinary Science – 45 credits.

The research reports can involve original research, investigation of a problem, analysis of existing data or examination of published literature.

Business courses may also be included as personal variations, including:

• Business Law for New Zealand and International Contexts
• Leadership and People
• Marketing
• Contemporary Strategy
• Operations and Logistics
• Managing Financial Decisions
• Engage, Motivate, Persuade: Global Leadership Communication in Action.

Disciplines / Specialisations

There is an important current change to note.

Under the current regulations, the MVM is now awarded without a subject. The previous named subjects are closed to new enrolments:

• Companion Animal
• Companion Animal Surgery
• Production Animal
• Equine
• Veterinary Business Administration.

Programme Highlights

• NZQF Level 9 master's qualification.
• 120 credits.
• 1 year full-time.
• Part-time option available.
• Distance and online delivery.
• Open to international students studying online from outside New Zealand.
• Designed for already-qualified veterinarians.
• Minimum B average in the veterinary degree for direct entry.
• Veterinary qualification must be registrable in New Zealand or accepted as equivalent by Massey's Academic Board.
• Flexible selection of advanced veterinary courses.
• 45–60 credits of research or professional practice.
• Current special topics provide opportunities to study emerging or specialist areas.
• Compulsory virtual capstone workshop is delivered online.
• Palmerston North contact workshops are strongly recommended where applicable.
• Previous named MVM specialisations are closed to new enrolments.
• Current programme is awarded without a subject.

Career Outcomes

Massey states that MVM graduates can become valuable sources of expertise within veterinary practices and develop stronger communication, writing, critical-thinking and evidence-evaluation skills.

Potential career areas identified by Massey include:

• Veterinary practice
• Academic research
• Government agencies
• Animal-feed companies
• Pharmaceutical industry
• Veterinary administration
• Veterinary journalism
• Veterinary medical industry.

The qualification can also support professional development in areas such as:

• Advanced companion-animal medicine
• Production-animal veterinary practice
• Veterinary epidemiology
• Evidence-based veterinary medicine
• Clinical research
• Veterinary leadership and management
• Veterinary professional practice.

Latest Updates / Special Requirements

Several current changes are particularly important for new applicants:

• The programme has been revamped as an online/distance MVM focused on “evidence to impact”.
• The current qualification is 120 credits and normally takes one year full-time.
• The MVM is currently awarded without a subject.
• The former subjects — Companion Animal, Companion Animal Surgery, Production Animal, Equine and Veterinary Business Administration — are closed to new enrolments.
• Existing students who enrolled before 1 January 2025 can complete those subjects under transitional provisions, which expire on 31 December 2027.
• Not every listed course is offered every year.
• Current 2027 special-topic planning includes Endocrinology, Orthopedic Surgery and Ruminant Nutrition in Semester One, and Dermatology, Orthopedic Rehabilitation and potentially Calf Medicine in Semester Two.
• Contact workshops take place in Palmerston North and are strongly recommended.
• The capstone virtual contact workshop is compulsory and is delivered online in early February.
• Applicants who do not meet direct-entry requirements may be able to gain entry by completing at least two MVM courses in another Massey qualification with a B grade.
• The maximum permitted period for completing the qualification is five years, subject to approved extensions/suspensions

International Student Visa Requirements

The MVM is explicitly open to international students studying online from outside New Zealand.

Online study from outside New Zealand

If an international student remains outside New Zealand and completes the MVM remotely, a New Zealand student visa is generally not required merely to undertake the online qualification.

Study physically in New Zealand

If the student intends to travel to New Zealand for study, the Fee Paying Student Visa is the main relevant student visa.

Immigration New Zealand currently states that the Fee Paying Student Visa:

• Costs from NZ$850
• Can permit a stay of up to four years
• Has an 80% processing timeframe of up to eight weeks
• Requires an offer of place from an approved education provider
• Requires evidence of sufficient tuition funding or an applicable scholarship
• Requires sufficient living funds or an acceptable sponsor
• Requires acceptable medical and travel insurance
• Requires applicants to meet health and character requirements
• Requires a genuine reason for study in New Zealand
• Requires evidence that the applicant can leave New Zealand at the end of the stay.