Why Study / Key Benefits

The Postgraduate Diploma in Veterinary Science (PGDipVSc) is a Level 8 postgraduate qualification designed for veterinary graduates who want to develop advanced knowledge and professional expertise in a particular area of veterinary science.

Key benefits include:

• Advanced postgraduate study building on a Bachelor of Veterinary Science or equivalent veterinary qualification.
• Flexible course selection, allowing students to construct a programme around their professional interests.
• Strong coverage of veterinary epidemiology, animal health data, veterinary public health, companion-animal medicine, production-animal medicine, evidence-based practice and advanced clinical topics.
• Options covering both clinical veterinary practice and population-level animal and human health.
• Veterinary public health content includes food safety, zoonoses, food-borne disease and disease prevention/control.
• Epidemiology courses develop skills in disease investigation, epidemiological study design, data analysis and outbreak investigation.
• The qualification can serve as a stepping stone toward master's-level veterinary study. Massey specifically describes the PGDipVSc as a stepping-stone to a master's degree.
• Massey's School of Veterinary Science has a strong international standing. The current programme page states that QS ranks the Veterinary School 14th in the world for Veterinary Science and highest in the Southern Hemisphere; Massey also places within the world's top 75 for Veterinary Science in ShanghaiRanking.

Programme Structure and Subjects / Topics

Students choose 120 credits from the current PGDipVSc schedule. The programme is therefore individually constructed rather than having one fixed set of compulsory subjects.

Current course areas include:

• 118705 Decision Making with Animal Health Data – 15 credits
  Animal health and economic data, production monitoring, information management, farm-level decision-making, veterinary services and animal-health economics.
• 118706 Spatial and Temporal Analysis of Epidemiologic Data – 15 credits
  Spatial and temporal epidemiological data, visualisation, measurement and interpretation of patterns.
• 118708 Current Topics in Epidemiological Methods and Data Analysis – 15 credits
  Observational-study design and management and multivariable modelling.
• 118716 Analysis of Epidemiologic Data – 30 credits
  Epidemiological data analysis in health and biosecurity, including bias, confounding, effect modification and model error.
• 118726 Veterinary Public Health – 60 credits
  Human health, food safety, HACCP, food-borne diseases, zoonoses, animal reservoirs and epidemiological disease control.
• 118751 Canine and Feline Gastroenterology – 15 credits
• 118752 Canine and Feline Endocrinology – 15 credits
• 118753 Canine and Feline Oncology – 15 credits
• 118754 Diagnostic Imaging for Small Animal Veterinarians – 15 credits
• 118755 Clinical Pathology in Small Animal Practice – 15 credits
• 118756 Canine and Feline Neurology – 15 credits
• 118757 Cardiorespiratory Medicine for Small Animal Veterinarians – 15 credits
• 118758 Avian Medicine – 15 credits
• 118759 Ophthalmology in Small Animal Practice – 15 credits
• 118761 Canine and Feline Emergency Medicine – 15 credits
• 118762 Dermatology for Small Animal Veterinarians – 15 credits
• 118763 Canine and Feline Orthopedic Surgery – 15 credits
• 118764 Canine and Feline Soft Tissue Surgery – 15 credits
• 118771 Advances in Ruminant Nutrition for Veterinarians – 15 credits
• 118772 Calf Medicine, Health and Management – 15 credits
• 118775 Advanced Mastitis Management for the Production Animal Veterinarian – 15 credits
• 118776 Lameness Investigation and Control for Cattle Veterinarians – 15 credits
• 118777 Veterinary Clinical Reproduction and Fertility – 15 credits
• 118785 Introduction to Evidence-Based Practice – 15 credits
• 118786 Applied Veterinary Epidemiology – 15 credits
• 118854 Advanced Topics in Epidemiologic Data Analysis – 15 credits. 

Disciplines / Specialisations

The current qualification is officially awarded without an endorsement for new students.

The current regulations identify three endorsements only under transitional provisions:

• Veterinary Epidemiology
• Veterinary Medicine
• Veterinary Public Health

Programme Highlights

• Level 8 postgraduate qualification.
• 120 credits.
• One year full-time.
• Part-time option.
• Manawat? campus and distance/online study.
• International students can study on campus in New Zealand or online from outside New Zealand.
• Flexible course selection.
• Advanced veterinary clinical and population-health subjects.
• Veterinary epidemiology and animal-health data analysis.
• Veterinary public health and One Health-related subject matter.
• Small-animal medicine and surgery options.
• Production-animal medicine, nutrition, mastitis and cattle-health options.
• Evidence-based veterinary practice.
• Potential pathway toward master's-level veterinary study.
• Massey Veterinary School is currently listed by Massey as 14th worldwide for Veterinary Science in QS and within the world's top 75 in ShanghaiRanking.

Career Outcomes

The programme is designed for qualified veterinarians seeking advanced professional knowledge rather than initial veterinary registration.

Potential career directions depend on the courses selected and can include:

• Veterinary clinical practice
• Companion-animal medicine
• Production-animal veterinary practice
• Veterinary epidemiology
• Veterinary public health
• Animal health management
• Biosecurity
• Food safety
• Zoonotic disease control
• Disease surveillance and outbreak investigation
• Animal-health policy and advisory work
• Veterinary research and academic work
• Government veterinary services
• International animal-health organisations
• Further master's and research study

Latest Updates / Special Requirements

• The current qualification is awarded without an endorsement for new students.
• Veterinary Epidemiology, Veterinary Medicine and Veterinary Public Health remain in the regulations only through transitional provisions for students enrolled before 1 January 2025.
• The transitional arrangement expires on 31 December 2027.
• A Bachelor of Veterinary Science or equivalent veterinary qualification is mandatory for admission.
• The Academic Board determines equivalence where an applicant holds a veterinary qualification other than the Massey BVSc.
• The qualification requires attendance at field trips, workshops, tutorials, laboratories or similar activities where these are required by the selected courses.
• Individual courses may have prerequisites and restrictions.
• The qualification may be awarded with Merit or Distinction where the relevant academic requirements are met.
• 2027 programme-specific intake date: Not publicly specified – please confirm with IPU.
• IPU-specific admission or articulation requirements for this Massey qualification: Not publicly specified – please confirm with IPU.

International Student Visa Requirements

For an international student physically studying the PGDipVSc in New Zealand, the relevant visa is generally the New Zealand Fee Paying Student Visa.

Current Immigration New Zealand requirements include:

• Cost: from NZD 850
• Maximum stay: up to 4 years
• Processing: 80% within 8 weeks
• Application: online
• Immigration New Zealand recommends applying at least 3 months before intended travel.

Students generally need:

• An offer of place from an approved New Zealand education provider.
• Sufficient funds to pay tuition fees or evidence of a scholarship.
• Sufficient living funds or an acceptable sponsor.
• Acceptable medical and travel insurance.
• Evidence satisfying health and character requirements where applicable.
• Genuine intentions to study.
• Evidence that they intend and are able to leave New Zealand at the end of their stay.

Living funds:

• NZD 20,000 for each year for tertiary study of one year or more.
• NZD 1,667 per month where the study period is less than one year.

Work rights:

• Eligible tertiary students may receive student-visa conditions allowing work up to 25 hours per week.
• Full-time work may be permitted during scheduled holidays, depending on the conditions of the individual visa.
• Students must check the actual work conditions stated on their eVisa or visa letter.