The purpose of this qualification is to prepare individuals as a veterinary nursing care professional by providing them with the skills, knowledge and attributes needed to help animals attain, maintain or recover optimal health and quality of life. Graduates will also be able to practice sustainably and to engage in on-going learning in the field.
One year full-time
2022 Semester 1: 08 February to 11 November
This programme is eligible for the Zero Fees Scheme.
International Fees can be found here.
This qualification is targeted at individuals who have already completed the Veterinary Nursing Assistant strand of New Zealand Certificate in Animal Technology (Level 5) or equivalent and who seek to further their veterinary nursing education.This qualification will provide individuals with technical veterinary nursing skills in a clinical environment as well as the ability to manage patients and clients, and follow protocols in all aspects of clinical veterinary practice.
Graduates of this qualification will be able to:
DVN611 Diagnostic Sampling
DVN612 Veterinary First Aid and Triage
DVN614 Surgical Instruments and Medical Imaging
DVN615 Manage Veterinary Nursing Services
DVN621 Surgical Veterinary Nursing
DVN622 Medical Veterinary Nursing
Graduates of this qualification may be employed in a veterinary clinic as a veterinary nurse.
Applicants should be a minimum of 16 years of age, and have attained the New Zealand Certificate in Animal Technology (Level 5), (Veterinary Assistance strand).
Applicants over the age of 20 years at time of enrolment will be considered where they can demonstrate the ability to succeed in a programme. Examples of demonstration of ability to succeed are the provision of evidence of successful completion of a programme of study at Level 3 or above in a related discipline and/or employment in the related sector for one or more years. They may be admitted subject to programme regulations approved by the Head of Faculty in consultation with the Programme Manager as appropriate. Personal commitment and a belief in one’s own ability to succeed are important personal traits and will always be taken into consideration during the selection process.
English Language Requirements
Applicants, whose first language is not English, or who come from a country where the language of instruction in schools is not English, are required to provide evidence of having achieved one of the following
NCEA Level 3 with University Entrance, or
an International Baccalaureate Diploma or Cambridge A- level qualification for which the teaching and assessment was conducted in English; or
Cambridge Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CELTA),or Trinity College London Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CertTESOL);or
Successful completion of all primary education (being the equivalent of New Zealand primary school years 1 to 8) and at least three years of secondary education (being the equivalent of three years from New Zealand secondary school years 9 to 13) at schools in either New Zealand,,Australia,Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States one of the countries listed in Rule 18.5 where the student was taught using English as the language of instruction; or
Successful completion of at least five years of secondary education (being the equivalent of New Zealand secondary school years 9 to 13) at schools in either New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States where the student was taught using English as the language of instruction; or
Successful completion of a Bachelor's Degree, Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma, Bachelor Honours degree, Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma, Masters' Degree or Doctoral Degree, the language of instruction of which must be in English and which must be from a tertiary education provider from New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom or the United States or
Successful completion of one of the following internationally recognised proficiency tests listed below to the level required of the programme of study and with all scores achieved in a single test during the two years preceding the proposed date of enrolment
IELTS test - Academic score of 6 with no band score lower than 5.5 TOEFL Paper based test (pBT) - Score of 550 (with an essay score 5 TWE) TOEFL Internet based test (iBT) - Score of 60 (with a writing score of 18) Cambridge English Examination - B2 First or B2 First for schools or C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency with a score of 169. No less than 162 in each skill. OET - Minimum of Grade C or 200 in all sub-tests NZCEL - a) Expiring Level b) Current: a) Level 4 (Academic) b) Level 4 (Academic) Pearson Test of English (Academic) - PTE (Academic) score of 50 with no band score lower than 42 Language Cert - C1 Expert IESOL (LRWS) with PASS and no less than Pass in each skill Trinity ISE - ISE II with no less than distinction in any band
* New versions of some NZCEL qualifications, and in some cases new qualifications, were published on 13 June 2017. These are intended to replace pre-existing versions and qualifications, which have been given expiring status until discontinued on 31 December 2019. (a) denotes expiring (b) denotes current
To satisfactorily complete the New Zealand Diploma in Veterinary Nursing (Level 6), and be awarded this qualification the student must successfully achieve a minimum of 120 credits in accordance with the Programme schedule for the New Zealand Diploma in Veterinary nursing (Level 6).
(Please note: students failing to attend for 80% of timetabled programme hours may forfeit zero fees entitlement)
Classes are held Monday to Friday, 9.00am-4.00pm at SIT's Invercargill campus. The timetable will be confirmed at the start of each term during the year.
