advanced diploma, top up degree?? confused??!! :-(

Re: advanced diploma, top up degree?? confused??!! :-(

JaneRVN — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 17:19:06 GMT

Thanks Vicky!

The RVC diploma is also trying to prepare nurses for providing nursing research for the future, so we can have the basis of a real profession!

Re: advanced diploma, top up degree?? confused??!! :-(

Maisy — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 11:02:44 GMT

Its to do with the points system that universities require - the RVC course is academically (in terms of points) higher at Level 3 than the RCVS course (Level 2). We were told that if we chose to study a degree unrelated to veterinary nursing, the course would be recognised in that respect.

Whatever route you take to study the diploma, both are bloody hard work and should be respected and valued by employers.

Re: advanced diploma, top up degree?? confused??!! :-(

Nick Shackleton — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 10:15:08 GMT

I think that the diplomas offered Myercough and Harper Adams reckon they would be recognised outside of veterinary industry too

Re: advanced diploma, top up degree?? confused??!! :-(

Nicola Smith — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 09:44:03 GMT

If you do the top up at Harper Adams there are very few study days, mostly distance learning so can still be done while working full time. The RCVS diploma by Harper also gives you a diloma of higher education in veterinary nursing, as well as the Dip AVN qualification.

I dont think you can say that the RVC diploma is the only one recognised out of the veterinary world, nor that it is academically better than the RCVS diploma without fully understanding what other courses are on offer and what qualifications they give you. At the end of the day each to their own for what course they want to choose.

Re: advanced diploma, top up degree?? confused??!! :-(

JaneRVN — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 19:39:07 GMT

I t can also depend on where you work, standards wise and geopgraphically, as well as how you want to study.

Top up usually requires attendance at lectures during the day, so may mean working aprt-time, and being near a university that supplies it.

The RVC diploma is brilliant, the ONLY post qualification/post-grad course recognised outside the veterinary world. it is online, and so can be done anywhere, but your practice needs to be Tier 2 or a TP. You can top it up if RCVS registration means alot to you, but academically it is far better then a BSc or the RCVS diploma.

The current RVCS Diploma can be done distance learning, I think through Myerscough.

Hope that helps.

Re: advanced diploma, top up degree?? confused??!! :-(

Emma Forde RVN — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 19:02:13 GMT

Thanks for the clarification.

Re: advanced diploma, top up degree?? confused??!! :-(

Nicola Smith — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 20:03:07 GMT

No, they are 2 seperate things but you can combine the two as some of the units crossover, or just do one if you prefer!

Re: advanced diploma, top up degree?? confused??!! :-(

Emma Forde RVN — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 19:23:58 GMT

[quote user="NickyVN"]

A top up degree is to get Bsc Hons and the Diploma dip AVN.

[/quote]

Sorry to barge in but just to clarify.....does this mean that if you get the Bsc Hons you also get the Diploma?

Re: advanced diploma, top up degree?? confused??!! :-(

Nicola Smith — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 09:50:35 GMT

Sent you a pm.

Harper do the diploma and a top up degree or you can combine the two together. Their diploma is recognised by RCVS, its the RVC one that isnt. Myersocugh and Harper are the only 2 places to do diploma currently. A top up degree is to get Bsc Hons and the Diploma dip AVN.

You can study at your own pace mainly distnace learning with some friday and saturday study weekends. Working full time as well they would expct you to take 4 years to complete it.

Re: advanced diploma, top up degree?? confused??!! :-(

Stephanie Barnard-Horne RVN CertFN MBVNA — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 23:01:18 GMT

This is an email I got from the admissions office/College of Animal Welare at Middlesex University about their top up degree:

"In order to join the BSc Top Up programme you will need to become an RVN first. Under the recently announced scheme this will take you three years.

As programmes change over time it might be best to contact us closer to the time when you are likely to be ready to actually starting.

Broadly speaking the top up goes at your pace in that you can choose how many and which modules you select to study in order to gain the required numbers of credits at the required levels.

Alternatively if you have A levels or a Access to HE qualification you might wish to consider starting our BSc VN degree at Middlesex this coming September as a fulltime student. We are still open to applications if you are interested and we particularly welcome mature students. The way it works is 12 weeks of study time per annum and the rest on placement. If you are already employed in a RCVS approved training practice then this might be something to consider."

Here is their contact email: lhsconfidential@caw.ac.uk

Also Harper Adams runs a very interesting Veterinary Physiotherapy program which you can apply for if you have relevant work experience. I would say 14 years of practice time would count towards that.

Here is the info:

http://www.harper-adams.ac.uk/postgraduate/course.cfm?id=114&title=Veterinary_Physiotherapy

It'd be worth dropping them an email. All of the uni's and colleges I have emailed about the current change over have been VERY helpful and detailed in their responses. They seem keen to help people get to where they want to be.

Wishing you the best of luck!! I'll let you know if I come across anything else.

Steph