The University of Liverpool Bovine Reproduction PGDip is a two-year part-time postgraduate course.
Students study a selection of modules and complete a 10,000 dissertation in order to graduate with a Postgraduate Diploma.
This two year part-time master's level programme is known as the Diploma in Bovine Reproduction continuing the tradition started when the programme commenced in the 1980’s and reflects the academic comparability to Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) Diploma qualifications. The qualification is recognised by both the RCVS and European College of Animal Reproduction (ECAR). It provides postgraduate education in an important aspect of the bovine health. The overall aims of the programme are to enable veterinary surgeons in regular contact with cattle to:
achieve a widely-based and deep understanding of bovine reproduction, which will enable them to provide sound scientific advice to the cattle industry;
develop appropriate skills; and
maintain a critical approach to their own work.
The programme is modular in structure, with eight residential weeks spaced over two years. Learning methods include lectures, demonstrations, videos, practical work, discussions, field visits and directed reading. Participants will be expected to satisfy essay and work based continual assessments for each module during the course; to pass written, practical and oral examinations of the final module at the end of the programme; and to present a dissertation, not exceeding 10,000 words, before the award of the Diploma.
Guidance is given by staff of the University of Liverpool and by invited contributors, each a recognised authority in a specialised field. Teaching takes place mainly at Leahurst, the University of Liverpool’s rural campus.
Although mainly restricted to the study of reproduction in cattle, the programme includes reference to other species to establish biological principles or to illustrate concepts for which information is not available in cattle and also covers key areas impinging on fertility such as nutrition and infectious disease.
Module Code Module Title Credits
Module DBRM611 Normal Non-Pregnant Female 15
Module DBRM612 Nutrition and Fertility 15
Module DBRM613 Fertility in Post-Partum Period 15
Module DBRM614 The Male 15
Module DBRM615 Genetics 15
Module DBRM616 Early Pregnancy 15
Module DBRM617 Late Pregnancy and Parturition 5
Module DBRM618 Synopsis and the Future 15
Module DBRM621 Dissertation 60
RAE 2008
In the latest Research Assessment Exercise, 45% of the School’s research activity was deemed world-leading or internationally excellent and a further 45% internationally recognised.
Facilities
The School has two bases: the University’s main campus in Liverpool and the Leahurst campus in Wirral. Leahurst has highly equipped research laboratories, which are shared with the research institutes of the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, as well as being home to the Philip Leverhulme Equine Hospital, the Farm Animal Practice and the Small Animal Teaching Hospital.
Our clinics provide numerous cases for clinical investigation, as do our co-operating veterinary surgeons in private practice. The School also has excellent relationships with farming enterprises and Chester Zoo.
Individual topics within the DBR are also offered as CPD for those who do not wish to attend the whole programme.
Why School of Veterinary Science?
Excellent reputation
The DBR has been successfully completed by over 100 vets whilst working in full time clinical practice. It has an academic and support structure proven to achieve a high completion rate whilst maintaining academic rigour validated by RCVS and ECAR external observers.
Many leading cattle clinicians have obtained the qualification and feedback from past students is excellent.
Consistently strong League Table and National Student Survey performance
Veterinary Science at Liverpool is consistently highly rated in The Times Good University Guide (rated 2nd in the UK in 2011), the Complete University Guide (rated 1st in the UK 2011), and in the National Student Survey (rated first or second for several years).
Collaboration across academic disciplines
Our staff work closely with colleagues from medicine, life sciences, and the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, not only on animal disease and welfare, but on human health too – taking a ‘one health’ approach from long before the phrase was invented. We also collaborate with colleagues from social sciences to exploit fully the comparative nature of veterinary science. This greatly extends the postgraduate study and research opportunities at Liverpool.
Wide coverage across the postgraduate programmes
The School of Veterinary Science at the University of Liverpool provides excellent postgraduate scientific and clinical training, from population to whole animal studies to the molecular level.
Recognised by the European College of Animal Reproduction
Successful reproduction is the cornerstone of the dairy industry. The DBR has been rin for nearly 30 years and has been completed by some of the leading farm animal vets practicing in the U.K. They have also contributed back into the course to maintain its relevance to modern Cattle Practice.
The DBR is recognised as a Diploma level qualification by RCVS and a recognised training course by the European College of Animal Reproduction.
Course participants are in employment as veterinary surgeons and most become employed in specialist private practice. Some have moved to academia internationally.
Many practices are using the fact they have DBR holders and support such study when advertising for new staff and to gain farmer clients. Candidates use the qualification as a springboard to specialisation.
The following postgraduate funding may be available to study the Bovine Reproduction PGDip at The University of Liverpool.
(English and Welsh postgraduate loans are not currently available for Postgraduate Diploma courses.)
This programme involves an in-depth scientific approach to managing health and welfare, reproduction, behaviour, nutrition and exercise for horses. You will also learn how to practically apply a scientific approach to benefit horse health, welfare and performance.
Our online programme is the first and only Equine Science programme to be hosted within an international centre of veterinary excellence. It provides students with detailed knowledge and understanding of equine science and its applications and is excellent preparation for enhancing your equine career or future independent research such as a a PhD.
Our online learning technology is fully interactive, award-winning and enables you to communicate with our highly qualified teaching staff from the comfort of your own home or workplace.
Our online students not only have access to Edinburgh’s excellent resources, but also become part of a supportive online community, bringing together students and tutors from around the world.
The taught part of the programme consists of a series of courses, while the final year is devoted to a dissertation.
Certificate and Diploma courses:
Your final year dissertation of a maximum of 9,000 words will allow you to analyse and present relevant research data that you have collected yourself. Alternatively, you can undertake desk study to explore and develop your own area of interest.
Read more about how the programme is structured:
Programme duration
The full MSc Equine Science programme can be completed within two years if students wish to study several courses at any one time, so all taught courses are completed in one year and the second year is devoted to a dissertation project.
Alternatively students can take up to 6 years to complete the full MSc programme and there is also the option to graduate with either an Equine Science postgraduate certificate or diploma.
Postgraduate Professional Development
Postgraduate Professional Development (PPD) is aimed at working professionals who want to advance their knowledge through a postgraduate-level course(s), without the time or financial commitment of a full Masters, Postgraduate Diploma or Postgraduate Certificate.
You may take a maximum of 50 credits worth of courses over two years through our PPD scheme. These lead to a University of Edinburgh postgraduate award of academic credit. Alternatively, after one year of taking courses you can choose to transfer your credits and continue on to studying towards a higher award on a Masters, Postgraduate Diploma or Postgraduate Certificate programme. Although PPD courses have various start dates throughout a year you may only start a Masters, Postgraduate Diploma or Postgraduate Certificate programme in the month of September. Any time spent studying PPD will be deducted from the amount of time you will have left to complete a Masters, Postgraduate Diploma or Postgraduate Certificate programme.
Graduates from this research-rich, taught MSc will be prepared for employment in research establishments, such as universities and research institutions; industry, such as feed companies, stud farms, pharmaceuticals and consultancy firms; government organisations, such as ADAS and DEFRA; and welfare organisations such as the RSPCA, WSPA and WHW.
