Gemma Student Story

I knew I wanted to work with horses but had not decided on a specific career path. University Centre Sparsholt’s Equine Science degree was most suited to my interests and the variety of modules kept my options open. Compared to other universities I preferred the location, small class sizes and the equine facilities. I also liked the accommodation and the option to stay on site for all three years of the course.

The course included both practical and classroom lectures which gave variety and made it a lot more interesting. I learnt academic skills, presentation skills, lab skills and dissection skills, giving me a foundation of knowledge that I now use in my current career as a Registered Equine Veterinary Nurse.

The equine centre has great facilities and a wide range of horses. The lecturers were all very friendly and knowledgeable with experience working in the equine sector. I enjoyed hearing about their previous careers and this led me to pursue a career as an Equine Veterinary Nurse as one of them had previous experience in this role. I recently completed my Level 3 Diploma in Equine Veterinary Nursing and rotate between different areas in an equine hospital including the intensive care unit, theatre, pharmacy, x-ray and in-patient care.

Although you do not need a degree to start training to be an Equine Veterinary Nurse, it is very competitive to get a position in a training practice. I believe my firstclass honours degree made me stand out as it showed I possessed the study skills to complete the diploma whilst working in a full-time position.

Don’t worry if you aren’t sure on the exact career path you want to go down as the courses on offer at Sparsholt can lead to a wide variety of careers in the equine industry or even elsewhere. The degree will give you a chance to discover what modules interest you and which areas you excel at.

BSc Equine Science