Veterinary Physiotherapy MSc

Animal handling competencies

You'll be required to have a good working knowledge of the care, management and handling of dogs and horses. We require you to submit a form confirming achievement of competencies with both horses (equine) and dogs (canine). These are listed below for guidance:

Canine competencies

• Follow hygiene protocols.
• Risk assess environments, animals and handlers.
• Approaches dogs safely and in a manner appropriate to the behaviour of the dog.
• Can fit correct and remove a collar/harness and lead correctly.
• Lead a dog safely on a short lead in a clinical/professional environment.
• Encourage a dog to move through basic positions (sit, stand, down) or transitions of pace using low arousal cues.
• Use low stress methods to return a dog to the owner/kennel/crate.
• Identify normal versus stress behaviour (ears, eye, tail, muscle tension) and adjust handling accordingly; describe when to cease handling.

Equine competencies

• Follow hygiene protocols.
• Risk assess environments, animals and handlers.
• Approach a horse safely and in a manner appropriate to the behaviour of the horse.
• Fit a head collar and tie up with a quick-release knot.
• Remove a horse from a stable and walk across yard in the correct and safe position.
• Apply a bridle and saddle.
• Lead in walk, halt, trot, and turn in hand and maintain a safe handling position.
• Return a horse to a stable, manage door and removal of restraint safely and competently.
• Lift, support and put down each foot correctly (front and hind), checking shoes/foot integrity without compromising own or horse’s balance.
• Identify normal versus stress behaviours (ears, eye, tail, muscle tension) and adjust handling accordingly; describe when to cease handling.

For some students, we will expect this to take up to three weeks of animal handling work experience to reach these competencies if they have no previous experience with the species. This does not have to be in one block. Owning your own animals will not be sufficient. Shadowing of a veterinary physiotherapist is not required at this stage. If you are unsure, please contact us to check whether your animal handling placement is adequate.

Veterinary Practice experience (Observational)

We require you to submit a form confirming evidence of a minimum of five working days in a veterinary practice.

Submission deadline

Both the Canine and Equine competencies and Veterinary Practice evidence should be submitted and met by 1 September of your year of entry for entry onto the course. If you do not meet this by this date you will be unable to register and start the course in that year of entry.

Person completing the form

The form must be completed by the person supervising your work experience placement. This person must hold a professional qualification in the equine or canine field (Equine - minimum of BHS level 3 and Canine - holds an accredited qualification). The professional signing the form must not be related to you. This needs to have been seen within 12 months of completing this form.

We welcome applications from qualified veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses, and human physiotherapists. We do however require the qualification to be to at least bachelor degree level.

Animal handling competencies

You'll be required to have a good working knowledge of the care, management and handling of dogs and horses. We require you to submit a form confirming achievement of competencies with both horses (equine) and dogs (canine). These are listed below for guidance:

Canine competencies

• Follow hygiene protocols.
• Risk assess environments, animals and handlers.
• Approaches dogs safely and in a manner appropriate to the behaviour of the dog.
• Can fit correct and remove a collar/harness and lead correctly.
• Lead a dog safely on a short lead in a clinical/professional environment.
• Encourage a dog to move through basic positions (sit, stand, down) or transitions of pace using low arousal cues.
• Use low stress methods to return a dog to the owner/kennel/crate.
• Identify normal versus stress behaviour (ears, eye, tail, muscle tension) and adjust handling accordingly; describe when to cease handling.

Equine competencies

• Follow hygiene protocols.
• Risk assess environments, animals and handlers.
• Approach a horse safely and in a manner appropriate to the behaviour of the horse.
• Fit a head collar and tie up with a quick-release knot.
• Remove a horse from a stable and walk across yard in the correct and safe position.
• Apply a bridle and saddle.
• Lead in walk, halt, trot, and turn in hand and maintain a safe handling position.
• Return a horse to a stable, manage door and removal of restraint safely and competently.
• Lift, support and put down each foot correctly (front and hind), checking shoes/foot integrity without compromising own or horse’s balance.
• Identify normal versus stress behaviours (ears, eye, tail, muscle tension) and adjust handling accordingly; describe when to cease handling.

For some students, we will expect this to take up to three weeks of animal handling work experience to reach these competencies if they have no previous experience with the species. This does not have to be in one block. Owning your own animals will not be sufficient. Shadowing of a veterinary physiotherapist is not required at this stage. If you are unsure, please contact us to check whether your animal handling placement is adequate.

Veterinary Practice experience (Observational)

We require you to submit a form confirming evidence of a minimum of five working days in a veterinary practice.

Submission deadline

Both the Canine and Equine competencies and Veterinary Practice evidence should be submitted and met by 1 September of your year of entry for entry onto the course. If you do not meet this by this date you will be unable to register and start the course in that year of entry.

Person completing the form

The form must be completed by the person supervising your work experience placement. This person must hold a professional qualification in the equine or canine field (Equine - minimum of BHS level 3 and Canine - holds an accredited qualification). The professional signing the form must not be related to you. This needs to have been seen within 12 months of completing this form.

We welcome applications from qualified veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses, and human physiotherapists. We do however require the qualification to be to at least bachelor degree level.

Please note that we can only consider international students for this course who have an immigration status which allows them to study in the UK without a student route visa e.g. settled status. 

Please note, due to the placement requirements of this course, it is not available to those who require immigration sponsorship from the University of Nottingham or a visitor visa to study or work in the UK.

If you would like to ask questions about your situation, you can contact the Visa and Immigration team at the University.

If you hold immigration permission under the EU Settlement Scheme, you are permitted to study this course. Read more information about the EU Settlement Scheme.