Bachelor of Veterinary Biology/Bachelor of Veterinary Science
at Charles Sturt University, New South Wales.
A six-year integrated double degree (Bachelor of Veterinary Biology and Bachelor of Veterinary Science) at the Wagga Wagga campus. CSUs program is uniquely focused on rural, mixed and livestock-focused veterinary practice with the Veterinary Clinical Centre.
ATAR cutoff history
Published cutoff data for the Charles Sturt University Bachelor of Veterinary Biology/Bachelor of Veterinary Science. We never invent figures; entries marked "not published" mean the university or admissions centre has not released a verified cutoff for that intake.
| Intake year | ATAR cutoff | Admissions centre |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | ATAR cutoff not published | UAC |
| 2024 | ATAR cutoff not published | UAC |
| 2023 | ATAR cutoff not published | UAC |
No verified cutoffs are available. Confirm the latest figure on the official UAC cutoff release.
Prerequisite Year 12 subjects
Brush up on each prerequisite with our state-syllabus explainers and dot points.
What you will study
CSU runs veterinary education as a long-form combined or postgraduate-entry pathway. The Bachelor of Veterinary Biology is the three-year pre-clinical degree, providing the academic foundations before students enter the four-year Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) at CSU (combined six-year pathway). Year one covers anatomy, biochemistry, cell biology, animal husbandry and biostatistics. Year two layers comparative animal physiology, microbiology, genetics, animal behaviour and pre-clinical pharmacology. Year three carries pathology foundations, immunology, applied genetics, parasitology and a research methods unit. Hands-on animal work begins from year one with extensive farm and rural placements. Veterinary Schools Council of Australia accreditation through the AVBC (Australasian Veterinary Boards Council) requires extensive clinical and rural placement hours - typically more than 20 weeks total of supervised work before graduation from the DVM stream.
Example first-year subjects
- Veterinary Anatomy 1
- Animal Biochemistry
- Animal Husbandry and Production
- Foundations of Veterinary Biology
- Biostatistics for Veterinary Science
- Indigenous Australians and Animals
How you will be assessed
- Weekly laboratory reports in anatomy and physiology
- Mid-semester tests and final exams of 50 to 70 percent
- Animal handling and clinical skills practical assessments
- Husbandry placement journals and supervisor evaluation
- Group research presentations and case studies
- OSCE-style clinical skills exams in upper years (DVM)
Placement and industry experience
Veterinary education requires extensive practical placement: animal husbandry (typically 8 weeks of farm and dairy placements), small animal practice rotations, large animal and equine practice, government and regulatory veterinary work (DPI, NSW Local Land Services), pathology labs and emergency clinics. Students complete most placements unpaid for credit, typically during summer breaks. CSU has a teaching hospital and on-campus animal facilities, plus partnerships with rural mixed-practice clinics across regional NSW.
Career outcomes
- Graduates are registered veterinarians, with a strong focus on rural, regional and mixed-practice veterinary medicine across inland NSW and Victoria.
- First-year jobs typically include rural mixed practice in Wagga Wagga, Albury, Dubbo and surrounding regions, plus livestock-focused practice and government veterinary roles.
- Many alumni take ownership of rural practices, move into the NSW DPI and Animal Health Australia, or pursue specialty registration in livestock medicine and reproduction.
Professional accreditation
- Australasian Veterinary Boards Council accredited
- Veterinary Practitioners Board of NSW registration eligible
Typical first jobs
- Continuing into the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM, combined pathway)
- Veterinary nurse or technician (with additional certification) while pursuing DVM
- Animal-care officer with NSW Department of Primary Industries
- Wildlife rehabilitation officer with NSW National Parks
- Research assistant in veterinary and animal science
- Agribusiness graduate in livestock and dairy industries
Graduate starting salary
$75,000 - $90,000 per year
Source: https://www.jobsandskills.gov.au/jobs/veterinarians. Last reviewed 2026-05-21.
After graduation
BVetBiol graduates progress into the four-year Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) at CSU (combined pathway), or apply to DVM programs at other Australian or international universities. DVM graduates apply for registration with the Veterinary Practitioners Board of NSW (state registration is mandatory). Postgraduate options include specialty residencies in surgery, internal medicine, anaesthesia, pathology, dermatology and others (typically three to four years post-DVM). Research pathways via PhD lead to academic and research-institute careers.
Is this the right degree for you?
You probably thrive here if
- Students with strong biology and chemistry foundations
- Those genuinely comfortable working with large and small animals including livestock
- People willing to do extended rural and farm placements
- Students aware of the long combined pathway (six years for full registration)
- Those resilient to working with animal injury, euthanasia and emotional clients
It is probably not for you if
- Students drawn to vet science only for small-animal practice (the curriculum is heavily mixed-species and rural)
- Those uncomfortable working with cattle, horses or wildlife
- Anyone unwilling to do unpaid rural placements over summers
Related courses at CSU
Sources
- https://study.csu.edu.au/courses/animal-veterinary-sciences/bachelor-veterinary-biology-bachelor-veterinary-science
- https://www.uac.edu.au/
Course details are summarised by ExamExplained, not copied from the university. Confirm course content and ATAR cutoffs on the Charles Sturt University handbook and on UAC before applying. Page generated at https://examexplained.com.au/uni/csu/bachelor-of-veterinary-biology-veterinary-science.