Course description

Duration
This is a Full-time One Year course which runs from Sept. to May, 5 days a week, Exact details of the timetable will be given out to students during the induction process prior to class commencement in September.

Course Overview:

This one-year course is designed as a follow-on from the QQI Level 5 Animal Healthcare course and is tailor-made for students who wish to progress in the animal area into a working life with animals. This course caters for experience with pet and farm animals. The farm animal aspect of the course is taught in DFEi but also on-site on a working farm in Dundrum. Students also complete a one-week placement at an agricultural college in Tipperary to gain large animal farm experience. This is to ensure that students leave with practical hands-on experience with these species and will have the versatility to gain employment in either equine or farm animal businesses. Students gain a much greater understanding of the small animal industry in Ireland, including dog behavior and advanced grooming. This means that students are ready for employment or equipped to set up their own animal enterprise. Although Level 6 courses are directed more at employment/setting up your own business etc. Higher education opportunities are also options for students who complete and achieve full certification through the CAO, in a variety of third-level Institutes, with studies in wild animal management, marine biology, zoology, agriculture, and associated areas. It is important that the students consult with the individual third-level college websites for more information on admissions processes, or may refer to the QQI FET section of the CAO website at www.cao.ie

Entry Requirements:
One of the following:

Level 5 QQI Award in Animal Care (5M2768)
For Mature Applicants (aged 21 or over) – appropriate experience will be considered in lieu of formal qualifications. Note: Mature applicants may be entitled to VTOS funding. For details about VTOS, please contact the college.
Applicants whose first language is not English require level B2 competency on the CEFR language framework. Applicants may be required to undergo English language testing to establish their language competency.

Course Modules:

Animal Science and Health
Large Animal Husbandry
Wild Animal Management
Animal Grooming
Canine Obedience and Training
Work Experience
Customer Service
Kennel and Cattery Management
Horse Conformation and Evaluation
Humans, Animals, and Society

Certification:
Level 6 QQI Award Animal Science (6M5153)

Special Features:
Technology-Enhanced Learning with iPads:
Utilising technology to deliver coursework and enhance teaching and learning is particularly important for scientific subjects. DFEI’s Animal Healthcare department has been successfully using iPads since 2015 to help their students gain a fuller understanding of their subject matter through the multimedia features of the iPad. This innovative practice has proved to be very effective and is now a central aspect of the learning experience for all Animal Healthcare students in DFEi.

All DFEi students are provided with an M365 account, which gives them access to the tools and resources needed to deliver assessment work while attending their course. M365 Apps include Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, and OneDrive.

Additional Information:

Assessment:
Assessment techniques will be used to assess the knowledge and skills that students will have achieved on successful completion of modules:

Student Record
Portfolio/Collection of Work
Assignments
Examinations – written or Practical
Project

A full major award is granted on passing the relevant eight components. On successful completion of each component, you will be awarded a pass, a merit, or a distinction grade. See www.qqi.ie for more details.

Work Experience:
Students will be required to undertake a period of work placement in an organisation connected to their vocational area during the academic year. Work Experience is mandatory for all of our full-time Level 6 courses. Students are required to source their own work placement but will be assisted in this by the work experience teacher. Students as part of this programme must complete six weeks of work placement: five weeks’ in a veterinary practice and one week’s compulsory residential course in an agricultural college (to gain large farm animal experience). Students usually find the work experience element of the course to be invaluable and should bear in mind that a successful work placement can sometimes lead to further opportunities.

Progression Opportunities:

Although Level 6 is directed more at employment whereas Level 5 is the primary CAO route, Graduates are eligible to apply through the CAO and/or the Higher Education Links Scheme to a range of higher certificate and degree programmes, at Universities, Institutes of Technology and Technological Universities using their full QQI Level 5 and Level 6 major awards. Places are not guaranteed and are subject to students meeting certain criteria. It is the student’s responsibility to consult with the relevant HEI for information on the admissions process, especially if a student is looking for advanced entry into third level. Students may also refer to the QQI FET section of the CAO website. www.cao.ie

Examples of CAO progression routes are listed below.

Progression Examples:

BSc Veterinary Nursing (AL731)

Entry into 1st Year

Athlone Institute of Technology – www.ait.ie

BSc Veterinary Nursing (LY847)

Advanced entry into 2nd Year on completion of Level 5 and Level 6

Letterkenny Institute of Technology – www.lyit.ie

BSc Veterinary Nursing (DK784)

Entry into 1st Year on completion of Level 5 and Level 6

Dundalk Institute of Technology – www.dkit.ie

Career Paths:
Graduates may seek employment in veterinary clinics, dog grooming parlors, pet shops, catteries/ dog kennels, animal welfare organisations, agricultural, science industries, farms (including petting farms), zoos, wildlife parks, and self-employment (both in Ireland and abroad).

Duration:
This is a Full-time One Year course which runs from September to May, 5 days a week.