Advanced Animal Healthcare

Duration
This is a Full-time one-year course which runs from September to May. Exact details of the timetable will be given out to students during the induction process prior to class commencement in September.
Overview
This one-year course is designed as a follow-up to the QQI Level 5 Animal Healthcare course and is tailor-made to 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 Dublin College, Dun Laoghaire, 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 behaviour 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  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 and a history of employment 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 B1 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
• Kennel and Cattery Management
• Horse Conformation and Evaluation
• Humans, Animals and Society
• Communications

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.

A bespoke Animal Care iPad induction course is provided online with certification through Wriggle Connect.

All Dublin College Dun L 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.
Work Experience
Students will be required to undertake 6 6-week work placements 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. Students as part of this programme must complete six weeks’ work placement: five weeks’ in an animal enterprise of their choice and one weeks’ 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 often leads to further opportunities.
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

All assignments are submitted electronically.  Therefore, all students need access to a device such as a computer/laptop.

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
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 students’ 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 (DK784)

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

Dundalk Institute of Technology – www.dkit.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