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Unit of study_
VETS6108: Foundations of Veterinary Science B
2026 unit information
Understanding normal structure and function of the animal body is critical to understanding disease and dysfunction and as such, principles of preventative and therapeutic intervention. The overarching purpose of this unit of study is to provide an advanced understanding of the normal structure and function of the major co-ordinating Systems of the mammalian body and preliminary contextual understanding of the important concepts of pathophysiology and general pathology. The unit of study is underpinned by an understanding of basic concepts and the frameworks of structure and function achieved in the Foundations of Veterinary Science A. This Unit of Study will provide the foundation for advanced learning in DVM year 2 of systemic pathology, pathophysiology and aetiopathogenesis in the setting of the major organ systems in the context of clinical scenarios of companion and production animals. Risk assessments are regularly conducted for units that require the completion of compulsory learning activities that may expose students to zoonotic diseases. These assessments aim to identify appropriate risk mitigation controls, such as vaccination against vaccine- preventable zoonoses. Vaccination against Q fever (Coxiella burnetii) is an inherent requirement for students enrolling in this unit of study. Students must be vaccinated against Q fever before commencing the unit or no later than week two of the enrolled teaching session. Q fever vaccination is only available in Australia with the vaccination process taking three weeks to complete. Students must also submit a Q fever Vaccination Declaration upon enrolment. Students who fail to receive vaccination by the specified deadline and/or submit a Q fever Vaccination Declaration are precluded from practical learning activities and will not be able to satisfactorily complete relevant units of study and/or progress in their course more generally. Please refer to the University’s website https://www.sydney.edu.au/students/q-fever-vaccinations.html for more information on student vaccinations.
Unit details and rules
Managing faculty or University school:
Science
| Study level | Postgraduate |
|---|---|
| Academic unit | School of Veterinary Science Academic Operations |
| Credit points | 12 |
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Prerequisites:
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(VETS6101 and VETS6102 and VETS6103 and VETS6104) or (VETS6111 and VETS6113 and VETS6104) |
|---|---|
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Corequisites:
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None |
| Prohibitions:
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None |
| Assumed knowledge:
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None |
At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:
- LO1. define, identify, and integrate normal anatomic and histologic structure and physiologic function of the mammalian urinary, reproduction, endocrine, nervous and lymphoid systems relevant to common veterinary procedures.
- LO2. compare and contrast the important structural and functional components of the urinary and reproduction systems of common domestic species
- LO3. use understanding of normal anatomic and histologic structure and physiologic function to predict the effect of disruption to normal function of urinary, reproduction, endocrine, nervous and lymphoid systems
- LO4. apply understanding of the three-dimensional relationships of anatomic structures of the body to evaluate structures detected by diagnostic imaging
- LO5. define, identify, and integrate normal anatomical structure with physiology of avian integument, musculoskeletal, digestive, cardiovascular, respiratory, urinary, endocrine, reproductive, and nervous systems relevant to common veterinary procedures and compare these to mammalian structure and function
- LO6. apply the general principles of basic pathological processes (cell injury; degeneration & necrosis; inflammation, immunity & repair; circulatory disturbances; tissue deposits), and host-pathogen-environment interactions to analyse and predict the pathogenesis and fundamental features of animal diseases
Unit availability
This section lists the session, attendance modes and locations the unit is available in. There is a unit outline for each of the unit availabilities, which gives you information about the unit including assessment details and a schedule of weekly activities.
The outline is published 2 weeks before the first day of teaching. You can look at previous outlines for a guide to the details of a unit.
| Session | MoA ? | Location | Outline ? |
|---|---|---|---|
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Semester 2 2026
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Normal day | Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney |
Outline unavailable
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Modes of attendance (MoA)
This refers to the Mode of attendance (MoA) for the unit as it appears when you’re selecting your units in Sydney Student. Find more information about modes of attendance on our website.