VETS6135: Intensive November - December, 2025

Units VETS6135 Intensive November - December 2025 [Normal day]

Unit outline_

VETS6135: Companion Animal Industry Placement

Intensive November - December, 2025 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

This companion animal industry placement is part of the Extramural Studies Program and provides you with a unique opportunity to increase your knowledge of animal industries. It will help you to utilise and extend your knowledge, skill levels and professional communication with companion animal operations. The unit involves a one-week practical experience at a School approved external commercial or not for profit companion animal enterprise. The definition of companion animals is diverse including cats and dogs, exotic pets, aquarium fish and reptiles. For enterprises to qualify for placements they need to have a population focus providing opportunities to refine and develop handling and husbandry skills. Enhancing knowledge of biosecurity management and work health and safety are also learning objectives for these placements. You will be under the supervision of an external supervisor who will liaise with the School, review the aims of the placement with you, and assess your performance and attendance via a standard report form. You are expected to fully participate in agreed activities whilst attending the placement, typically taking on the role of a full-time, supervised associate.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	School of Veterinary Science Academic Operations
Credit points	0
Prerequisites ?	VETS6111
Corequisites ?	VETS6115 and VETS6116
Prohibitions ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	Basic knowledge of clinical veterinary practice, confidence in interactions with animals. All content of VETS6104, VETS6111, VETS6113, VETS6115
Available to study abroad and exchange students	No

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Russell Bush, russell.bush@sydney.edu.au

Assessment

The census date for this unit availability is 5 December 2025

Details
Criteria

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length	Use of AI

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Satisfactory or not satisfactory.

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2021 (Schedule 1).

For more information see guide to grades.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

You can use generative AI tools for open assessments. Restrictions on AI use apply to secure, supervised assessments used to confirm if students have met specific learning outcomes.

Refer to the assessment table above to see if AI is allowed, for assessments in this unit and check Canvas for full instructions on assessment tasks and AI use.

If you use AI, you must always acknowledge it. Misusing AI may lead to a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy.

Visit the Current Students website for more information on AI in assessments, including details on how to acknowledge its use.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The University expects students to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

Our website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. This includes advice on how to avoid common breaches of academic integrity. Ensure that you have completed the Academic Honesty Education Module (AHEM) which is mandatory for all commencing coursework students

Penalties for serious breaches can significantly impact your studies and your career after graduation. It is important that you speak with your unit coordinator if you need help with completing assessments.

Visit the Current Students website for more information on AI in assessments, including details on how to acknowledge its use.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity	Learning outcomes

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. Reflect on the suitability of veterinary industry environments for personal learning and development
LO2. Consider and appraise the practice and economics of common animal industries.
LO3. Evaluate the potential role of the veterinarian in animal industries
LO4. Demonstrate communication skills and professionalism, and safe work practices in an animal industry environment.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Alignment with Competency standards

Outcomes	Competency standards
	Australasian Veterinary Boards Council (D1Cs) - 33. Engage in self-directed learning, continuing professional development and career planning, acknowledging the need for self- care in the context of maintaining competency.
	Australasian Veterinary Boards Council (D1Cs) - 37. Demonstrate fundamental knowledge of the organisation, management, business principles, legislation related to veterinary business(es), and personal financial management.
	Australasian Veterinary Boards Council (D1Cs) - 18. Implement and advise stakeholders on practices that promote animal welfare for an animal or group of animals.
	Australasian Veterinary Boards Council (D1Cs) - 25. Communicate effectively with clients, the public, professional colleagues, and responsible authorities, using language appropriate to the audience and context. 28. Work effectively as a member of a professional/ inter-professional team, fully recognising the contribution of each professional while promoting equity and inclusion. 30. Act professionally and ethically, compliant with legal and regulatory requirements of the relevant veterinary statutory body. 38. Promote health and safety of patients, clients, colleagues and themselves in the veterinary setting, including applying risk management principles to practice.

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

This is the first year VETS6135 is offered. The unit was developed as part of the revised DVM curriculum following extensive consultation and in response to evolving accreditation requirements. Feedback from students on extramural placements is regularly reviewed to ensure no consistent pattern of adverse experiences emerges

Additional information

Work, health and safety

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 the first day 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 here for more information on student vaccinations.

Disclaimer

Important: the University of Sydney regularly reviews units of study and reserves the right to change the units of study available annually. To stay up to date on available study options, including unit of study details and availability, refer to the relevant handbook.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Study commitment

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Alignment with Competency standards

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

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