PROGRAMME REGULATIONS
Programme Schedule
New Zealand Certificate in Animal Technology
To be read in conjunction with Unitec Generic Certificate Regulations.
1.
Programme Schedule
This schedule applies to the New Zealand Certificate in Animal Technology (NZCAT)
(Level 5, 120 credits) with strand in Veterinary Nursing Assistant.
2.
Programme Specific Admission
2.1
Specific Admission
The General Admission requirements set out in the Certificate Generic Regulations
do not apply to this programme; to be admitted to this programme, all applicants
must:
a. have completed 60 NCEA credits at level 2; and
b. have a minimum of 12 NCEA credits in English at Level 2 and 12 credits in Maths
at level 1; and 12 credits of relevant science at level 1; or
c. have equivalent tertiary study.
Students should be able to demonstrate previous experience working with animals,
and an aptitude for working with the public.
a. All applicants must spend at least three days in a veterinary clinic before applying
for this programme. Applicants must supply a letter of recommendation from the
veterinary clinic with their application.
b. An aptitude for working with the public may include reference from an employer
where the prospective student has worked with the public (e.g. retail), reference
from a teacher attesting to social skills.
c. Complete a self-declaration of criminal conviction(s) and any medical condition(s)
that may prevent full participation in the programme; and
d. Sign a consent form allowing a Ministry of Justice convictions database search by
a third party (in this instance Unitec Institute of Technology). Any applicants with
undeclared convictions identified will be referred to the Admissions Committee;
and
New Zealand Certificate in Animal Technology (Veterinary Nursing Assistant)
e. Provide a completed medical declaration indicating there is no evidence of a
medical condition that will impact on their ability to practice safely as a veterinary
nurse assistant.
3.
Selection Criteria
a. If the number of applicants exceeds the number of places available, the following
selection criteria and processes will be used:





apply before October 1st
hold academic qualifications at or above the minimum requirement for
certificate entry
hold academic qualifications in science
have work, or other experience, in veterinary clinical or related animal
organisation;
can demonstrate a strong commitment to succeed on the programme.
b. These criteria are not ranked in any order. Applicants who meet the maximum
number of listed criteria will be the preferred candidates.
4.
Selection Process
a. The Programme Committee has delegated authority to the Programme Leader to
select students for admission to the programme.
b. Applicants may be invited to attend an interview.
5.
Requirements for the Award of the Qualification
5.1
Course details: New Zealand Certificate in Animal Technology (Veterinary
Nursing Assistant)
To be awarded the New Zealand Certificate in Animal Technology (Veterinary
Nursing Assistant) a student must have successfully completed 120 credits as set out
in Table 1.
Table 1: Requirements for the Award of the Qualification
Course
Level
Credits
Compulsory
Elective
Total
4
30
0
30
5
90
0
90
Total
120
New Zealand Certificate in Animal Technology (Veterinary Nursing Assistant)
Table 2: Course details: New Zealand Certificate in Animal Technology (Veterinary
Nursing Assistant)
All courses are compulsory.
Course No.
Course Name
Credits
Prerequisites
Corequisites
Level 4
NSCI4700
Vertebrate Anatomy and
Physiology
15
NSCI4703
Animal Business Studies
15
NSCI5702
Introduction to Animal Behaviour
and Welfare
15
NSCI5705
Animal Clinical Care
15
NSCI5710
Clinical Animal Care Practicum
30
NSCI 5705
NSCI5711
Introduction to Veterinary
Anaesthetic and Surgical
Procedures
15
NSCI 4700
NSCI5738
Animal Husbandry
15
Level 5
5.2
Attendance
a. Students must attend 100% of NSCI5710 Clinical Animal Care Practicum.
b. Attendance at practical assessments is as directed in the relevant course
information.
c. Students are required to produce a Special Assessment Circumstances (SAC)
and relevant evidence for all coursework that is missed.
5.3
Practical Requirement
Students must complete (shift work might be required):
Highly Blended Delivery:
 a minimum of 40 hrs in the Unitec Veterinary Simulation Clinic and VetCare
Unitec (or VetCare Grey Lynn);
 200 hrs of experience required in a private external veterinary practice;
On-site Delivery:
 a minimum of 160 hrs based in the VetCare Unitec (or VetCare Grey Lynn);
 80 hrs of experience required in a private external veterinary practice.
Summer School:
 a minimum of 130 hrs based in the VetCare Unitec (or VetCare Grey Lynn);
 110 hrs of experience required in a private external veterinary practice
6.
Credit Recognition and Exemptions
a. Credit recognition will be determined on a case by case basis by the Programme
Committee in accordance with Unitec’s Credit Recognitions Policy.
b. Students who hold the Unitec level 4 Certificate in Animal Management – generic
stream (enrolled 2016 or later) may apply and be granted credit recognition from
CAM into the NZCAT-VNA, at the discretion of the programme committee, as
shown in Table 3 below.
New Zealand Certificate in Animal Technology (Veterinary Nursing Assistant)
Table 3: Level 4 and 5 courses which may be credited from non-endorsed Certificate
Animal Management into the NZCAT-VNA (total 75 credits)
Levels Course No
Course Title
Credits
4
NSCI 4700
Vertebrate Anatomy Physiology
15
4
NSCI 4703
Animal Business Studies
15
5
NSCI 5702
Introduction to Animal Behaviour and Welfare
15
5
NSCI 5705
Clinical Animal Care
15
5
NSCI 5738
Animal Husbandry
15
c. Students who hold the Unitec level 4 Certificate in Animal Management – Canine
Behaviour and Training (CAM-CBT) may apply and be granted credit recognition
from CAM into the NZCAT-VNA, at the discretion of the programme committee,
as shown in Table 4 below.
Table 4: Level 4 and 5 courses which may be credited from Certificate Animal
Management (Canine Behaviour and Training), Total 45 credits
Levels
Course No
Course Title
Credits
4
NSCI 4700
Vertebrate Anatomy and Physiology
15
4
NSCI 5703
Animal Business Studies
15
5
NSCI5702
Introduction to Animal Behaviour and Welfare
15
d. Students who hold the Unitec level 4 Certificate in Animal Management – Captive
Wild Animals (CAM-CWA) may apply and be granted credit recognition from CAM
into the NZCAT-VNA, at the discretion of the programme committee, as shown in
Table 5 below.
Table 5: Level 4 course which may be credited from Certificate Animal Management
(Captive Wild Animals), Total 15 credits.
7.
Levels
Course No
Course Title
Credits
4
NSCI 4700
Vertebrate Anatomy and Physiology
15
Assessment of Prior Learning
Assessment of prior learning may be applied, at the discretion and conditions set by the
Programme Committee and the Programme Leader in accordance with Unitec’s Assessment
of Prior Learning Policy.
Guidelines for each APL are detailed in Table 6 below to ensure standards are met in line
with the level and learning outcomes of the programme.
New Zealand Certificate in Animal Technology (Veterinary Nursing Assistant)
Table 6: Conditions for the Assessment Prior Learning
Course No.
Course Title
Credit Conditions
NSCI 4703
Animal Business Studies
15
NSCI 5702
15
NSCI 5710
Introduction to Animal Behaviour
and Welfare
Animal Clinical Care Practicum
NSCI 5705
Animal Clinical Care
15
NSCI 5711
Introduction to Veterinary
Anaesthetic and Surgical
Procedures
Animal Husbandry
15
NSCI 5738
8.
Assessment
8.1
Assessment basis
30
15
Provide evidence of relevant
experience in animal business and
adequate communication skills.
Provide evidence of relevant work
experience
Provide evidence of relevant work
experience
Provide evidence of relevant work
experience
Provide evidence of relevant work
experience
Evidence of animal husbandry skills
a. All written assessment is achievement based using an 11 point grading scale.
b. Requirements to pass individual assessment items within each course are
detailed in the course outlines
8.2
Calculation of course grades
a. Course grades will be determined by the mathematical aggregation of weighted
assessment marks and reported according to the following scale:
Table 7: Course Grades
Grade
Percentage
Result
A+
A
90 – 100
85 – 89
Pass
Pass
AB+
80 – 84
75 – 79
Pass
Pass
B
70 – 74
Pass
BC+
65 – 69
60 – 64
Pass
Pass
C
C-
55 – 59
50 – 54
Pass
Pass
D
40 – 49
Fail
E
0 - 39
Fail
b. Students may be awarded one of the following grades for a course if they meet
the criteria described.
Table 8: Grade Criteria
Grade
Meaning
Criteria
CR
Credit
Recognition
The student has applied for and been awarded a credit
recognition from another qualification
New Zealand Certificate in Animal Technology (Veterinary Nursing Assistant)
8.3
Grade
Meaning
Criteria
DEF
CTG
Deferred
Course
Continuing
R
Restricted Pass
W
Withdrawn
DNC
Did not
complete
The course result has been deferred
For any course that runs for more than one semester
where the student has not yet completed the final
summative assessment
The student has been awarded a restricted pass subject to
the definitions within this schedule
If a student withdraws from a course after the 10% date of
the course is completed and up to or at the 75% date of
the course. No credits earned.
A student has either withdrawn after the 75% date of the
course has been taught or not attempted a compulsory
item of assessment within a course. No Credits earned.
Conditions Applying to Restricted Passes
a. The Programme Committee may award a ‘restricted pass’ in a course that was
narrowly failed and where the Programme Committee considers that marginal
failure is compensated by good overall performance.
b. Except in exceptional circumstances, no more than one restricted pass may be
awarded to any student in this programme.
8.4
Submission and late submission of work
a. Assignment work that is submitted after the due date, and does not have an
approved extension or Special Assessment Circumstances application, will not be
marked.
b. Requests for extension of assignment submission must be made in writing on the
correct Special Assessment Circumstances Form to the Course Co-ordinator at
least 24 hours prior to the date of the assessment. This must be accompanied by
a written justification and supporting evidence for the application to be considered.
c. Formal application for Special Assessment Circumstances must be made to the
Programme Administrator on the approved form no later than 5 working days after
the due date of the summative assessment and must be accompanied by a
written justification and supporting evidence for the application to be considered.
8.5
Re-sits and resubmissions
a. The opportunity to resit an exam and/or resubmit a failed piece of work is at the
discretion of the Programme Committee and should be offered at the point of
course results ratification at the end of each semester.
b. Unless in exceptional circumstances, only students who have a ‘D’ course
grade, and who have reasonably attempted all the assessment items and have
the capacity to pass the course, with a C- grade on resit/resubmission, will be
offered the opportunity to resit an exam or resubmit a piece of work.
c. Students may only resit or resubmit one assessment item for each course and the
overall performance of the student and/or Special Assessment Circumstances will
be taken into account when offering resits and/or resubmissions.
d. Students may only resit an assessment or examination to a maximum of two
courses during any one academic year and/or at each level.
e. The maximum mark awarded for a resit or resubmission of an assessment item is
a C- (54%)
New Zealand Certificate in Animal Technology (Veterinary Nursing Assistant)
f.
Dates for resit exams will be set by the Department. Dates for assignment resubmissions will be at the discretion of the Programme Leader
g. The student must advise the Programme Leader in writing of their intention to
resubmit or resit the assessment item within seven days of receipt of the
opportunity notification.
h. A fee will be charged to the student for each resit and resubmission.
8.6
Assessment in Te Reo Māori
Students wishing to complete assessments using Te Reo Māori may do so as per
Unitec’s Assessemt in Te Reo Māori Policy.
8.7
Health and Safety requirements
a. Students may be exposed to chemical, biological and mechanical hazards as part
of their practical experience. As an employee with any organisation sponsoring
practical experience, students are required to comply with requirements of the
Health and Safety Employment Act (1992).
b. It is recommended that all students ensure that they have current tetanus
vaccinations.
9.
Transitional Arrangements
a. Students who have started but not completed either the Unitec Certificate in
Animal Management (Animal Clinical Care) or the Unitec Diploma in Veterinary
Nursing have 3 years to finish the qualification but will be offered the opportunity to
transfer into the new qualification where applicable.
b. Students who have successfully completed a level 4 course as listed in Table 8
below (left column) undertake a modified course of study where they will be
required to complete an assessment event over a three week period to
demonstrate competency at level 5. Students will be offered a tutorial session to
explain the requirements of the required assessment. Upon successful completion
of the assessment, the student will be eligible for credit recognition for level 5
courses as listed in the table below (4th column).
This transitional arrangement will expire at the end of semester 1, 2018.
New Zealand Certificate in Animal Technology (Veterinary Nursing Assistant)
Table 9
Old course
10.
Level
Credit Transitional
arrangements
New
course
Level
Credit
NSCI4705
Animal Clinical
Care
4
15
Step Up short
course
NSCI5705
5
15
NSCI4710
Animal Clinical
Care Practicum
4
30
Step Up short
course
NSCI5710
5
30
NSCI4711
Veterinary
Anaesthesia and
Analgesia
4
15
Step Up short
course
NSCI5711
5
15
Commencement
These regulations came into force in Semester 1, 2016.
New Zealand Certificate in Animal Technology (Veterinary Nursing Assistant)