Lecturers' pay dispute may impact on VN Higher Education Awards

The RCVS has advised providers of Higher Education awards (degrees) in veterinary nursing that only candidates whose course work and examination papers are fully marked will be eligible for RCVS veterinary nursing qualifications.

This comes as some course providers make contingency plans for the possibility of examination and coursework scripts remaining unmarked during the current lecturers' pay dispute.

Where students are given the option of receiving an award based on at least 75% of their work being marked, or to wait until the totality of their work has been marked, the College is advising students to wait.

Veterinary nursing qualifications can be awarded at any time of year; however, they will not be awarded to those whose degree result is based on unmarked work.

Whilst the majority of foundation and honours degree awards are not yet fully accredited by the RCVS as registerable veterinary nursing qualifications (with most students still required to take the RCVS external examinations), these degrees should nonetheless be based upon full achievement of all assessed elements. 

"We appreciate that the conferment of awards where a proportion of assessment remains unmarked may be expedient in some circumstances. However, such degrees will not be acceptable as registerable veterinary nursing qualifications," stresses Mrs Libby Earle, RCVS Head of Veterinary Nursing.  "Our accreditation of veterinary nursing HE awards is agreed on the basis of the achievement of a whole award, and the competencies and knowledge inherent within it."