Graduate Certificate in Dairy Herd Health
This programme is timely given the recent establishment of Animal Health Ireland, a national herd health initiative. The course will draw on the experience gained by the Dairy Herd Health Group UCD in investigating many herd problems throughout Ireland. The programme will consist of modules in herd health skills, dairy herd fertility, nutrition and production disease, milk quality and mastitis, calf health and heifer rearing, and bio-secure/infectious diseases.
This is a distance programme that is delivered on-line through the use of problem-based learning with current herd problems providing the necessary material.
Click here to view a short presentation about the programme.
Duration: 18 months
Starting: August 2012
Contact: Dr Finbar Mulligan
Fees: Fees Information
Next Cycle: August 2014
What will I learn from the UCD Graduate Certificate in Dairy Herd Health programme?
The UCD Graduate Certificate in Dairy Herd Health will draw on the experience gained by the Dairy Herd Health Group UCD in investigating many herd problems throughout Ireland.
The programme will consist of modules in herd health skills, dairy herd fertility, nutrition and production disease, milk quality and mastitis, calf health and heifer rearing, and bio-secure/infectious diseases.
Where can I go after the UCD Graduate Certificate in Dairy Herd Health programme?
The programme is designed to equip dairy cattle practitioners with Level 9 NFQ (www.nqf.ie) educational outcomes that are relevant and useful at farm level. Practitioners will be equipped with tool for herd data analysis, practical herd evaluation skills, and an ability to integrate the multiple facets of dairy herd health for the development of holistic herd level solution that are set in context with regard to herd profitability and animal health and welfare.
How will I benefit from the UCD Graduate Certificate in Dairy Herd Health programme?
Students of the Graduate Certificate in Dairy Herd Health will learn about the latest scientific research on Dairy Herd Health and will have exposure to the wide range of experience of the UCD Dairy Herd Health Group. Students will also have access to the full electronic database of UCD Library which contains thousands of relevant scientific and professional journals to assist with independent learning and the development of a solid foundation in lifelong learning in the area of dairy herd health.
How will the programme be delivered:
The programme is designed to offer busy veterinarians the opportunity to participate in part-time education and enjoy the benefit of:
• Studying online at a time and place that suits your needs,
• Joining an online community to exchange knowledge and ideas,
• Working in groups online to solve a range of current herd problems,
• Applying new learning experiences to professional practice.
The the UCD Graduate Certificate in Dairy Herd Health programme will be delivered using innovative online-learning activities coupled with hands on teaching of herd based clinical skills at the UCD Lyons Farm or the UCD Veterinary Hospital.
Several practical sessions are envisaged that will teach students a range of skills invaluable to cattle practitioners, for example body condition scoring, locomotion scoring, teat scoring, recent developments in reproductive ultrasonography for cattle. Participants will be expected to attend these prescribed practical tutorials; approximately 10 days will be scheduled over the duration of the programme.
Each week students will be expected to contribute to a range of online-learning activities; this will require approximately 10-12 hours of work per week.
The learning activities will involve contributing to an online community to discuss relevant topics in the area of Dairy Herd Health e.g. providing examples of farm data, summaries of herd problems, accounts of successful or unsuccessful husbandry protocols (or other relevant information). The use of an online community discussion forum that will have a predetermined tutor input will assist in creating a truly innovative educational experience for participants. The use of problem based learning will ensure that participants are exposed to relevant case study material in an environment where their peer’s views and their own can be discussed to the benefit of all.
Finally, it is envisaged that some material will be taught by e-lectures, these will contain a synopsis of recent information of tried and tested protocols for herd investigations in all key areas that are used routinely by UCD Dairy Herd Health.
Admissions
Applications to this programme is currently closed and will reopen in 2014.Applicants must possess a degree in Veterinary medicine that is registerable with the Veterinary Council of Ireland (www.vci.ie).
An extensive induction to learning online will be provided, however applicants will also require:
1.Broadband Access
2.Access to a computer
3.Basic IT skills (e.g. the ability to browse the internet, use email and word processing applications etc.)
Applications should be completed online at http://www.ucd.ie/apply/
Non-UCD Graduates must provide transcripts of degree(s).
International applicants must demonstrate proof of English proficiency.
If English is not your native language and unless you have completed your primary degree through English, an English language qualification is required (e.g. IELTS/TOEFL).
IELTS – an overall score of 6.0 IELTS (90-100 Internet Based)
TOEFL – 550 on the paper-based test TOEFL (213 on Computer Based)
