University Course Road Test: Bachelor of Equine Studies at NMIT

If horses are your thing . . . Then you couldn't get much better than this three-year degree. Run out of NMIT's Epping campus in Melbourne's north, it combines the study of horse-related science with management courses. Students take classes in everything from equine anatomy and physiology, to horse nutrition, exercise, breeding and even foot care. On the management side, students learn all about running a stud and caring for horses and pasture. The degree has a scientific focus, says head of program Louise Nunn. As well as lectures, students spend time in the lab. However, they can expect to spend about 30 per cent of their time working hands on with horses.


Where do they do that?
At NMIT's property, Northern Lodge, which is about 30 minutes from Epping. Here students become involved in all aspects of horse breeding and management, as well as in the day-to-day running of a stud farm. There's even a race track, giving students the chance to really explore exercise physiology. As part of the degree, all students need to complete at least seven weeks of industry placement, giving them a further chance to get out and about with horses.


So who signs up for this degree?
People with a passion for horses, explains Ms Nunn. Each year about 15 students enrol, though a small number drop out in the first year as the reality of working with large animals sinks in. The intake is a mix of school leavers and mature-age students, some of whom are already working in the equine industry. Some come from other professions, including accountancy, keen to turn a hobby and love of horses into a career. Some students come from overseas. Though no minimum ENTER or ATAR score is stipulated, school leavers should have VCE maths and either biology or chemistry. Potential students need to submit a supplementary form and are interviewed.


But will students be riding away with a job at the end of this degree?
According to Ms Nunn, the equine industry is huge and there are jobs available. Course graduates work in a range of areas, including equine physiology, mare management, horse nutrition and reproduction, and property management. However, Ms Nunn notes that course graduates should not expect to immediately go into top management positions. She says there are plenty of opportunities to work abroad. "It's a huge international industry," says Ms Nunn, who adds that NMIT offers study grants enabling some students to go overseas while studying.


What do students have to say?
Second-year student Megan Bull, 21, has always loved horses. "I never grew out of them," she says, adding that she is "really loving" the degree. Megan explains that the course involves lots of science, which has been "challenging". However, the teachers are really good, she says, helping make the science "doable".


So where do I get more information?