Courses
The English Language Teaching Unit is part of the Veterinary Medical Education unit of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science. The ELTU has been in existence at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science since 1987, and runs the following programmes annually.
1.PREVET 1- English
2.English I - VS1105
3.English II - VS1211
4.English III – VS2108
5.English IV – VS2206
The objectives of the above courses in general
• To ensure that the students of the FVMAS do not drop out of the course as a result of not having the required proficiency to follow the veterinary programme in English.
• To equip students with adequate skills to handle the academic activities in the FVMAS.
• To help, guide and counsel students of FVMAS in the difficulties they would face in the area of English Language.
• To make the students who pass out of FVMAS employable and enable them to be ‘fits’ rather than ‘misfits as regards English Communication skills in the world of work.
Evaluation
Continuous Assessments and Regular end- semester evaluation
The English Language Teaching Programme in the faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science consists of an Intensive English Language Programme and on-going English Programme.
Intensive Course
This course emphasizes the four skills of writing, speaking, listening and reading in order to improve linguistic and communicative competence, strengthen the conveyance of meaning, build vocabulary, and develop grammar and writing skills. Students will engage in individual and group projects and structured role plays in order to increase their English language proficiency.
The intensive English Language programme - 12 weeks or 200 hours.
Placement test at the entry level
Achievement test at the end of the intensive English Programme
English I and II
English I and II aim to develop the four core language skills; reading, writing, listening, and speaking, with a progressive focus on veterinary and animal science contexts. English I establishes foundational communication skills with shorter texts and basic disciplinary content from veterinary anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry, while English II advances these skills with longer, more complex academic texts from the same veterinary disciplines.
Both courses emphasize professional communication relevant to veterinary practice, including clinical contexts in English I and research papers/case studies in English II. Writing skills progress from short descriptions and reports in English I to academic writing with proper citation and data commentary in English II. Listening activities evolve from basic instructions and dialogues to veterinary-specific lectures. Speaking components develop from sharing personal information and basic speeches in English I to impromptu presentations and group discussions in English II.
The key progression is from general communication competence with disciplinary vocabulary to specialized academic and professional discourse within veterinary medicine, building systematically on the same subject areas (anatomy, physiology, biochemistry) with increasing complexity and length.
English III and IV
Both courses advance academic English proficiency with increasingly sophisticated skills tailored to veterinary and animal science disciplines, focusing on critical engagement with professional content.
English III introduces advanced academic skills with moderately long texts covering veterinary parasitology, pathology, immunology, and microbiology, while English IV extends these to critical evaluation of longer texts, spanning companion animals, farm animal production, veterinary public health, pharmacology, and food science.
Both courses emphasize critical thinking: English III develops analysis and argumentation skills through essay-type responses and implied meaning comprehension, while English IV focuses on critical reading, evaluation, and research-based argumentation. Writing progression moves from academic and argumentative essays with proper referencing in English III to research paper development and abstracts (800+ words) with source validation in English IV. Listening skills in both courses involve professional/clinical contexts and discourse markers, advancing from lectures and Q&A sessions in English III to critical listening for symptoms, effects, and processes in clinical settings in English IV. Speaking components evolve from informal discussions and short presentations in English III to formal academic presentations with role plays simulating professional scenarios in English IV.
The courses share a progression from advanced academic literacy to research-level competence within progressively specialized veterinary contexts.