Academic Programs Catalog

College of Veterinary Medicine

Preprofessional Program for Veterinary Medicine

Students who meet the requirements for admission to the university as freshmen and sophomores, as shown in the Undergraduate Education section of the catalog, may select the preveterinary program in the College of Veterinary Medicine as their major preference.  A strong high school preparation in science, including chemistry, biology, and physics, is highly desirable.  Students who are enrolled in the preveterinary program are enrolled in the Neighborhood Student Success Collaborative, but receive academic advising in the College of Veterinary Medicine Preveterinary Advising Center. 

The courses in mathematics and natural science required for admission to the Professional Program in Veterinary Medicine are included in the requirements for the preveterinary program.  Students who are enrolled in the preveterinary program should complete the university requirements for bachelor's degrees.  Courses that are used to satisfy University requirements may also be used to satisfy certain requirements for admission to the Professional Program in Veterinary Medicine.

University regulations require that a student who has arrived at junior standing must select a major leading to a baccalaureate degree.  The College of Veterinary Medicine does not offer a bachelor's degree program for preveterinary students.  Therefore, upon reaching junior standing, students who have been enrolled in the preveterinary program and who have not been admitted to the Professional Program in Veterinary Medicine must be admitted to a major in another college in order to complete the requirements for a bachelor's degree. Students interested in the Professional Program in Veterinary Medicine are not required to complete a baccalaureate degree to be considered for admission.

Enrollments in the preveterinary program are not limited.  However, because of the limitation on the number of students admitted each year to the Professional Program in Veterinary Medicine, completion of the preveterinary program does not assure admission to the professional program.

Because admission to the Professional Program in Veterinary Medicine is competitive and the majority of successful applicants have completed at least three years of a bachelor's degree program, students who are enrolled in the preveterinary program are encouraged to plan toward a baccalaureate degree in a major consistent with their interests and alternative educational and career goals.  Students in any major may apply for admission to the Professional Program.  For additional information, refer to the Professional Program in Veterinary Medicine statement.

Requirements for the Preveterinary Program

1. All of the following courses (38 credits):
BMB 401 Comprehensive Biochemistry 4
BS 161 Cell and Molecular Biology 3
BS 162 Organismal and Population Biology 3
BS 171L Cell and Molecular Biology Laboratory 2
CEM 141 General Chemistry 4
CEM 161 Chemistry Laboratory I 1
CEM 251 Organic Chemistry I 3
CEM 252 Organic Chemistry II 3
CEM 255 Organic Chemistry Laboratory 2
MTH 116 College Algebra and Trigonometry 5
PHY 231 Introductory Physics I 3
PHY 232 Introductory Physics II 3
PHY 251 Introductory Physics Laboratory I 1
PHY 252 Introductory Physics Laboratory II 1
2. Upper-level Biology Elective (3-credit minimum) A course selected from cell biology, genetics, histology, immunology, neurobiology, or physiology.
3. Students who are enrolled in the preveterinary program should complete the University requirements for bachelor's degrees as described in the Undergraduate Education section of the catalog.
The completion of Mathematics 116 referenced in item 1. above may also satisfy the University mathematics requirement.
Students who are enrolled in the Preveterinary Program in the College of Veterinary Medicine may complete an alternative track to Integrative Studies in Biological and Physical Sciences that consists of the following courses: Biological Science 161, 162, and 171L and Chemistry 141.  The completion of Biological Science 161 and 171L satisfies the laboratory requirement.  Biological Science 161, 171, and 171L and Chemistry 141 may be counted toward both the alternative track and the requirements for the preveterinary program referenced in item 1. above. 
Students who are enrolled in the preveterinary program will be required to meet the Tier II writing requirement approved for the student's major leading to the bachelor's degree.