Veterinary Degrees Online

Franklin College has a pre-professional program for veterinary medicine at Purdue University. To be considered for admission to the School of Veterinary Medicine at Purdue, the student must have completed a minimum of 72 semester hours of pre-veterinary medicine studies. Most students admitted to the veterinary program at Purdue have many more than the 72 hours. A large percentage now complete the B.A. degree prior to entering the pre-professional program.

Students applying to Purdue must submit an application to VMCAS (Veterinary Medical College Application Service). This organization serves as a clearing house sending your application materials to all of the vet schools that you apply to. Students applying to Purdue also must take the GRE (Graduate Record Exam). This exam must be taken in time to have your completed application postmarked to Purdue no later than October 1 of the year preceding your admission to vet school. The preprofessional requirements for admission to the Purdue program and the Franklin College course that Purdue has designated as a satisfactory equivalent for each required course are listed below.

Each school of veterinary medicine establishes its own requirements; therefore, students pursuing careers as veterinarians need to plan both pre-professional coursework and practical experiences to enhance their chances of acceptance. Veterinary schools value experience in working with animals as well as evidence of academic ability in pre-professional courses.

Wisconsin has a college of Veterinary Medicine at UW-Madison. The School of Veterinary Medicine does not offer a bachelor’s degree program. However, the school does offer a number of courses that are available to undergraduates, and it offers residency, master’s, Ph.D., and doctor of veterinary medicine (DVM) degrees. Scores from the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) must be submitted at the time of application. In addition to grade point average and GRE scores, evidence of motivation, promise of effective performance, communication skills, and breadth of experience, particularly that relate to veterinary practice, are taken into consideration.

Students interested in veterinary medicine are expected to have sound training in the sciences. Most students elect a major in biology or chemistry. Some may elect a major in Veterinary Medical Technology, although additional courses are required to meet prerequisites for veterinary school. Veterinary school admission is based on: undergraduate cumulative grade point average (GPA), results of the Veterinary College Admissions Test (VCAT), and/or Graduate Record Exam (GRE), letters of recommendation from faculty and other personal references, a personal interview (if requested), and off-campus experience in community service or in the veterinary field.

Requirements for entrance to veterinary schools vary considerably. Most schools require at least two semesters of biology, general/inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, physics, and calculus. Some schools also require biochemistry, genetics, microbiology, molecular cell biology, statistics, English composition and literature, and electives in humanities and social sciences. Interested students should consult with one of the pre-professional advisors. The pre-professional advisor will help the student with the selection of appropriate undergraduate courses, and offer advice about preparation for the VCAT exam and applying to veterinary schools.

Students seeking to apply to a College of Veterinary Medicine should major in biology or chemistry. Completion of courses in biology, chemistry, mathematics, and physics will help prepare students for the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or Veterinary College Admission Test (VCAT). In order to be accepted into most Veterinary Medical Schools an applicant must have completed 90 semester hours of college work. Specific course requirements vary from school to school.

South Carolina does not have a Veterinary School; hence South Carolina residents must attend an out-of-state Veterinary school. However, students may be considered in state residents for tuition purposes at the University of Georgia, Tuskegee University (Alabama) and Mississippi State University. Students should consider the following courses in preparation for application to Vet school.
BIO 121: Biological Science (4 hours)
BIO 122: Zoology (4 hours)
BIO 212: Microbiology(4 hours)
BIO 220: Pharmacology and Toxicology (3 hours)
BIO 315: Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy (4 hours)
BIO 321: Animal Development (4 hours)
BIO 331: Cell Biology (4 hours)
BIO 342: Immunology (4 hours)
BIO 301: Biochemistry (4 hours)
CHE 113-114: General Chemistry (8 hours)
CHE 231-232: Organic Chemistry (8 hours)
MAT 211: Calculus I – Differential Calculus (4 hours)
PHY 213-214: Physics for Science and Engineering Students (8 hours)

There are no additional admission requirements for this program.

What courses would I take?

It is important that you obtain a solid foundation, not only in the basic core of zoology courses, but also in basic chemistry, physics, and mathematics in your study of zoology. This foundation will enable you to pursue a range of different career opportunities later.

In general, the Bachelor of Arts (A.B.) degree allows more breadth outside of the natural sciences. All Miami Plan Foundation (MPF) and College of Arts and Science requirements apply to this degree. Departmental requirements are more flexible for the A.B. than for the B.S. degree and leave more room for electives. This degree is usually more appropriate for students planning to enter healthcare professions.

The Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree program embraces a more intensive scientific approach, with more science courses than the A.B. Required courses are specified, and several of the CAS requirements are waived.

What can I do with this major?

Nearly 100 percent of our zoology majors find employment in areas relevant to their training. About two-thirds of Miami’s zoology graduates continue their education.

Zoology is the major of choice for students attending medical school, accounting for about two-thirds of the total premedical graduates from Miami. Others choose dental school, veterinary medicine, physical therapy programs, or graduate school in medical technology, pharmacy, optometry, education, or, of course, zoology. Our graduates usually score in the upper third in the nation on the advanced biology section of the Graduate Record Exam required for graduate study. A small number attend business or law school.

Those who seek employment immediately after graduation find positions in a variety of fields. Our graduates report job titles of naturalist, park technician, assistant pathologist, lab technician, technical sales representative, research technician, museum curator, fisheries manager, environmental planner, municipal zookeeper, environmental impact analyst, and high school biology teacher.

The acceptance rate for Miami students who apply to medical school is much higher than the national average, about 68 percent. The combination of an excellent curriculum, hands-on laboratory and research experience, involvement in pre-professional clubs, and internships and other practical work experience aid our graduates in competing successfully for admission into pre-med programs.

Likewise, 90–100 percent of our students are accepted into dental school, and our Zoology majors are equally successful in gaining acceptance into veterinarian school or pre-physical therapy programs. Advisers in all of these areas, as well as advisers for students interested in graduate school, are available in the department to guide students through the required curricula and application processes.

Other career or further educational options after graduate school include positions in applied ecology, pharmacology, and research work extending to the Ph.D. level, marine biology, medical technology, health care administration, engineering, and medical or environmental law. Especially important now are positions involving environmental science, such as environmental toxicology.

Careers for A.B. or B.S. majors who do not go on to higher degrees include such diverse positions as naturalist; pharmaceutical, chemical, or equipment sales; research assistant; lab technician; environmental planner; high school biology teacher; working with government agencies such as the EPA, Natural Resources or Wildlife Management; or working in zoos or animal museums.