What Undergraduate Degree Is Best for Vet School?
You'll need an undergraduate program heavy in the sciences if you intend to eventually earn a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree and pursue a career as a veterinarian. Read on to find out what bachelor's degree programs will help you prepare for vet school.
Undergraduate Degrees for Vet School
To gain admission to veterinary school, you need to complete a significant number of prerequisite courses in chemistry, biology, physiology, physics, English, and mathematics. Some Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) programs also require or prefer you to have significant experience working with animals, such as 500 hours of pre-veterinary experience. The bachelor's degree programs discussed below offer many of these subjects as part of core course requirements. They may also allow you to complete research or field internships in your area of interest, helping you gain pre-veterinary experience.
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Southern New Hampshire University
You have goals. Southern New Hampshire University can help you reach them. Whether you need a bachelor's degree to get into a career or want a master's degree to move up in your current career, SNHU has an online program for you.
University of Maryland Global Campus
University of Maryland Global Campus provides affordable, achievable, and flexible pathways to a college degree for adult learners. With over 90 degrees and certificates, UMGC is built to fit your schedule and goals.
University of North Carolina
The University of North Carolina offers a wide range of online programs designed for working adults. Earn your degree from a nationally recognized institution with flexible scheduling and strong academic support.
Arizona State University
Arizona State University offers more than 300 online degree programs, certificates and courses. ASU Online delivers the same rigorous academic programs as on campus, with the flexibility you need to succeed.
Important Facts About Vet School
| Common Courses | Lecture and lab courses on normal and abnormal animal organ systems, clinical practice |
| Prerequisites | Most accredited veterinary medicine programs require applicants to have a bachelor's degree |
| Concentrations | Options may include large animal clinical sciences, small animal clinical sciences, and infectious diseases and pathology |
| Possible Careers | Private clinic and hospital veterinarian, laboratory veterinarian, farm animal/large animal veterinarian |
| Median Salary (May 2021) | $100,370* |
| Job Outlook (2021-2031) | 19%* |
Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Animal Science
Animal science majors learn about the biology of domesticated farm and companion animals. Preliminary courses include organic chemistry, genetics, domestic and companion animal biology, avian husbandry, and equine biology. Your instruction also includes livestock production, animal health, and animal hygiene. Some programs offer an emphasis in veterinary science that includes courses in immunology, pharmacology, physics, and calculus.
Zoology
Zoology is the study not only of animals but also of the ecosystems that sustain them. Preliminary courses in chemistry, physics, and math are required for these degree programs. In core animal and developmental biology courses, you discuss animal genetics and examine evolutionary case studies of different species. Mammology courses explore the physiology and reproductive systems of mammals.
Some zoology programs offer an early admissions pre-veterinary track to honors students. You can begin graduate-level DVM coursework after only three years of undergraduate study. Course topics include animal behavior, comparative physiology, and animal nutrition.
Biology
Biology bachelor's degree programs include microbiology, cell biology, and genetics coursework. You study cellular mitosis, gene structure, and the way cells fight off disease. Some programs even include botany or ecology courses. If you enroll in a school's pre-veterinary biology program, you might also examine animal physiology and anatomy.
