The University of Arizona

Veterinary Science Major

21 February 2011 - 5:37pm — VSMDev

WHAT IS VETERINARY SCIENCE?

Veterinary Science is the study of the diseases and health maintenance of animals.  It is a major that prepares students for careers concerned with animal health and welfare, biological or biomedical sciences and biotechnology or related fields which require scientific-based academic preparation.

WHY STUDY VETERINARY SCIENCE?

Majoring in Veterinary Sciencewill prepare you for a variety of graduate or professional schools such as veterinary medicine, medical school, nursing, osteopathy, optometry, podiatry, physical or occupational therapy and dentistry. Jobs associated with pharmaceutical companies, feed and nutrition, research and development, and food safety are just a few examples of the many career paths that this degree program will prepare you for. 

VETERINARY SCIENCE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA

Our curriculum focuses on animal welfare and animal health, and includes courses such as microbiology, anatomy and physiology, immunology as well as numerous classes about diseases and their causes. Other elective courses include areas such as nutrition, animal management and production, business, histology, etc.  Our students are taught by experienced educators who also conduct state of the art research programs.  Undergraduate research opportunities are available in many faculty research laboratories and provide students with the valuable and unique opportunity to work one-on-one with well known scientists.

Our degree program is designed to provide students with the prerequisites to apply to Veterinary Medical College. The State of Arizona does not have a Veterinary Medical School, so Arizona residents must go out of state to obtain a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree. The state does participate in the WICHE (Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education) program which allows students that are accepted to attend participating in out-of-state schools for in-state tuition rates.  Thirteen western states, including Hawaii and Alaska, participate in the program to increase availability of higher educational opportunities for residents of those states.  In order to qualify for WICHE, you must meet the following criteria:

  1. Be a resident of Arizona for 5 or more years
  2. Be accepted into one of the WICHE schools
  3. Upon completion of a DVM, you must return to Arizona and provide 4 years (or 2 years in under-served regions) of professional service or reimburse the state half of the money (plus interest) it provided for your education

For more information on the WICHE program visit the website or contact the undergraduate Veterinary Science advisor, Dr. Noble Jackson.