Criteria for admission
Within the framework of the policies established by the university and the Graduate School, the Master of Science in veterinary clinical care program will have the responsibility and authority for the recruitment, screening, selection, and admission of its students.
The program will admit those applicants with the greatest potential for completing the master’s level course of study and becoming effective veterinary professional associates. In its review of applications, the program seeks evidence of an applicant’s capacity to think critically, do graduate-level work, reason logically, think creatively, and uphold the ethical standards of the industry. A successful applicant is expected to reflect attitudes that are congruent with basic veterinary professional associate values, respectful of the dignity of all human beings and animals, and indicate a sense of social responsibility and responsibility for animal health and welfare. Applicants must be able to meet the social, emotional, and physical requirements of the program and possess a capacity to develop positive interpersonal relationships.
The program is committed to drawing the student body from applicants with a demonstrated concern for animal health and welfare. A successful applicant must evidence a strong determination to acquire the competencies needed for effective clinical practice within the context of the shelter community and possess a willingness to develop the abilities needed for contributing to practice and policy development and the knowledge base of the profession.
Criteria for rating applicants
- Demonstrated ability to enter into positive, helping relationships
- Life and practice experience, including volunteer and field experiences with varied client systems and devalued people from diverse populations
- Commitment to veterinary services
- Quality of recommendations by references
- Academic potential based on writing and organizational skills, and ability to think critically
- Though our program does not rank applicants based on grade point average, the Graduate School, which makes the ultimate yes/no admission decision, uses undergraduate GPA as a rating metric.
Tips for creating a strong application
Demonstrate quality academic performance and prove that you’re ready for the rigor of the Master of Science in veterinary clinical care program. When reviewing applications, we take into consideration the quality of the academic program, number and quality of upper-level biomedical science courses, ability to carry a full schedule of courses, employment during academic terms, course and degree variety, academic trends, experience in the veterinary field, and special circumstances.