Admission Requirements

Any biology course with a lab will fulfill this requirement. Lab grade does not need to be separate from lecture grade. Please use the entire course to meet the this prerequisite.

To fulfill the genetics prerequisite, an equivalent course must have a title that indicates it is primarily a genetics course, and it must be the equivalent of 3 semester credits or more.

To fulfill the cell biology prerequisite, an equivalent course must have a title that indicates it is primarily a cell biology course, and it must be the equivalent of 3 semester credits or more. It must cover the following topics: organelles, organelle function, cell signaling, cell energy use, cell division, cell adaptation, cell mutation and environmental response, membrane structures and transport. Neither introductory/general biology courses that include a segment on cell biology nor microbiology courses will meet the requirements for this course. This course must be predominantly focused on cellular function.

To fulfill the systems physiology prerequisite, an equivalent course must have a title that indicates it is primarily a physiology course covering normal physiologic function of animals or humans, and it must be the equivalent of 3 semester credits or more. Physiology can be awarded for a single general human physiology or animal physiology course that is comprehensive and includes the following body systems: cardiovascular, digestive, endocrine, musculoskeletal, neurological, renal, reproductive, and respiratory. Your institution may require that you take two general physiology courses to cover all systems. Alternatively, you may take a two-part, combined anatomy and physiology series (2 quarters/semesters; must complete both courses to fulfill the requirement. Lab is not required. This option not available at CSU).

Completing upper-division “biomedical science” courses – beyond the specifically required credits in biochemistry, cell biology, genetics, and systems physiology – is essential to strengthening an application, because it demonstrates a strong foundation and can be an indicator of success in veterinary school. Note that “biomedical science” indicates a general type of foundational science course and does not indicate a specific departmental or college prefix. Candidates who have completed at least 9 credits of upper-division “biomedical science” courses with a grade at the time of application will be given preferred consideration.

• Includes: Junior-level undergraduate courses or higher-level courses in anatomy, cancer biology, developmental biology, endocrinology, epidemiology, histology, immunology, infectious disease, metabolism, microbiology, molecular biology, necropsy, neurology/neuroscience, nutrition, organ physiology, parasitology, pathology, pharmacology, toxicology, virology. Graduate courses of similar content are also acceptable.
• Does not include: Courses in animal disease prevention/management, behavior, biometry, communication, conservation biology, dairy/beef systems, ecology, equine/livestock management, equine science, evolution, herpetology, human-animal interactions, ichthyology, insemination, lab animal science, mammalogy, oceanography, ornithology, poultry science, small animal science, swine science, vet laboratory principles, welfare, and zoology.

Additional upper-division “biomedical science credits” – beyond the specifically required credits in biochemistry, cell biology, genetics, and systems physiology – will count toward this 9-credit requirement. For example, if you take a genetics course that fulfills the genetics requirement and then take another advanced genetics-based course, those additional credits may be applied to the 9-credit requirement.

Any chemistry course with a lab will fulfill this requirement. Lab grade does not need to be separate from lecture grade. Please use the entire course to meet the this prerequisite.

To fulfill the biochemistry prerequisite, an equivalent course must be considered upper division at your institution, it must require organic chemistry (either one semester or two) as a biochemistry prerequisite, the title must indicate it is primarily a biochemistry course, and it must be the equivalent of 3 semester credits or more.

To fulfill the physics prerequisite, an equivalent course must have a title that indicates it is primarily a physics course, it must have a laboratory component, and it must be the equivalent of 4 semester credits or more including the lab. Only one physics course with lab is required. The second course of a two-part physics series is not required.

To fulfill the statistics prerequisite, an equivalent course must have a title that indicates it is primarily a statistics course and it must be the equivalent of 3 semester credits. Calculus courses will not substitute.

Completion of a four-year degree (i.e. a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts) will fulfill the English composition requirement. No course evaluation request form is required for this substitution. English Literature does not qualify. AP English Composition (not AP English Literature) will fulfill the English composition requirement.

Courses must fall into one or more of the following categories: art, dance, English, humanities, foreign language, music, philosophy, speech, theater, anthropology, economics, geography, history, political sciences, psychology, sociology.

Any class that isn’t already fulfilling another prerequisite can be used in the elective category. No specific electives are required.