Pre-Veterinary Program
At A Glance
Program Type
Pre-Professional
Accreditation
Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
Grad School Prep
An academic advisor will support you in the grad school application process
Experience
Clinical shadowing opportunities at vet clinics
Ever consider a career that puts your love of animals into practice? ºìÐÓ¶ÌÊÓƵ Fox offers the science and mathematics courses required by veterinary schools. You will most likely major in biology, but you may choose any academic major we offer as long as you take the specific courses required of your veterinary school of choice.
The best part is, you will have an academic advisor to help plot your course. Consult with them early to develop a sound plan, maintain excellent grades (3.5 GPA or above) and perform well on national admissions tests (the GRE and VAT, usually taken in the spring of your junior year). You will be well-positioned for your next adventure – veterinary school!
Beyond that, you’ll have a plethora of choices. You may work in clinical settings in a specific field, such as companion animal or “pet” medicine, livestock medicine, equine medicine, laboratory animal medicine, reptile medicine, or ratite medicine. Or, you may specialize in veterinary disciplines such as surgery, dermatology or internal medicine, after postgraduate training and certification.
Courses / Curriculum What Will I Study?
- Your course of study will vary depending on your major, but you must take certain courses to meet veterinary school requirements.
- Your course load will include classes in biology (general biology, genetics, advanced physiology), chemistry (general chemistry, organic chemistry, biochemistry), physics (general physics) and mathematics (statistical procedures).
- We offer undergraduate research and clinical job-shadowing opportunities, and many of our students engage in research both at the university and at Oregon Health & Science University.
- You should also focus on learning as much as you can about medicine, ethics, etc., from physicians, local hospitals, and other health professionals. Shadowing a veterinarian can be helpful in determining whether you would really like to have a career in the profession.
Veterinary schools have competitive admissions processes, so you should choose electives that will demonstrate your knowledge and dedication to learning. Select your major based on what you enjoy and where you will thrive academically. However, most pre-veterinary students major in biology.
Cornerstone Core
The Cornerstone Core is a set of 12 courses across 10 academic disciplines that undergraduate students take at ºìÐÓ¶ÌÊÓƵ Fox to cultivate their character within the Christian context.
As an alternative to Cornerstone Core, students can participate in our great books honors program.
Bachelors (BS) in Biology Requirements
×Biology Core Requirements (18 credit hours)
Complete the following:
Biology Upper-Division Electives (16 credit hours)
Complete at least one course from each of the following groups.
Choose one of the following:
Choose one of the following:
Choose one of the following:
Physical Sciences (16 credit hours)
Choose four of the following:
Quantitative Skills (6-8 credit hours)
Complete the following:
Choose one of the following:
Optional Thesis
Students can petition the department thesis committee by the end of the fall semester of their junior year for permission to do original research as part of their degree requirement. Students allowed to pursue the thesis option must:
- Complete an acceptable research proposal and the Research Methods course (BIOL 384) by the end of the spring semester of the junior year.
- Take up to 4 hours of Biological Research (BIOL 465) between the spring semester of their junior year and graduation, and Senior Thesis (BIOL 496) during the spring semester of their senior year.
- Complete a written thesis acceptable to the thesis committee by April 1 of their senior year.
- Prepare a poster and give an oral presentation of their research prior to graduation.
The department considers this an honor to be noted on the student's transcript. The thesis is designed to enhance a student's preparation for graduate or professional school.
Bachelors (BA) in Biology Requirements
×Core Requirements (41-45 credit hours)
Complete the following:
Choose one of the following sequences:
Sequence 1
Sequence 2
Complete the following:
Complete the following:
Complete MATH180 or higher. Students who complete MATH 180 College Algebra are encouraged to take MATH 240 Statistics (3) as well.
Complete the following:
Choose one of the following field studies courses:
Choose one of the following diversity courses:
Choose one of the following form/function courses:
Choose one of the following cell/molecular courses:
Upper-division BIOL electives
Liberal Arts Emphasis (14-16 credit hours) - choose one
Complete the following:
Choose 12 credit hours of electives from the following:
Option 1
Complete the following:
Spanish language sequence:
Option 2
Complete the following:
Spanish language sequence:
Choose 6-8 credit hours of Global/Cultural Understanding electives from the following:
Complete the following:
Choose three of the following:
Complete the following:
Complete the following:
Introductory course taken by majors in the field (3 hours)
Take 12 upper-division elective hours, as agreed upon by department chair of chosen discipline and biology department head. (12 hours)
Whitney Dobbyn
As a science student, I have also been challenged to integrate my faith with science, and figure out how the two can co-exist and intermingle. Overall, I feel like I am walking away from Fox with a deeper understanding of who God is, and I am more confident in my faith than I was when I stepped onto campus as a freshman.