Department of Biology

Pre-Veterinary Program

Advisor: Dr. Brent Hill, Department of Biology

Phone: 501-450-5925

Email: bhill@uca.edu

The state of Arkansas does not have a school of veterinary medicine, but any student interested in becoming a veterinarian may enroll in the pre-veterinary program at UCA and prepare for admission to any of several out-of-state schools. For example, the School of Veterinary Medicine at Louisiana State University admits a number of Arkansas residents each year. A few Arkansas residents also have been admitted each year to Tuskegee University (Alabama), Kansas State University, the University of Missouri, and Oklahoma State University.

The interested student should anticipate spending three to four years preparing for admission to any school of veterinary medicine. The major and minor fields of study most commonly chosen are biology and chemistry. Students entering veterinary medicine school before completing a degree may, upon successful completion of the first year of veterinary school, be awarded a degree from UCA if the following requirements have been met:

¥ Completion of 96 hours of study, with at least 75 hours completed while in residence at UCA

¥ Completion of all general education requirements, and

¥ Completion of a major area of study. Courses in the veterinary medicine curriculum may, with the approval of the department chair, be used to satisfy the major requirements.

The minimum course requirements for admission to LSU are given below. All of these requirements for admission may be completed at UCA. Since these requirements may change, and the requirements of other schools may differ, correspondence with schools to which the student will be applying should begin early to best prepare the student for admission to the schools of his or her choice.

Writing 1310, 1320

Physics 1410, 1420

Biology 1440, 1441, 4525

Mathematics 1580; or 1390,1396

Chemistry 1450, 1451, 2401, 3411, 4320

Speech 1300

Electives (15 hours)

Granting of credit for CLEP subject exams may be considered. Credit earned by passing CLEP general exams is not accepted by LSU. For this and for any other exception, the student must secure advance permission from the School of Veterinary Medicine at LSU.