Veterinary Forensic Sciences Master’s Curriculum

This 30-credit graduate program equips students with specialized knowledge at the intersection of veterinary medicine and forensic science. Students graduate with a Master of Science in Veterinary Medical Sciences with a concentration in Veterinary Forensic Sciences. This degree is designed for professionals pursuing careers outside traditional veterinary practice who can benefit from a forensic perspective. Such careers include animal control, law enforcement, veterinary medicine, shelter medicine, criminal justice, wildlife conservation, veterinary nursing, and legal advocacy related to animal welfare. 

Master’s Admission Requirements

  • Bachelor’s degree in a natural science subject or social sciences, including criminal justice, psychology, anthropology, and law
    OR
    A DVM Degree
  • An upper-division GPA of 3.0 (B grade) or better 

Students applying to the Veterinary Forensic Science master’s degree program must maintain a 3.0 GPA or better in the program.
All master’s and graduate certificate students must take 5 core courses.

Required Courses (15 Credits) 

Non-Thesis Students

  • Choose 5 elective courses to total 15 credit hours of electives. (Unless otherwise noted, all courses are assigned a letter grade.) 
  • All non-thesis master’s students are required to complete and pass a written and oral final exam in their last semester in order to graduate.

Elective Courses

Thesis Students

Earn 15 credit hours of electives, including thesis electives listed below. 
(Unless otherwise noted, all courses are assigned a letter grade.)

Thesis Elective Courses

  • VME6910 Supervised Research (1-5 credits: S/U) 
  • VME6934 Special Topics in Veterinary Forensic Sciences (1-4 credits) 
  • VME6971 Masters Research   (1-6 credits: 6 max: S/U)