Veterinary Medical Science
Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine: Herbert E. Whiteley
Prospective students for the Veterinary Medical Scholars Program may contact:
Dr. Lois Hoyer
Associate Dean for Research and Advanced Studies
2001 South Lincoln Ave.
Urbana, IL 61802
Contact: Nikki Hausmann, nhausman@illinois.edu
217-333-4291
www.vetmed.illinois.edu/asa/vmsp.html
Prospective students for the D.V.M./MPH program may contact:
Dr. John Herrmann, jah1110@illinois.edu
vetmed.illinois.edu/asa/mph
Major: Veterinary Medical Science
Degrees Offered: M.S., Ph.D.
Off campus program: M.S.
The Veterinary Medical Science graduate program is not accepting applications at this time.
Comparative Biosciences
Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine: Herbert E. Whiteley
Head of the Department: Duncan C. Ferguson
Director of Graduate Studies: David Bunick
3516 VMBSB
2001 S. Lincoln Avenue
Urbana, IL 61802
(217) 333-2506
E-mail: compbioscigradprog@vetmed.illinois.edu
Major: Veterinary Medical Science – Comparative Biosciences
Degrees Offered: M.S., Ph.D.
Joint Degree Program: Veterinary Medical Scholars Program
Degrees Offered: D.V.M and M.S., D.V.M. and Ph.D.
Medical Scholars Program: Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Veterinary Medical Science – Comparative Biosciences and Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) through the Medical Scholars Program
Graduate Degree Programs
The Department of Comparative Biosciences offers graduate work leading to the degrees of Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy. Areas of specialization include physiology, pharmacology, and toxicology. Each area has a core of required courses supplemented by other courses within the Department of Comparative Biosciences and from other departments of the Graduate College. Adequate laboratory and animal holding space to conduct the research of the faculty and graduate students is provided in the Basic Sciences Building, Veterinary Teaching Hospitals, and the Veterinary Research Farm.
Admission
Applicants for graduate study in comparative biosciences must have
a minimum grade point average of 3.0 (A = 4.0). Grade point averages
will be calculated on the last 60 hours of undergraduate studies for
those without the D.V.M. degree and on the entire professional
curriculum for those with the D.V.M., or equivalent, degree. Applicants with a graduate
degree or with some graduate coursework will be evaluated on the basis
of their graduate work as well as their undergraduate or professional
records. Qualifications of students must be approved by the department’s
Graduate Studies Committee.
The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required and must have been
taken within the last five years prior to application. Candidates
must score an average in the 80th percentile or higher on each of
the three portions of the GRE to be eligible for consideration.
International applicants whose native language is not English must
take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). A score of
at least 600 on the paper-based test, or 250 on the computer-based
test, is required. Those applicants who gain admission on the basis
of their academic credentials, but score below 600 on the TOEFL, will
be admitted on limited status and required to take the English Placement
Test (EPT) upon their arrival. Students are exempt from the TOEFL
requirement if they have completed at least two academic years of
full-time study at an institution where the language of instruction
is English during the five-year period prior to the proposed date
of enrollment. Students also need to take the Test of Spoken English
(TSE) oral exam and score at least 50. We are not accepting applications for the M.S./D.V.M. program at this time.
Degree Requirements
*For additional details and requirements refer to the department's graduate degree requirements and the Graduate College Handbook.
Master of Science
| Required Courses: | Required Hours |
|---|---|
| MCB 450 | 3-4 |
| PATH 524, VCM 572, CPSC 440, or approved equivalent | 4 |
| CB 590 | 1 |
| CB 591, may be repeated for up to 2 hours of credit | 1-2 |
| Research/Project/Independent Study Hours – CB 592 (min/max applied toward degree): | max 4 |
| Thesis Hours Required – CB 599 (min/max applied toward degree): | 12 |
| Total Hours | 32 |
Minimum Hours Required Within the Unit: |
8 (500 level) |
Minimum 500-level Hours Required Overall: |
12 |
| Other Requirements:* | |
| Students may be required to take additional courses as recommended by Advisory Committees or Department Divisions | |
| Final Exam/Thesis Defense Required | |
| Thesis Deposit Required | |
| Minimum GPA: | 3.0 |
Doctor of Philosophy
| Required Courses: | Required Hours |
|---|---|
| CB 590 (Thesis Defense seminar, I hour and Prospectus Exam 1 hour.) | 2 |
| CB 591, may be repeated for up to 4 hours of credit | 2 |
| MCB 450 or 501 | 3-4 |
| PATH 524, VCM 572, CPSC 440, or approved equivalent | 4 |
| Research/Project/Independent Study Hours – CB 592 (min/max applied toward degree): | Limit of 12 credit hours total. (This limit includes credits accrued during the MS degree.) |
| Thesis Hours Required – CB 599 (min/max applied toward degree): | 0 min |
| Total Hours | 64 |
| Other Requirements:* | |
| Students may be required to take additional courses as recommended by Advisory Committees or Department Divisions | |
| 64 hours (including thesis research) earned in courses meeting on the Urbana-Champaign campus, on the Chicago campus, or in other locations approved by the Graduate College for graduate credit | |
| Teaching experience is required | |
| Minimum GPA: | 3.0 |
| Masters Degree Required for Admission to Ph.D.? | No, but Masters level requirements must be met (32 hours min) |
| Qualifying Exam Required | Yes |
| Preliminary Exam Required | Yes |
| Final Exam/Dissertation Defense Required | Yes |
| Dissertation Deposit Required | Yes |
Joint Degree Programs
Students accepted into the Veterinary Medical Scholars Program can complete a D.V.M. and Ph.D. simultaneously.
Students accepted into the Medical Scholars Program can complete a M.D. and Ph.D. simultaneously.
Graduate Teaching Experience
Experience in teaching is considered a vital part of the graduate program and is required as part of the academic work of all M.S. and Ph.D. candidates in this program.
Faculty Research Interests
Experimental models range from stem cells to rodent models to domestic animals, wildlife, and human patients. Exciting research is being conducted by CB faculty in the areas of endocrine/reproductive biology and toxicology, environmental and ecological toxicology, uterine and placental biology, aortic mesangial stem cells, stem cells for assessment of small molecule and nanoparticle pharmacology and toxicology, nanodisks as platforms for the study of membrane proteins, mouse and frog models of development, the impact of environmental and dietary compounds on neurodevelopment and on addictive potential of substances of abuse, circadian rhythms in animal models of shift work and jet lag, immunopharmacology and drug allergy, obesity and diabetes mellitus, cancer chemotherapy, the interplay between infectious agents and contaminants with wildlife populations, and comparative drug disposition and pharmacokinetics. Research techniques range from micro-RNA to animal and human patient epidemiology to ecological assessments.
Training Programs, Centers and Institutes
Our faculty provide graduate instruction in stem cell research, molecular genetics, pharmacology and toxicology. They also participate in interdisciplinary training programs including the NIEHS-funded Environmental Toxicology Training Program, the Interdisciplinary Environmental Toxicology Training Program, the Reproductive Biology Program, the Neuroscience Program, the Nutritional Sciences Division, Beckman Institute, and the Institute for Genomic Biology. CB faculty also lead the Veterinary Clinical Pharmacology Residency Program, which prepares graduate veterinarians for the certifying examination of the American College of Veterinary Clinical Pharmacology (ACVCP) ). In addition, together with the Animal Poison Control Center in Urbana, we jointly offer a Veterinary Clinical Toxicology residency to prepare veterinarians for board certification by the American Board of Veterinary Toxicology (ABVT) and the American Board of Toxicology (ABT).
Financial Aid
A limited number of research and teaching assistantships or associate positions are available
Veterinary Clinical Medicine
Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine: Herbert E. Whiteley
Head of the Department: Karen L. Campbell
Director of Graduate Studies: Timothy M. Fan
242 Small Animal Clinic
1008 West Hazelwood Drive
Urbana, IL 61802
(217) 333-5310
Prospective students should contact Theresa Schafroth, Program Secretary
(217) 244-7434
Fax: (217) 244-1475
Major: Veterinary Medical Science – Veterinary Clinical Medicine
Degrees offered: M.S., Ph.D.
Joint Degree Program: Veterinary Medical Scholars Program
Degrees Offered: D.V.M and M.S., D.V.M. and Ph.D.
Admission
Admission requirements include a doctor of veterinary medicine (D.V.M.) degree or equivalent. By petition, non-D.V.M.s may be admitted. Applicants for graduate study in veterinary clinical medicine must have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 (A = 4.0). Admission averages are computed from the entire professional curriculum or from the last 60 hours of undergraduate studies for those without the D.V.M. degree. Applicants with a grade point average between 2.5 and 3.0 may be considered for admission on limited status on the basis of individual merit. Applicants who have a prior graduate degree or who have completed some graduate course work will be evaluated on the basis of their graduate work as well as their under- graduate or professional records. Acceptance of students must be approved by the department's Graduate Committee.
International applicants must submit evidence of satisfactory performance on TOEFL or other tests designed to test proficiency in English. International students must also submit evidence of financial support. Such support should be discussed with the department head before formal application is made. We are not accepting applications for the M.S./D.V.M. program at this time.
Graduate Degree Programs
The Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine offers a graduate program leading to the degrees of Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy. The primary goal of graduate programs in veterinary clinical medicine is to prepare students for careers involving research and/or teaching in a specialty area. Graduate work in veterinary clinical medicine may be pursued in several areas, including anesthesiology, equine medicine and surgery, farm animal reproduction, medicine, and surgery, imaging/radiation therapy, small animal medicine (emergency and critical care, internal medicine), small animal surgery, and specialty medicine (cardiology, dermatology, oncology, ophthalmology). The department, with the teaching hospital, has facilities and equipment for studying the health and diseases of animals.
After completing graduate work, the student will be able to conduct research both independently and as a team member. Adequate training in planning research projects and writing research proposals will give the student the ability to function with teams of scientists from various areas of the biomedical field. Experience in clinical teaching and literature study will form the basis for the student's development of teaching programs within his or her discipline.
A residency program, designed to train a veterinarian for specialty clinical practice, can be combined with the graduate program. While a graduate program can be accomplished in a shorter time period, the duration of combined programs is usually three years, reflecting the time required to satisfy the objective of each program. Details of the residency program can be obtained from the head of the Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine.
Degree Requirements
*For additional details and requirements refer to the department's graduate degree requirements and the Graduate College Handbook
Master of Science
| Required Courses: | Thesis Based Option - Required Hours | Manuscript Based Option - Required Hours |
|---|---|---|
| One statistics course | ||
| VCM 590 | 1 | 1 |
| Graduate electives at the 400 or 500 level in consultation with your advisor | 8 | 8 |
| VCM 592 Special Problems, optional | Max 12 | Max 12 |
| VCM 593 Adv Topics in Vet Clin Med, optional | Max 8 | Max 8 |
| Thesis Hours VCM 599 OR Research/Project/Independent Study Hours -VCM 598 (min/max applied toward degree): | Max 12 (599) | Max 12 (598) |
| Total Hours | 32 | 32 |
Minimum 500-Level Hours Required Within the Unit: |
8 | 8 |
Minimum 500-level Hours Required Overall: |
12 (not including 599 or 590) | 12 (not including 598 or 590) |
| Other Requirements:* | A thesis submitted to the Graduate College | Manuscript submitted and accepted for publication |
| Teaching experience is required | ||
| Oral exam | ||
| Minimum Cumulative GPA in VCM M.S. program: | 3.0 | 3.0 |
The requirements for this degree include completion of a thesis that conforms to the requirements of the Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine. The non-thesis option requires departmental approval.
The candidate must complete all requirements of the department and the Graduate College and pass the stipulated examinations. The final M.S. examination consists of a presentation of the thesis in the form of a departmental seminar (VCM 590). The seminar is followed by an oral examination administered by the candidate's committee and the department head. The student must demonstrate the ability to design and conduct independent research in order to be granted the M.S. degree.
Doctor of Philosophy
| Required Courses: | Required Courses: Required Hours – Entering with approved M.S. degree | Required Hours – Entering with B.S. degree |
|---|---|---|
| Seminar | 1 | 1 |
| VCM 592 Special Problems, optional | Max 12 | Max 12 |
| VCM 593 Adv Topics in Vet Clin Med, optional | Max 8 | Max 8 |
| Thesis Hours Required– VCM 599 (min/max applied toward degree): | 0 min | 0 min |
| Total Hours | 64 | 96 |
| Other Requirements:* | ||
| Teaching experience is required (see departmental handbook) | ||
| Qualifying Exam Required | No | No |
| Preliminary Exam Required | Yes | Yes |
| Final Exam/Dissertation Defense Required | Yes | Yes |
| Dissertation Deposit Required | Yes | Yes |
| Minimum Cumulutive GPA in VCM Ph.D. program | 3.0 | 3.0 |
Joint Degree Program
Students accepted into the Veterinary Medical Scholars Program can complete a D.V.M. and Ph.D. simultaneously.
Graduate Teaching Experience
Experience in teaching is considered a vital part of the graduate program and is required as part of the academic work of all M.S. candidates in this program.
Financial Aid
A limited number of teaching associate positions are available.
Pathobiology
Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine: Herbert E. Whiteley
Interim Head of the Department: Mark S. Kuhlenschmidt
Director of Graduate Studies: Mariangela Segre
2522 Veterinary Medicine Basic Sciences Building
2001 South Lincoln Avenue
Urbana, IL 61802
(217) 333-2449
Paula Moxley pkm@illinois.edu
Major: Veterinary Medical Science - Pathobiology
Degrees Offered: M.S., Ph.D.
Joint Degree Program: Veterinary Medical Scholars Program
Degrees Offered: D.V.M and M.S., D.V.M. and Ph.D.
Medical Scholars Program: Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Pathobiology and Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) through the Medical Scholars Program.
Graduate Degree Programs
The Department of Pathobiology offers graduate programs leading to the degrees of Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy. Areas of specialization include epidemiology, infectious diseases, immunology, microbiology, parasitology, anatomic pathology, clinical pathology, and toxicologic pathology. Each specialty area has a core of required courses supplemented by other courses within the Department of Pathobiology and from other departments of the Graduate College.
Admission
Applicants for graduate study in pathobiology must have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 (A = 4.0). Applicants with a grade point average between 2.75 and 3.0 may be considered for admission on a probationary status on the basis of individual merit. Grade point averages will be calculated on the last 60 hours of undergraduate studies for those without the D.V.M. degree or on the entire professional curriculum for those with the D.V.M. degree. Applicants with a graduate degree or with some graduate coursework will be evaluated on the basis of their graduate work as well as their undergraduate or professional record. The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) minimum is 243 on the computer-based test, the Test of Spoken English (TSE) is also required. Admission for spring semester is possible. Qualifications of students must be approved by the department's committee on admission of graduate students. We are not accepting applications for the M.S./D.V.M. program at this time.
Degree Requirements
*For additional details and requirements refer to the department's graduate degree requirements and the Graduate College Handbook.
Master of Science
| Required Courses: | Thesis option - Required Hours | Non-thesis option - Required Hours |
|---|---|---|
| PATH 590 | 1 | 1 |
| PATH 524 | 4 | 4 |
| Thesis Hours Required – PATH 599 (min/max applied toward degree): | 0 min | |
| Total Hours | 32 | 32 |
Minimum 500-level Hours Required Overall: |
12 (8 in PATH) | 12 (8 in PATH) |
| Other Requirements:* | A publishable manuscript | |
| Final comprehensive examination | ||
| Minimum GPA: | 3.0 | 3.0 |
Doctor of Philosophy
| Required Courses: | Required Hours |
|---|---|
| PATH 590 | 2 |
| PATH 524 | 4 |
| Elective hours outside of PATH and within the Graduate College | 12 |
| Thesis Hours Required – PATH 599 (min/max applied toward degree): | 0 min |
| Total Hours | 64 |
| Other Requirements:* | |
| Teaching experience is required | |
| Communicative skills requirements | |
| Minimum GPA: | 3.0 |
| Masters Degree Required for Admission to PhD? | No, but Masters level requirements must be met (32 hours min) |
| Qualifying Exam Required | No |
| Preliminary Exam Required | Yes |
| Final Exam/Dissertation Defense Required | Yes |
| Dissertation Deposit Required | Yes |
Specialization in Infectious Diseases
The Department of Pathobiology offers an area of specialization in infectious diseases. The program is flexible and provides the student with proficiency in several areas of microbiology, parasitology, epidemiology, immunology, and molecular pathogenesis of infectious disease and ecology of infectious diseases. Students electing this area should have completed coursework in basic genetics, biochemistry, and microbiology. The program of study for each student in the specialization is decided individually. Interested students should direct inquiries and applications to the department.
Specialization in Toxicologic Pathology
The Department of Pathobiology offers an area of specialization in toxicologic pathology. This program is an integration of pathology and toxicology, which can range from animal models to biochemical toxicology in an experimental setting. Veterinarians entering this specialization will be specifically trained in toxicologic pathology so they can function as competent and innovative professionals and assume leadership roles in academia, government, and industry. Students electing this area should have completed coursework in the D.V.M. curriculum. The program of study for each student in the specialization is decided individually. Interested students should direct inquiries and applications to the department. Students completing the specialization will be qualified to take the ACVP Board examinations during the program.
Joint Degree Programs
Students accepted into the Veterinary Medical Scholars Program can complete a D.V.M. and Ph.D. simultaneously.
Students accepted into the Medical Scholars Program can complete a M.D. and Ph.D. simultaneously.
Graduate Teaching Experience
Experience in teaching is considered a vital part of the graduate program and is required as part of the academic work of all Ph.D. candidates in this program.
Financial Aid
A limited number of teaching and research assistantships or associate positions are available.