I. CORE | II. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS | III. ELECTIVES | IV. THESIS-BASED REQUIREMENTS
Please view the Course Tracker document to see the full list of courses, course requirements, and access syllabi.
I. Core Courses – Required 15 Credits
These courses are required for both the Master of Science and the Graduate Certificate in Shelter Medicine.
| Course # | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| VME6810* | Integrating Veterinary Medicine with Shelter Systems* | 3 |
| VME6811 | Shelter Animal Physical Health | 3 |
| VME6813 | Behavioral Health for Shelter Dogs and Cats | 3 |
| VME6815 | Animal Shelter Population Management by the Metrics | 3 |
| VME6816 | The Role of the Animal Shelter in Protecting Community and Public Health | 3 |
*All students must take this course in their first semester as an introduction to the field of Shelter Medicine and course technology.
II. Additional Courses for Master of Science
| Course # | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| VME6950 | Capstone Project** Presentation | 1-3 |
| VME6951 | Communicating Research about Shelter Medicine*** | 1 |
**VME 6950: Capstone Project (required in student’s final semester and can be taken for variable credit of 1-3 hours)
***A course or prior publication that documents ability to write in the sciences, such as VME 6951 Communicating Research About Shelter Medicine or OpenEdX Writing in the Sciences (0-1 credit)
Non-thesis students are expected to (1) meet with their online advisor at least once annually to review progress, (2) keep an e-portfolio to document their learning and professional growth, and (3) to develop a “Capstone Project” approved by their advisor before the final semester of their program.
Thesis students are expected to (1) meet online with their committees at least twice annually to review their progress, (2) document teaching efforts, (3) attend online national rounds, and (4) develop and defend their thesis.
III. Electives – Required 15 credits or more for Master of Science
III-a – Electives in Shelter Medicine
| Course # | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| VME6841 | Communications and Marketing for Animal Welfare Organizations | 3 |
| VME6840 | Life Enhancing Strategies of Animal Welfare Organizations | 3 |
| VME6910 | Supervised Research in Shelter Medicine (S/U only) by request | 1-3 |
| VME6939 | Topics in International Shelter Medicine | 3 |
| VME6905 | Seminar in Shelter Medicine (S/U only) | 1-3 |
| VME6801 | Principles of Management in Animal Shelters (PreReq: 6819)Coming Fall 2023 | 3 |
| VME6819 | Principles of Leadership in Animal Shelters | 3 |
| VME6830 | Principles of All-Hazard Responding in Animal Welfare | 3 |
To see a full list of available Shelter Medicine electives, please review the Course Tracker document.
III-b – Electives counted towards Certificate in Veterinary Forensic Sciences
Electives that count toward a Certificate in Veterinary Forensic Sciences can also count as your elective credits for your Master of Science in Shelter Medicine. To learn more about Veterinary Forensic Sciences courses, please visit the program website.
IV. Thesis-based Degree Requirements – 10-14 Credits
Students can choose to complete a thesis if they have outside funding. To learn more about completing a thesis with outside funding, please contact Dr. Terry Spencer.
Courses and schedule are subject to change based on demand and availability.