Non-Degree
Non-Degree Courses in Shelter Medicine

Black cat and Dachshund

Why take Shelter Medicine Courses?

Animal welfare professionals in any position experience many unique challenges when working in shelter or rescue environments. That’s why the UF Veterinary Shelter Medicine Online Program is the perfect opportunity for all animal welfare professionals to gain critical knowledge in this growing field.

The demand for well-trained professionals in all areas of shelter operations is vital to the care of animals in need. Career changers without a background in shelter medicine can ease into the program as a non-degree seeking student. Non-profit leadership courses can be particularly helpful for students interested in making a difference in the lives of animals but may not have an extensive science background.

What does it mean to be a Non-Degree seeking student?

UF’s online shelter medicine program offers the opportunity to enroll in one course (up to 3 credits) as a non-degree seeking student. This gives professionals the chance to sharpen skills and focus on areas of interest specific to their line of work, without the demand of a full degree curriculum. It is recommended that you take VME 6810: Integrating Veterinary Medicine with Shelter Systems as it is the foundational course. Credits earned are fully transferable towards the graduate certificate or master’s degree in shelter medicine for students who wish to further their education.

What will you learn?

Non-degree seeking students can choose from the entire catalog of shelter medicine courses. These courses offer a wide range of topics for animal welfare professionals to hone in on skills or areas of interest specific to their role. Topics range from:

  • Shelter health, behavior, and welfare
  • Animal cruelty, forensics and crime scene processing
  • Non-profit leadership, management, and fundraising
  • Veterinary public health, disease control, and disaster response

How much is tuition?

Tuition is $525 per credit hour, plus fees for all shelter medicine courses. For more details on tuition, click here.

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Continuing Education

The Maples Center for Forensic Medicine offers recorded video of lectures and workshops for continuing education credits.  These courses require a enrollment fee, however no other prerequisites are required.  Each course consists of a series of lecture videos, with a self assessment required for CE.  Once the assessment is complete, the participant can print a certificate of completion.

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