Pre Vet student with dog.

Program Overview

Quick Facts

  • Delivery: On Campus
  • Program Type: Non-Degree
  • Brand New State-of-the-Art Labs 

Veterinarians are important medical specialists that diagnose, treat, and prevent illnesses in animals such as household pets, outdoor livestock, and even wildlife at the zoo. 

To become a licensed veterinarian, you must graduate from a four-year program at an accredited college of veterinary medicine. Most veterinary schools require students to have completed a significant amount of undergraduate coursework—ranging from 45 to 90 credit hours—but most prefer that you obtain your bachelor’s degree before applying.

Our pre-veterinary program will prepare you to meet the admission requirements of Purdue University’s School of Veterinary Medicine. If you have another school in mind during your studies at Ball State, your assigned departmental advisor will be happy to help you stay on track with that school’s specific admissions requirements.

We have a dedicated support team in Biology including academic advisors with educational backgrounds in biological sciences and a faculty advisor with a PhD. They will assist you with the application timeline, setting benchmarks, and finding shadowing and volunteer opportunities. Feel free to contact one of the advisors to see what a course schedule would like look!

Ball State’s pre-veterinary program does not grant a degree, so you must also declare a major of your choosing (typically biology or chemistry). For students who choose to earn a bachelor’s degree, you will need to complete the requirements for the pre-veterinary program, your chosen major, and the University Core Curriculum.

Courses to fulfill the minimum requirements for the pre-veterinary program are:

  • BIO 111 – Principles of Biology 1
  • BIO 112 – Principles of Biology 2
  • BIO 214 – Genetics
  • BIO 313 – Microbiology
  • ENG 104 – Composing Research
  • COMM 210 – Fundamentals of Public Communication
  • CHEM 111 and CHEM 112 – General Chemistry 1 and 2
  • CHEM 231 and 241 – Organic Chemistry 1 with Laboratory
  • CHEM 232 and 242 – Organic Chemistry 2 with Laboratory
  • PHYC 110 and 112 – Physics 1 and 2
  • One of the following:
    • CHEM 360 AND CHEM 361 – Biochemistry with Laboratory
    • CHEM 463 AND CHEM 464 – Principles of Biochemistry 1 and 2
  • One of the following:
    • MATH 181 – Elementary Probability and Statistics
    • BIO 448 – Biometry
  • three courses in humanities
  • one elective course applicable to your concentration or professional goals

For a complete list of all the classes you will take as part of this program and their descriptions, please see our Course Catalog. To learn about declaring a major in biology (with an optional concentration in zoology or wildlife biology), view our academic programs.

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Take the Next Step

Do you want to learn more about our program or have questions about the application process or financial aid? We’re here to help! One of the best ways to understand why Ball State is right for you is to schedule a visit through our Office of Undergraduate Admissions to see it for yourself. Or if you’d like to speak directly to someone in our department, please feel free to call or email us.

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