Prerequisite courses

About prerequisite courses

Applicants must complete specific prerequisite courses prior to enrollment in the DVM program. This includes courses in chemistry, biology, physics, math, English composition, and liberal education. All prerequisite courses must be graded at a C– or better and evaluated with A-F grading, unless only offered as pass-fail. A one-time exception to this policy has been granted for prerequisite courses taken spring 2020 and summer 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Courses with a grade of Pass (P) or Satisfactory (S) will be accepted for these two terms only.

Advanced Placement, College Level Examination Program, Postsecondary Enrollment Options, and International Baccalaureate credits are acceptable if documented on an undergraduate transcript. Substitution of advanced courses and experience is typically not allowed. All math and science prerequisite courses must be recent within 10 years of the application deadline. Applicants may petition to have expired coursework considered if they can demonstrate significant use of course content within a current workplace, research setting, advanced degree program, etc. Please contact the admissions office at [email protected] for more details.

Prerequisite courses can be in progress during the fall and spring term of the application cycle but can include no more than five math and science prerequisite courses. Summer classes taken immediately prior to fall semester enrollment in the DVM program may not be used to complete prerequisite courses. Students granted admission with prerequisite courses in progress will be accepted provisionally and must complete all remaining courses with a C or better by the end of the spring term (June 15).

Questions about prerequisite courses? Please send us an email at [email protected].

Prerequisite course changes for application cycle starting 2022-2023

The University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine has changed its prerequisite course requirements for admission to the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program. These changes went into effect during the application cycle, 2022-2023 / admit term fall 2023 / class of 2027.

Our goals behind these changes are:

• Align our prerequisite courses with recent changes made to the DVM program curriculum
• Continue to admit students who are academically ready for the rigors of the DVM curriculum
• Simplify admissions eligibility through the reduction of the total number of required prerequisite courses. This may also provide cost savings for some applicants.
• Provide more flexibility and expanded options in which courses will meet our prerequisite course requirements. For some applicants, this may allow them to use classes they are already taking for their degree requirements to fulfill our prerequisite course requirements.
• Decrease the number of specialized courses needed outside of undergraduate, postgraduate, etc., degree requirements
• Reduce the need to retake certain prerequisite courses for a better grade if other comparable course options are available

Summary of changes:

• Microbiology with a laboratory will no longer be a required prerequisite course. Microbiology could instead be applied towards the second biology prerequisite (see number 4 below).
• Either organic chemistry I OR organic chemistry II can now be used towards our 3 to 5 semester credit organic chemistry prerequisite course requirement. A laboratory is not required.  
• Either Biochemistry I OR biochemistry II can now be used towards our 3 to 5 semester credit biochemistry prerequisite course requirement. A laboratory is not required.  
• Biology has been reconfigured to now include one 3 to 5 semester credit introductory biology course with laboratory AND one additional, 3 to 5 credit, biology course (no lab required). The second class must be a course number higher than introductory biology. Zoology is no longer required, however, it could still be used towards the second class, as could other courses like microbiology, animal anatomy and physiology, etc. 
• Our math requirement has changed to include one 3 to 5 credit course in college algebra or higher course. Previously, math was limited to college algebra, pre-calculus, or calculus. This change now allows students to take geometry, trigonometry, or other advanced math courses. We will continue to require 3 to 5 credits of statistics.

Questions about prerequisite courses? Please contact the admissions office at [email protected]