MS and PhD Programs
State-of-the-art PhD and MS training
Graduate programs at the College of Veterinary Medicine are based on the One Health principle that advancing animal and human health stems from the same scientific foundation. We provide state-of-the-art PhD and MS training at the intersections of animal, human, and ecosystem health. Our primary goal is to educate independent scientists to lead our workforce as private sector professionals, scientists, educators, or public sector officials. Foremost in our training model, students will achieve scientific acuity and technical excellence through high quality impactful mentored thesis research, supplemented through rigorous core coursework. In addition to this, we offer students a variety of experiential learning opportunities to develop the excellent “transferable” skills that employers seek. In addition to MS and PhD graduate training, we also offer a dual degree DVM/PhD program.
Graduate School Resources during COVID-19
- Return to Work Guidelines for Graduate Students
- Graduate Student/Program Specific FAQs
- Making the most of your time
- Student Wellbeing Resources
- Student travel: Preapproval policy
Faculty Mentoring / Advising Resources
- Optimizing the practice of mentoring 101 training
- Enhancing motivation using the CARES mentoring model training
- Student Mental Health Red Folder
- CVM graduate faculty advising statement template & examples
- Advising statement template
- The Graduate School's Dignity Project Resources
Faculty Fighting Racism Resource Page
Get more information
Please contact the Office of Graduate Programs:
[email protected]
Office of Graduate Programs
1365 Gortner Avenue
434 VMC
St. Paul, MN 55108
Our mission
Our mission is to provide education through research that advances animal and human health. We are committed to helping students graduate in a timely fashion through individualized mentoring, clear programmatic timelines, and annual reviews. PhD trainees typically complete their programs in less than 5 years. You will work closely with faculty and peers in a supportive and collaborative environment to develop the critical thinking, technical, and communication skills for successful careers in academia, private industries, or the public sector.
Comparative & Molecular Biosciences
Students in the Comparative and Molecular Biology (CMB) program seeks to understand the mechanisms of animal and human health. Training is intradisciplinary and provides students with individualized mentorship in cutting edge technologies.
Veterinary Medicine
Research in the Veterinary Medicine (VMED) program focuses on the scientific study of the transmission and progression of diseases of importance to domestic animals, wildlife, and humans with applications to diagnosis, prevention, and treatment.
Dual degree programs
In addition to MS and PhD graduate training we also offer dual degree programs. Our combined DVM/PhD and DVM/MS programs offer rigorous training for careers at the interface between basic sciences and veterinary medicine, preparing students for academic or private sector careers in veterinary and biomedical research.
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2022-2023 MnDRIVE Global Food Ventures fellows
Sixteen University of Minnesota graduate students have been announced as the 2022-2023 cohort of fellows for the Global Food Ventures (GFV) as part of Minnesota’s Discovery, Research, and InnoVation Economy (MnDRIVE) partnership.
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Marissa Milstein: Preventing ’spillover’ in the Amazon
University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine-trained wildlife vet Marissa Milstein works closely with the indigenous Waiwai people to better understand how hunting and consumption habits inform the risk of animal-to-human disease transmission. Read more: https://z.umn.edu/75uo
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Kirk wins pathology award from University of Illinois
atalie Kirk, PhD student in the Comparative and Molecular Biosciences Graduate Program, was awarded the Pathology Training and Scholarship Award for work she completed while in her anatomic pathology residency at the University of Illinois Veterinary Diagnostic lab. Read more
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Graduate student Anna Jaeger receives IMV Training Program T32 Fellowship
Anna Jaeger, a Comparative and Molecular Biosciences graduate student, was the recipient of the highly competitive fellowship (T32) from the UMN Institute for Molecular Virology Training Program (IMVTP). Read more
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CVM student team breaks top 10 in global health case competition
Three College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) students helped lead their team to an eighth place finish in the annual Emory Morningside Global Health Case Competition. Read more
Where are our alumni?
Learn more about where our alumni go after they graduate
Additional opportunities
We are proud to offer students a variety of experiential learning opportunities to develop the excellent “transferable” skills that employers seek.
Professional and career development
Projects Seeking PhD & MS Applicants
Graduate Student Seminar Series
The College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) Graduate Student Seminars are held on Thursdays at 12:00 p.m. CT via Zoom or in-person (215 VSB).
Community Support Resources for Students
Multicultural
Multicultural
The College of Veterinary Medicine and the University of Minnesota emphasize a welcoming and inclusive environment in which multiple voices and experiences contribute to excellence in teaching, learning, and scientific discovery.
- Office for Diversity in Graduate Education
- Community of Scholars Program
- Graduate School Student Organizations
- Graduate Student & Postdoctoral Alliance for Diversity & Inclusion
- Disability Resource Center
- Twin Cities Multicultural Resources and Services Directory
- College of Veterinary Medicine Diversity and Inclusion Committee
Twin Cities Living
Twin Cities Living
Lying on opposite sides of the Mississippi river, St. Paul and Minneapolis comprise a vibrant, green, and welcoming community. The cities maintain nearly 200 parks and lakes with over 1,200 miles of walking, running, and biking trails. Our urban setting provides easy access to arts and culture, professional and Big Ten sports, multicultural neighborhoods and events, and restaurants, including 20 different craft beer taprooms. And yet we are just minutes from open fields, boating, golf courses, skiing, and nature sanctuaries. These are just some of the reasons the Twin Cities consistently rank in the top 10 most livable US cities.