One Health principle
We agree 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.
State-of-the-art PhD and MS training
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.
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.
Find a program that’s right for you
It is to your benefit to learn about and contact prospective graduate faculty advisors in both of our graduate programs.
While you may submit an application without securing a faculty advisor in advance, applications are more likely to be successful if you can do this. Students will only be admitted directly into the laboratory of a graduate faculty member who has funding to support the student, and whom the admissions committee deems is a good match, given the student’s research interests.
Therefore, we strongly encourage applicants to review graduate faculty profiles associated with each program to learn about our faculty and their research focus areas. When you identify graduate faculty members doing research in your field of interest, you are encouraged to contact them to inquire about availability in their labs and make connections prior to applying. Additionally, you can learn about some of our research opportunities by visiting the ‘Projects seeking students’ page.
You are encouraged to mention the names of potential faculty advisors in your personal statement to assist the admissions committee in the process to match you with an advisor. This does not guarantee admission but does facilitate our matching process.
Learn more and apply for the Comparative & Molecular Biosciences program
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.
Learn more and apply for the Veterinary Sciences program
Research in the Veterinary Sciences 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.
Tuition, fees and funding
First year: The CMB and VSci graduate programs support incoming PhD students during their first academic year with a Research Assistantship position, which includes a minimum $30,440 ($29.27/hour) annual stipend, tuition waiver, and healthcare benefits.
Subsequent years: Faculty advisors provide financial support.
MS students must identify a faculty advisor who will provide financial support during their training.
A number of grants and fellowships are also available. Interested students should consult the U of M Graduate School and the college’s graduate program grant and fellowship opportunities.
Additional information on tuition and fees are detailed on the U of M OneStop.
News
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.
Learn more
Where are our alumni?
Learn more about where our alumni go after they graduate
Experiential learning
See opportunities to develop transferable skills that employers seek in professional and career development and projects seeking PhD & MS applicants.
Community support resources for students
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
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.