Obtain a Graduate Degree While Continuing Your Veterinary Education
Through the Office of Research and Graduate Studies, the Auburn University College of Veterinary offers students enrolled in the DVM program the opportunity to complete Master of Public Health (MPH), Master of Science (MS), Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) or Master of Business Administration (MBA) programs while continuing their veterinary education. Information about these programs can be found below.
DVM/MPH
There are currently two options available for students seeking to pursue the DVM-Master’s of Public Health degree.
1. University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB)
The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health, located 120 miles from Auburn, is among the ‘Top 15’ Schools of Public Health in the US. The coordinated Master of Public Health (MPH) and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) concurrent degree program is configured as a 5-year coordinated degree. The addition of an MPH degree to the DVM degree can provide an expansion of career opportunities in research, government, and international health and wellness. See the UAB Veterinary Medicine (Auburn) / Master of Public Health Program for more information.
Students admitted to the MPH program, separately from the DVM program, would earn their MPH with a concentration in Population Health. With both in-person and online options, students will gain a solid foundation in core public health principles, complete an Applied Practice Experience (Internship), and an Integrative Learning Experience (Capstone). The curriculum also allows for additional flexibility for students to choose their own elective options to further individualize the degree experience to better serve students’ career aspirations.
For more information, please contact KaShunti Farmer in the School of Public Health at ksfarmer@uab.edu or (205) 934-2684.
2. University of Minnesota DVM+ MPH – the “Veterinary Public Health MPH”
Core UMN-MPH courses are available online during all academic sessions (Fall, Spring, Summer) so students can proceed at their own pace. There is the option to attend the UMN School of Public Health “Summer Institute”– a dynamic 3-week on-campus program that offers veterinary public health electives and intermingles MPH and Dr.PH candidates from a variety of disciplines. All UMN DVM+MPH students receive in-state tuition, and there is no additional charge for distance learning courses. It is possible for students to use the summer academic sessions (before starting the 1st year, between the 1st and 2nd years, and between the 2nd and 3rd years) to complete most, if not all, MPH coursework before starting clinical rotations (4th year).
The 5-year timeline allows flexibility for completion, and degrees are awarded separately. The MN Veterinary MPH is already structured so that ALL required/core courses are offered during Summer Session and don’t conflict with the professional curriculum schedule (Fall/Spring). Students may begin the MPH at any time during vet school, including the summer immediately before the first semester of vet school. See the UMN MPH Program for more information.
*Note: 42 credits are required for the MPH.
14 allowable transfer credits from the DVM curriculum = 1/3 of the MPH degree.
For more information, please contact Sarah Summerbell, MS, Program Coordinator, at peter415@umn.edu.
DVM/MS and DVM/PhD
The College of Veterinary Medicine offers a concurrent degree program for DVM and MS or DVM and PhD degrees. This program allows students to pursue DVM and graduate degrees simultaneously in a time- and content-integrated manner. Graduates of this program have strong backgrounds in veterinary medicine and research and are well prepared for successful careers in academia, industry, or specialty clinics.
Students must apply to and be admitted to the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine and then apply for admission to the Biomedical Sciences graduate program through the Auburn University Graduate School. Students already admitted to the Graduate School may also apply for admission to the DVM program for entry to the concurrent degree program.
Students interested in participating in the concurrent degree program should contact the Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies to discuss application procedures.
A full description of the program can be found in the Biomedical Sciences Handbook (PDF).
Applying to the Program
DVM/MS and DVM/PhD graduates will have strong backgrounds in both veterinary medicine and research and will be well prepared for careers in academia, industry and/or specialty clinics.
Students are admitted into the College of Veterinary Medicine program by applying to the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) and to the graduate program via application to the Biomedical Sciences graduate program through Auburn University Graduate School (GS). Students must meet three criteria to be admitted to a concurrent degree:
- A personal statement in less than 500 words describing the applicants reasons to pursue the DVM and graduate curriculum simultaneously and stating long-term career goals.
- The applicant must be evaluated by the Associate Dean for Research and/or the BMS Graduate
Program Committee. - Provide three letters of recommendation, one from the student’s major advisor.
Please see the Biomedical Sciences Handbook (PDF) for more details.
DVM/Online MBA
In partnership with the Auburn University College of Business, the College of Veterinary Medicine is offering an online MBA degree for veterinary professionals and others interested in completing a remote master’s degree in business administration. In addition, DVM students can complete the degree at a considerable discount due to a waiver on some fees for required electives.
To earn the online MBA, 39 total credit hours must be completed, including 27 required core class hours in the College of Business and 12 elective hours — six in business and six in the College of Veterinary Medicine. In addition to a $250 confirmation fee, cost of the program is $950 per credit hour, or approximately $37,050 for the full MBA. Students with a DVM qualify for a waiver of $5,700 off the fee for their electives, making their approximate final cost $31,350. Enrolled students have six years to complete the coursework for the degree.
To apply for the online MBA program, complete the application located at graduate.auburn.edu. You will also need to submit a current resume, an unofficial copy of your transcripts, two letters of recommendation, and a personal statement. Students currently enrolled in Auburn University’s DVM program are automatically granted a GMAT/GRE waiver. See the Auburn University College of Business for application deadlines.
For more information on the online MBA, contact Dr. Jordan Holladay, Director, Graduate Recruiting at jlh0019@auburn.edu or call the College of Business at (334) 844-4837.