Academic Admission Requirements

a strong foundational knowledge

Our goal is for every individual admitted to the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program to successfully complete the academically rigorous, competency-based veterinary professional program. The information below outlines the academic requirements to help prospective applicants develop a strong foundational knowledge that they will build upon within the DVM program.

All applicants are required to complete the required prerequisite and elective coursework prior to starting the DVM program. If coursework has been repeated within the past six years, the grades will be averaged.  The coursework may be in-progress during the application cycle but must be completed with a grade of C- or better prior to July 15th of the admission year. 

Entry Routes into the CVM

The A-State CVM offers multiple pathways to help you achieve your dream of becoming a veterinarian. Whether you’re completing your bachelor’s degree before entering the program, pursuing an accelerated “3 + 4” option, or meeting prerequisites through another route, A-State provides flexible entry options designed to fit your academic journey and career goals.

A “3 + 4” Program

Entry Route One

A-State offers a “3 + 4” program, where you can complete your baccalaureate Animal Science or Biological Science degree program at A-State during your Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) professional program.

Learn More

Bachelor's Degree

Entry Route Two

If you’re planning to complete your bachelor’s degree before entering veterinary school, this route is designed for you. Undergraduate programs, such as Animal Science and Biological Sciences with a Pre-Veterinary emphasis, provide the strong academic foundation needed for success in the DVM program.

Prerequisites Only

Entry Route Three

This route is ideal for students who have completed all required prerequisite courses but do not yet hold a bachelor’s degree or do not qualify for the “3 + 4” program. It offers a path to enter the DVM program once prerequisite coursework is complete.

View Required Courses

Required Coursework

These prerequisites ensure that you have a strong foundational knowledge before building upon that knowledge in the DVM program.

• Applicants must complete the courses outlined below with a grade of C- or better at an accredited institution and achieve a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.8 (on a 4.0 scale).
• Applicants may receive no more than one grade of D and one grade of F in each required prerequisite course completed within the past six years.
  Online courses from accredited institutions will be accepted. If a lab component is required, the lab component is strongly encouraged to be completed in-person.
• Courses and laboratories completed during semesters impacted by COVID-19 may be graded as Pass/Fail. A course will fulfill the prerequisite requirement if a “Pass” grade was obtained only during these specific semesters, otherwise courses must be graded using a letter grade scale.
• College Level Examination Program (CLEP) and AP courses will be accepted to meet eligible prerequisites if either listed on an official college transcript or verified by the A-State registrar’s office.
• Applicants must complete all required coursework by July 15th of the admission year and advanced sciences courses must be completed within 10 years of the admission year.
• A bachelor’s degree is not required before starting the A-State DVM program.

The required coursework are examples of A-State courses. Additional details on the courses is provided as a comparison for courses that fulfill the requirements.

Transfer Course Equivalency

If you have taken courses outside of A-State, the A-State Transfer Course Equivalency Tool can assist you in determining if those courses will fulfill the requirements. If you would like to petition for a course substitution or would like to request review of a course not found in the A-State Transfer Course Equivalency Tool, please utilize our substitution form.

Petition for a Course Substitution or Review

If you have any questions after reviewing the Admissions website and the A-State Transfer Course Equivalency Tool, please reach out to the Office of Student Programs and Admissions.

Prerequisite Coursework Summary

Subject Area	Course Name	Credits	Course Equivalent
Biological Science	General Biology/Zoology (for science majors)*	6	BIO 1303 – Biology of Animals and higher
	Additional Details Two, three-hour semester courses in general biology with an accompanying in-person, physical laboratory component. A higher level biology course with accompanying laboratory may be accepted for substitution of the introductory biology/zoology course (up to 3 credits) and laboratory (up to 1 credit).
Biological Science	General Biology/Zoology Lab	2	BIO 1301 – Biology of Animals Laboratory and higher
	Additional Details A laboratory accompanying the introductory general biology/zoology courses will fulfill this prerequisite. A higher-level biology lab accompanied by the associated higher-level biology course may be accepted for substitution of the introductory biology/zoology lab requirement.
Chemistry	General Chemistry (for science majors)	6	CHEM 1013 – General Chemistry I CHEM 1023 – General Chemistry II
	Additional Details General chemistry courses must be for biological science majors or chemistry majors. Non-science major chemistry courses will not be accepted. No course substitutions allowed.
Chemistry	General Chemistry Lab	2	CHEM 1011 – General Chemistry I Laboratory CHEM 1021 – General Chemistry II Laboratory
	Additional Details General chemistry laboratories must be for biological science majors or chemistry majors. Non-science major chemistry laboratories will not be accepted. No course substitutions are allowed.
Chemistry	Organic Chemistry	3	CHEM 3103 – Organic Chemistry I
	Additional Details Organic Chemistry I and/or Organic Chemistry II may be used to fulfill this requirement. A one semester overview of organic chemistry will not fulfill this requirement. No course substitutions are allowed.
Biomedical Science	Biochemistry (must require Organic as a prerequisite)	3	CHEM 4243 – Biochemistry
	Additional Details A course focused on chemistry and metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and nucleic acids. Must require organic chemistry as a prerequisite. A nutritional biochemistry and metabolism course may be accepted for substitution.
Math	Statistics or College Algebra or higher	3	MATH 1023 – College Algebra STAT 2003 – Introduction to Statistics
	Additional Details Any college algebra course or higher OR introductory statistics or statistics for health professionals or higher may be used to fulfill this course requirement.
English	Composition/Writing Intensive	6	ENG 1003 – Composition I ENG 1013 – Composition II
	Additional Details Courses on the fundamentals of written communication. Business writing courses can help fulfill this requirement. Advanced composition courses that are writing intensive or other writing intensive courses such as practical or technical writing may also fulfill this requirement.
TOTAL		31

Required Elective Coursework Summary

Subject Area	Course Name	Credits	Course Equivalent
Sciences/Advanced Sciences	Upper division science courses (300 level or above) and up to 6 credit hours of general physics (200 level or above)	14	ANSC – Veterinary Anatomy and Physiology ANSC 4683 – Reproductive Physiology ANSC 4673 – Digestion Physiology and Nutrition of Domestic Animals BIO 4104 – Microbiology BIO 4133 – Cell Biology BIO 4441 and 4443 – Comparative Animal Physiology PHYS 2054 – General Physics I
	Additional Details Up to six semester credit hours may be fulfilled by general physics courses, but physics is not required. The full fourteen semester credit hours may be fulfilled by upper division science courses (300/3000 level or higher). Recommended course topics include anatomy and/or physiology, cell biology, genetics, bacteriology, immunology, pathology/pathophysiology, nutrition, histology, parasitology, toxicology, and other relevant veterinary topics.
Applicant Selected Subject Area	Courses which reflect the candidate’s interests and career objectives and provide a broad general education. Additional sciences courses accepted.	17	Various
TOTAL		31

AP Exams Accepted for Prerequisite Requirements

View minimum required AP scores accepted by A-State

CLEP Exams Accepted for Prerequisite Requirements