Master of Veterinary Science Overview
Major: Livestock Systems Health
Livestock are complex biological systems living in problematic biosocial, physicochemical environments, governed by complex management structures that are influenced by sophisticated food supply business system pressures. The animal health, production and profitability difficulties that we so often encounter, invariably arise from disruptions at one or more levels of this sophisticated food production chain. Creating robust solutions for managing or preventing disruptions requires a thoughtful and methodical approach to data collection, analysis and interpretation. The Master of Veterinary Science (MVS) degree is designed to help you design robust solutions and prepare you to analyze the disruption at the systems level.
The degree program was designed at the intersection of animal health, data analytics and business management with the goal of creating the next generation of leaders.
Attend one of our online information sessions to learn more about the program!
Spring 2024 applications are open June 1st-October 15th.
Join the Leaders
Engage with faculty with over 25 years of experience working outside the University of Illinois managing livestock operations, have built veterinary medicine curriculums, and serve as leaders in their field. Courses are based on clinical and business cases. Assessments are designed for you to apply the material to a real-world problem. You will finish this degree program positioned to become a leader.
Engage with classmates who have a variety of educational backgrounds and work in all aspects of the food supply chain. Current students in our program work in a variety of roles including farming, ranching, corporate production, research and development, information technology, education, veterinary medicine, government, quality control regulation, and practice management.
What path will you take?
Program Timeline
The MVS degree is a 32 credit-hour program. Students complete the online degree in 18-24 months. Expect to spend 9-10 hours per week of work outside of classroom on material.
Courses have an asynchronous and synchronous component. The elective courses are 8-weeks long giving you the opportunity to take two classes per semester and only focusing on one course at a time to fit your busy schedule. All live sessions are scheduled at the end of traditional business hours to accommodate adult learners with a full-time job. Recordings of each live session are available as well and each student has the option to attend virtual office hours.
On-Campus Program
The on-campus program will be a full-time program for students to complete within one year. While most aspects of the on-campus program are consistent with our online degree, students will have the opportunity to further engage with the campus community and resources while completing their degree on site.
Course Requirements
The MVS degree has three requirements:
- VCM 565: Biostatistics, Information Management, and Data Analytics for Livestock Production Systems (4 credit hours)
- VCM 595: Integrative Learning Experience - Capstone project (8 credit hours)
- VCM electives at the 500 level (20 credit hours)
The curriculum is intentionally flexible to meet the career goals of each student. You and your advisor will determine your destination, map out your path forward and design your capstone project to provide employers an example of the skills and knowledge gained in this degree. You can view the degree requirements in the University Academic Catalog.
Tuition and Application Information*
The tuition rate for the online MVS program is $740 per credit hour. Online students are not subject to any additional fees beyond the credit-hour rate. Tuition bills are generated each semester. You can view the University payment due dates, accepted payment methods and learn about available payment plans to get more information. We do not currently have any scholarships for our online program.
*The total cost of on-campus MVS program varies based on residency, campus fees, and additional expenses. Students should refer to the Illinois Cost Calculator to estimate their cost of attendance.
We admit a spring and fall cohort of students to our online degree each year, while we only admit a fall cohort of students to our in-person degree each year. Read more about the application process, requirements, and how to get started.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What are the prerequisites for application?
A: You need to have a Bachelor's degree (or equivalent for international students); three professional references; college transcripts; a resume; TOEFL (international applicants only); and a personal statement. Please see our Getting Started page for more information.
Q: What kind of careers does the MVS degree prepare students for?
A: The MVS program prepares students for work in livestock production management, farming, ranching, corporate production, research and development, information technology, education, veterinary medicine, government, quality control regulation, and practice management.
Q: I have a degree in a non-science field. Can I still apply?
A: Yes. The degree requirements are at minimum a Bachelor's degree in any field, science-related or non. You will need to start the program with VCM 505 Introduction to Veterinary Science which will cover the basic foundational health information you will need in the remaining classes.
Q: I have an Associate's degree. Can I still apply?
A: No. You must have at minimum a Bachelor's degree (or an equivalent degree for international students).
Q: Do you offer any scholarships or financial aid?
A: The MVS degree is a self-supporting program. We have a limited amount of scholarships available.
Read the rest of the FAQ here.
Check out our podcast!
Welcome to the Round Barn podcast, where faculty members from the University of Illinois tackle issues that are relevant to today's challenges, from livestock production to diagnostics and clinical cases. Look for the Round Barn podcast on our website, iTunes, Spotify, and all major hosting services.
