Master of Science in Veterinary Biomedical Science

Program Overview

The Master of Science in Veterinary Biomedical Science (MS VBMS) is an intensive 1-year bridge program designed to provide advanced academic training in the life sciences. It’s ideal for students aiming to:

Strengthen their academic foundation in biomedical science
Enhance their competitiveness for doctoral-level programs, including veterinary and medical schools
Maintain engagement in biomedical research throughout their careers

Academic Experience

The MS VBMS curriculum provides a unique opportunity to learn alongside first-year Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) students, offering exposure to the rigor and pace of veterinary education.

Courses include:

Veterinary Anatomy (Fall semester)
Parasitology (Spring semester)
Additional advanced life science coursework to reinforce and expand your understanding of complex biological systems

Who Should Apply?

The program is well-suited for students who:

Aspire to attend veterinary school, Ph.D. programs, or other health professional programs
Have encountered educational, societal, or personal barriers to reaching those goals
Are looking for a non-traditional path into competitive professional programs

Program Outcomes

Graduates of the MS VBMS program have gone on to successfully enroll in:

Veterinary school
Doctoral (Ph.D.) programs
Other health professional schools

Curriculum and Program Policies

The MS VBMS program is a 30-credit-hour, in-person program. It is accomplished in 2 semesters.

Please note, course offerings are subject to change. Students and interested applicants are advised to review the Graduate Program Catalog for a full list of core requirements, electives, and program policies. It is the student's responsibility to ensure all requirements for graduation are met. It is the student's responsibility to be familiar with curriculum, graduation requirements, and program policies as listed in the Catalog.

MS VBMS Course Catalog

Master-level courses in the MS VBMS program (LSCI, BCHM, etc.) will follow the LMU Main Campus Academic Calendar. Professional-level courses in the MS VBMS program (VANT) will follow the DVM Program Academic Calendar. It is the student's responsibility to be familiar with both calendars and adhere to any start/end dates, as well as any breaks or holidays.

Thesis Track Option: Students who wish complete a thesis must declare their intent to do so before the end of their first semester of coursework.

Guaranteed Interview at LMU-CVM

Students who maintain a cumulative 3.0+ graduate GPA over at least 15 credits in the MS VBMS program, complete their Veterinary Medical College Application Service (VMCAS) application, and apply to LMU-CVM will be granted an interview with the LMU-CVM. This is not a guarantee of admission.

Academic Performance in Professional Courses

If a grade of "B" or better is earned in DVM courses while in the MS VBMS program, students who are accepted into LMU’s DVM program will not have to repeat the classes during their first year. This will allow students who are accepted into the LMU-CVM to enter with up to 10 earned credits. During their first year in the DVM program, students may apply to be considered as Veterinary Teaching Assistants and Tutors.

Admissions Requirements & Standards

Fall 2026 Start

Applications for matriculation in Fall 2026 start October 17, 2025 through May 10, 2026. The admissions committee will review applications completed and verified in that window in early April 2026. Interviews will be conducted early-mid April 2026, with decision notifications delivered late April through late May 2026.

Complete and verified applications received after the posted deadline may be considered on a case-by-case basis, depending on seat availability in the program.

Spring 2026 Start

Applications for matriculation in Spring 2026 are received August 2025 through October 2025. The admissions committee will review applications completed and verified in that window in late October 2025, with interviews conducted in early November 2025. Decision notifications will be delivered mid November 2025.

Apply Now!

Application Status & Review Requirements

Only complete and verified applications will be reviewed.

It is the responsibility of the applicant to monitor the status of their PostbacCAS application and ensure delivery of all application materials by the deadline for their desired start date. Applications that are incomplete or unverified will not be evaluated.

A complete application has all letters of recommendation, transcripts, and essays received through PostbacCAS.

All materials should be submitted through PostbacCAS. The Office of CVM Admissions is not responsible for transcripts, letters, or essays that were submitted outside the PostbacCAS system. Sending materials outside of PostbacCAS may delay or prevent the evaluation of an application.

Click here for the PostbacCAS application cycle due dates. Any applications that are not verified by the end of the cycle will be required to re-submit. The admissions committee will not consider unverified applications.

Required Application Materials

To apply to the MS VBMS program, the following must be completed and/or submitted:

PostbacCAS Application
Official transcripts from all institutions attended
- Foreign transcripts, including from previous DVM programs, must be evaluated by World Education Services (WES) or Josef Silney & Associates, Inc. before submission.
- Transcripts from Ross University’s DVM program can be ordered directly from the institution without a transcript evaluation service
- All final grades on foreign transcripts will be included in final GPA calculations
Two (2) letters of recommendation from the applicant’s instructors, a veterinarian, or a health professions advisory committee with knowledge of the applicant’s work and ability and can, therefore, evaluate their potential for success in this graduate program
One (1) personal statement that professionally articulates a response to the following prompt: How will the MS VBMS program help you achieve your career goals?
Application fees (PostbacCAS)
Curriculum Vitae (CV)

Applicants Previously Enrolled in a DVM Program:

Any applicant to the MS VBMS program who has been enrolled in a DVM program must submit the following in addition to the standard application materials:

Official transcript(s) reflecting DVM coursework from institution
Recommendation Questionnaire from the Dean or Administrator at the CVM where they attempted or began coursework.
- To access the questionnaire, please email CVMGradPrograms@LMUnet.edu

Any applicant who has attempted or completed DVM-level coursework prior to or concurrent with their application to the MS VBMS program must disclose that fact in their application materials. Failure to disclose enrollment in a DVM program on the MS VBMS application may result in immediate dismissal from the MS VBMS program.

Applicant Eligibility Requirements

All applicants to the MS VBMS program must:

Hold a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution (or verified international equivalent)
Have an overall minimum cumulative GPA of 2.80+
Have completed all prerequisite coursework with a C- or better per course
- Applicants may apply while still completing prerequisite coursework and must submit final transcripts once the coursework is complete to remain eligible for admission.

Prerequisite Courses

Applicants must complete the following coursework prior to beginning the MS VBMS program. All prerequisites must be completed with a C- or better.


Prerequisite	Semester Units	Quarter Units	Notes
English	6	9	Reading or Comprehension can count toward this total
Mathematics	6	9	Probability and Statistics can count towards this total
General Biology	8	12	With labs
Upper Level Biology	8	12	300-level coursework with labs
Organic Chemistry	6	9	Lecture and labs
General Chemistry	6	9	Lecture and labs
Physics	3	4.5	Algebra or Calculus-based with lab
Biochemistry	3	4.5

Probability and Statistics	Can be counted toward the mathematics requirement
Molecular Genetics	Can be counted toward the general or upper-level biology requirements

Applicants with unfinished prerequisite coursework may still apply, however, official transcripts must be provided to the CVM Admissions office upon completion of the coursework.

Applicants who are currently or were previously enrolled in a DVM program must:

Have a cumulative GPA in their DVM program of 2.00+

Application Process

1. Complete the PostbacCAS application.
All application materials should be uploaded and submitted via PostbacCAS, including reference letters.

2. Initial Review.
The LMU-CVM Office of Admissions will confirm that all required elements of the application have been received. Complete and verified applications will be forwarded to the MS VBMS Admissions Committee for evaluation.

3. Committee Review.
The MS VBMS Admissions Committee will review the application to determine if the applicant meets admission criteria. Applicants who meet the criteria will be invited for a committee interview.

4. Interview.
Applicants who pass the initial review will be invited for a 10-15 minute Zoom or phone interview with two faculty or staff members on the MS VBMS Admissions Committee.

5. Post-Interview Decision.
Following the interview and receipt of any requested additional information, the Admissions Committee will make a recommendation to the LMU-CVM Dean. Applicants will be notified in writing as soon as possible following the Dean's decision.

Any applicant who receives an "Accept" decision must still provide any further documentation as requested by CVM Admissions and/or LMU.

Tuition & Fees

Tuition and fees are subject to change and are determined by LMU main campus. For information regarding tuition and fees, please visit the Student Financial Services webpage using the link below.

Please note that some fees may not be specifically listed. Any questions about tuition rates, fees, or financial aid should be directed to the Student Financial Services team.

Full-time status of a MS VBMS graduate student is a minimum of nine (9) graduate credits in a Fall or Spring semester or six (6) during a Summer session. Many MS VBMS program students enroll in a total course credit load of 12-19 credits, which may include deficiency courses.

LMU Student Financial Services

Students previously enrolled in the MS VBMS program who become new CVM-I students prior to completion of the MS VBMS degree may complete their MS VBMS courses at no additional tuition charge above tuition paid for their CVM-I year, provided the total credits in courses for both programs do not exceed the maximum number in the typical CVM-I schedule (see CVM Course Catalog for credit hours). MS VBMS students who return to complete the degree at any time will be charged the tuition rate in force when they return to complete the required courses. Students desiring to complete the MS degree in CVM-II or later will be charged the tuition rate in force when taking the courses.

Thesis Track Option: After completing the core required courses for the MS VBMS Thesis Track, the tuition rate for MS VBMS Thesis Research course credits shall be the same as other MS VBMS credit hours for that year.

Seat Deposit

To secure a seat in the MS VBMS program, accepted applicants must submit a non-refundable $250 seat deposit. Deposits may be paid via the accepted applicant's MyLMU account. The seat deposit will be applied towards the cost of tuition.

Housing

LMU offers on-campus graduate housing for accepted applicants who choose to live on campus. For more information, visit the Housing and Residence Life webpage. Graduate students are not required to live on campus.

Applicants with Foreign Coursework

Applicants to the MS VBMS program who have completed coursework at an institution external to the United States must complete the standard application procedure outlined above. All data included in the application (essays, demographic information, reference letters, CVs, etc.) must be written in English.

Any transcripts from institutions located outside of the United States must be evaluated by either the World Education Services (WES) or Josef Silney & Associates, Inc. Transcripts and evaluations should be submitted as normal through PostbacCAS.

If English is not the applicant's native language, the applicant must submit one of the following test scores via an official report sent directly from the Educational Testing Service (ETS) to PostbacCAS.
- iBT (Internet-based TOEFL): minimum score of 61.
- CBT (Computer-based TOEFL): minimum score of 173.
- PBT (Paper-based TOEFL): minimum score of 500.

TOEFL scores older than 2 years will not be accepted.

*Applicants who earned a baccalaureate degree (or equivalent) from an American or English-speaking institution are not required to take the TOEFL.

LMU-CVM Graduate Studies Contact

Email: CVMGradPrograms@LMUnet.edu