College of Veterinary Medicine
Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine
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MSc Degree – Creative Component

At A Glance

  • Total Credits: 36

  • Time to Complete: 2.5+ years

  • Format: In-person or Online

  • Application Deadlines: Rolling

Learning Goals

  • No thesis required for coursework-based MSc degrees.
  • Complete 36 credits:
    • At least 19 credits from coursework.
    • Minimum of 3 credits from a special topics course (VDPAM 5900).
  • Special topics course involves one-on-one interaction with a graduate faculty member (usually the major professor), focusing on Veterinary Preventive Medicine.
  • Remaining credits come from research, where students create a novel creative component based on their chosen special topic.

Premier Research and Resources

  • Learn from the #1 Veterinary Diagnostic Lab (VDL) in the U.S., gaining hands-one experience with pioneering disease detection and diagnostic tools.
  • Benefit from a $28 million budget and over 50 expert faculty, preparing you for leadership in sustainable food animal agriculture.
  • Leverage Iowa State’s renowned resources like the Swine Medicine Education Center (SMEC), the Field Epidemiology Team, and the Center for Food Security and Public Health, all designed to give you a competitive edge in your career.
  • Stay at the forefront of veterinary medicine with $19.5 million in funded grants.

Example Program

Below is a sample program designed as a baseline for students. This can be adjusted according to the student’s preferred timeline upon acceptance into the program.

Core Courses

  • STAT 5870: Statistical Methods for Research Workers (4 cr)
  • VDPAM 5280: Principles of Epidemiology and Population Health (3 cr)

Choose at least one applied VDPAM course (2 of 5 required)

  • VDPAM 5600: Ecology of Infectious Disease (3 cr)
  • VDPAM 5620: Applied Diagnostic Technologies (3 cr)
  • VDPAM 5640: Animal Welfare Science and Research (3 cr)
  • VDPAM 5670: Design and Implementation of Field Trials (3 cr)
  • VDPAM 6500: Swine Diagnostic Medicine (4 cr)

Research credits (variable cr)

Required advanced applied statistics courses (select at least 1 of 2)

  • VDPAM 527: Applied Statistical Methods in Population Studies (3 cr)
  • VDPAM 529: Epidemiological Methods in Population Research (3 cr)

Choose at least one applied VDPAM course if not fulfilled (2 of 5 required)

  • VDPAM 5600: Ecology of Infectious Disease (3 cr)
  • VDPAM 5620: Applied Diagnostic Technologies (3 cr)
  • VDPAM 5640: Animal Welfare Science and Research (3 cr)
  • VDPAM 5670: Design and Implementation of Field Trials (3 cr)
  • VDPAM 6500: Swine Diagnostic Medicine (4 cr)

Special topics (3 cr)

Research credits (variable cr)

Choose at least one applied VDPAM course if not fulfilled (2 of 5 required)

  • VDPAM 5600: Ecology of Infectious Disease (3 cr)
  • VDPAM 5620: Applied Diagnostic Technologies (3 cr)
  • VDPAM 5640: Animal Welfare Science and Research (3 cr)
  • VDPAM 5670: Design and Implementation of Field Trials (3 cr)
  • VDPAM 6500: Swine Diagnostic Medicine (4 cr)

Research credits (variable cr)

Take the next step

Find a graduate faculty member who aligns with your interests and will agree to fund your research and education. Once you establish your major faculty member, apply to join the VDPAM Graduate Programs and become a leader in solving the health challenges of tomorrow.