Master of Veterinary Biomedical Science

Master of Veterinary Biomedical Science (MS VBMS)

Mission Statement

The mission of the Veterinary Biomedical Science (MS VBMS) program at Lincoln Memorial University is to provide advanced academic learning in the life sciences through graduate coursework, professional training, and research with the aim to prepare graduates for veterinary medicine programs, advanced biomedical training, or entry into the biomedical field. The mission is achieved by:

• Graduating students with a Master of Science in Veterinary Biomedical Science degree
• Enhancing the learning of graduate students in content knowledge of cell and molecular biology, biochemistry, and organismal biology
• Promoting ethical and regulatory guidelines in animal biomedical research and clinical care.

 

MS VBMS Program Overview

The MS VBMS program is dedicated to providing advanced academic learning in life sciences through graduate coursework, professional training, and research. Graduates from this degree program are able to independently explore an area of the primary literature of the life sciences, analyze and critique published research reports, and communicate about life sciences in formal oral and written modalities.

The MS VBMS program does not guarantee admission to any professional program.
 

MS VBMS Admissions Standards and Application Process

Admissions Standards

All applicants to the MS VBMS must:

• Hold bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) from an accredited college or university
• Minimum 2.80+ GPA

*Students not meeting this criteria, with a GPA of <2.8, who have demonstrated a commitment to academic excellence in the last 2 years of study (most recent 40 semester hours) may be considered on a case by case basis.
 

The LMU-CVM MS VBMS Program Director and Graduate Admissions Committee may recommend applicants with exceptions to these admissions requirements subject to the LMU-CVM Dean who has final approval.

Any applicant who has attempted DVM-level coursework prior to applying to the MS VBMS program at LMU-CVM must demonstrate a cumulative GPA of 2.0+ in their professional coursework and request a Recommendation Questionnaire from the Dean or Administrator at their previous CVM. Applicants who fail to meet this standard and/or do not receive a recommendation from their past CVM Dean/Administrator do not qualify for admission to the MS VBMS program at LMU-CVM.

Both conditions must be met to qualify for admission consideration.
 

Required Prerequisite Coursework

All applicants to the MS VBMS program must demonstrate successful completion of the following required prerequisite coursework before their intended starting semester with a course grade of C- or better:

 

Prerequisites	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 (junior or senior) 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

 

Required Application Materials

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

1. PostbacCAS Application
2. 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
3. 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
4. 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?
5. Application Fees (PostbacCAS)
6. Curriculum Vitae (CV)
7. Recommendation Questionnaire* from the Dean or Administrator from previous CVM.

*Applies only to applicants who have previously attended a DVM program.

 

Application Process & Notifications

Application Submissions
Spring Start	October 16
Fall Start	May 10

 

MS VBMS Application Review Addendum

The LMU-CVM Graduate Admissions Committee will review the application and assess the strength of the whole packet. Applicants who meet the criteria for admission will be invited for a virtual interview after the Committee Review.

3. Admission Interview: Applicants will participate in personal interviews with the LMU-CVM Graduate Admissions Committee to assess the strengths and program fit of the applicant. Interviews will take place via Zoom.

 

Term of Enrollment

There are two enrollment terms for the MS VBMS program: Spring and Fall. Admitted applicants are expected to begin the program in the designated term listed in their acceptance letter but may request a deferment for up to one (1) year under special circumstances.

 

Transfer Graduate Credit

A maximum of six (6) credit hours at graduate level may be transferred to the MS VBMS program. Only coursework from a degree-granting, accredited institution will be accepted for transfer. Students must request the transfer of credits before the first day of classes in the student’s first semester in their program of study. All transfer work must be approved by the Program Director and the LMU-CVM Dean.

 

MS VBMS Academic Progress, Standards, and Policies

Requirements for Graduation

MS VBMS Non-Thesis Track

Successful completion of an MS VBMS requires

• Completing a minimum of 30 credit hours
• Completing all degree requirements with a > 2.85 overall GPA

 

MS VBMS Thesis Track

• Receiving approval for the thesis topic
• Completing a minimum of 30 credit hours
• Completing all degree requirements with a > 2.85 overall GPA
• Successful defense of the thesis
• Accepted submission of the defended thesis to the university

 

Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy

Any MS VBMS student found to have performed below a 2.85 GPA in a semester will be placed on academic probation for the following semester and may remain on academic probation until their cumulative program GPA meets the standard.

 

MS VBMS Curriculum

The Master of Veterinary Biomedical Science (MS VBMS) is a full-time, in-person (face-to-face instruction) program accomplished with 30 graduate credit hours leading to the Master of Science (M.S.) degree. The curriculum is designed to provide advanced academic learning in the life sciences through graduate coursework, professional training, and research. Graduates from this degree program will be able to independently explore an area of the primary literature of the life sciences, analyze and critique published research reports, and communicate about life sciences in formal oral and written modalities.

 

MS VBMS Non-Thesis Track

The non-thesis track requires a minimum of 22 core credits and up to 8 elective credits. The program may be completed in one year.

 

MS VBMS Thesis Track

The thesis track includes six (6) core credits, fifteen (15) elective credits, and a minimum of nine (9) research credits culminating with the preparation and defense of a thesis. Elective and research courses will be determined by the LMU-CVM Graduate Advisory Committee based on relevancy to the student’s thesis research. The program may be completed in two years.

 

MS VBMS Degree Completion after Matriculation to LMU-CVM DVM Program

Students previously enrolled in the MS VBMS program who become new CVM-I students prior to completion of the VBMS degree may complete their 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.

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

Note: Matriculation to LMU-CVM's DVM Program prior to completion of the MS VBMS program is unusual and should not be expected. MS VBMS students should expect to complete both semesters of the program.

 

Enrollment Status as Determined by Credit Hours

MS VBMS Non-Thesis Track

Full-time status is a minimum of nine (9) graduate credits in a Fall or Spring semester. Generally, non-thesis MS VBMS students enroll in 15 credit hours per Fall and Spring semester. Students must be registered for a minimum of six (6) credit hours to qualify for financial aid. Contact the Office of Student Financial Services for more information if necessary.

 

MS VBMS Thesis Track

Full-time status is a minimum of nine (9) graduate credits in a Fall or Spring semester and six (6) in a summer semester. The thesis track enrollment is limited to 10 credit hours per semester unless documented permission from the student’s Research Mentor and the LMU-CVM Dean.

 

Attendance

Graduate students in the Master of Veterinary Biomedical Science degree program are required to follow the attendance policies of each of the courses in which they are registered. Students should prioritize their Graduate courses if a scheduling conflict arises between the VANT and LSCI course listings and notify faculty.

 

LMU-CVM Research Courses

Scholarly work is a desirable characteristic of applicants to doctoral programs, veterinary schools, or residency programs. MS VBMS students must take advantage of the opportunities to become familiar with faculty expertise and current research activities. However, opportunities for student participation in research projects are limited by the availability and workload of supervisory faculty members in the various departments.

Students interested in joining a research team should request a brief meeting with faculty to discuss becoming part of these ongoing efforts and then reach a mutual decision to contribute to that faculty member’s research team.  Depending on the amount of research effort, variable academic credit is available. Scholarly activity is time-intensive and demands an investment beyond the typical time devoted to lectures or lab courses. Students may need to conduct research activities during the summer to complete requirements for academic credit.

Students may elect to continue their graduate research project as a thesis research project, which should result in a scholarly research publication or presentation. If this pathway is selected, the student may continue to pursue the research during the summers as approved by their Supervisory Committee.

 

Research Travel Awards

Awards will be given based on the merit of the scholarship completed and may be used to defray expenses of traveling to a regional, national, or international meeting to present the completed scholarly work of the student or team of graduate students. The team may decide to send a representative or split the award among the team members, allowing more than one member to participate in the target professional meeting. The students should record the award on their CV.

To be considered for an LMU MS Research Award, the student must submit an abstract of the work that has been completed, a letter of evaluation from a graduate faculty member familiar with the work, and information on the meeting for which the student(s) plan to present the work. Students must submit their own application.

The Office of the CVM Dean, or its assignees, will review all applicants and make the awards. Awards may be granted multiple times each budget year, depending on available funds.

 

Participation in DVM Courses

Participation in DVM-level courses is dependent on past academic performance, capacity, and adherence to ethical and behavioral standards. Additionally, prerequisites must be met by the student, and sufficient capacity must exist to accommodate the student in the course. Students with superior grades have an obvious advantage when being considered for this privilege. As communicated in the course descriptions of this catalog, there are certain courses for which enrollment requires the student to be in a specific degree-seeking program and are not open to any other students.

 

Academic Performance in Professional Courses

If a grade of "B" or better is earned in DVM-level courses, students who are accepted into the LMU-CVM DVM program will not have to repeat the classes during their first year at LMU-CVM. 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 CVM they may apply to be considered as Veterinary Teaching Assistants and Tutors. These credits will be considered transfer credits, and thus any student who transfers credits from the MS VBMS program into the LMU-CVM DVM program will not be eligible for Valedictorian or Salutatorian awards. See the LMU-CVM Student Handbook for more information.

 

Guaranteed Interview to LMU-CVM DVM Program

Students who achieve a cumulative 3.0+ graduate GPA over at least 15 credits in the VBMS program, complete their Veterinary Medical College Application Services (VMCAS) application, and apply to the LMU-CVM will be granted an interview with the LMU-CVM. Students who perform below the 3.0+ graduate GPA standard in a 15-credit hour semester will not receive a guaranteed interview. Students placed on academic probation should not expect an interview for the LMU-CVM DVM program.

An interview does not guarantee admission to the LMU-CVM DVM program or any other professional program at any other institution.

 

MS VBMS Thesis Track Addendum to LMU-CVM Leaves of Absence Policy

For a student in the thesis track of the MS VBMS program, the petition for a leave of absence should be supported by the supervisory committee, affirming that the student is at a stage in their program where they may return and continue the approved thesis research or will be allowed to propose another research topic on return to active status in the program. If the supervisory committee is not supportive of continuation after the leave of absence, the student will need to request a different supervisory committee on return to active student status. If a supervisory committee cannot be assembled for the student, the student will be advised to complete a different major in the program or discontinue the graduate program.

 

Maximum Timeframe for Program Completion

MS VBMS Non-Thesis Track

Non-thesis students must complete their studies within two (2) years after initial registration unless they are dually enrolled in a professional program.

 

MS VBMS Thesis Track

Thesis students must complete all requirements within three (3) years of full-time enrollment or five (5) years of part-time enrollment after initial registration.

Extensions for any program completion timeframes require approval of the Graduate Council and the LMU-CVM Dean. The student bears the ultimate responsibility for ensuring completion of all degree requirements