Master of Veterinary Clinical Care

The Master of Veterinary Clinical Care (MVCC) program is for credentialed veterinary technicians who desire to have advanced knowledge in patient case management, evidence-based medicine and clinical practice, critical thinking, practice management, clinical skills, and professional skills.

Master of Veterinary Clinical Care Admissions

Policies will follow existing LMU policies for undergraduate and/or master's degree programs, with any differences for this degree program noted in this catalog. Each applicant is evaluated holistically by considering each required element of the application package.

MVCC Admission Requirements

Eligibility

All applicants to the MVCC program must:

• be credentialed veterinary technicians with proof of credentials*
• hold a four-year bachelor's degree with a cumulative GPA of 2.8+**

Prerequisite Coursework

All applicants to the MVCC program must demonstrate completion of the following required prerequisite coursework:

• Six (6) credits of 100+ level Biology
  • Anatomy, Physiology, and Microbiology are acceptable substitutions.
• Six (6) credits of 100+ level Chemistry
  • Pharmacology (up to six (6) hours) is an acceptable substitution.
• Six (6) credits of 100+ level English
  • Applicants with foreign coursework who did not take English courses may substitute an official TOEFL score, provided the score is submitted via official channels and is no older than 2 years. See below for TOEFL requirements.

*Applicants who meet all other admissions criteria but who work in a state that does not provide veterinary technician credentialing may contact CVMGradPrograms@LMUnet.edu for eligibility.

**Applicants with a cumulative GPA below 2.8 may be considered for the program but will be admitted under automatic academic probation for their first semester.

Required Application Materials

• Complete the PostbacCAS Application
  • Official Transcripts for all institutions attended
  • Two (2) letters of recommendation
  • Two (2) personal essays in response to the following prompts:
    • Why do you feel the MVCC program is the next step in your career, and what do you hope to contribute to your field after graduation? Please include specific examples from your career and/or education to support your response. 500 words maximum.
    • What do you see as primary barriers to technician utilization and technician retention in the veterinary profession? How do you feel technicians could be better utilized within the current scope of practice? 500 words maximum.
  • Application fee (PostbacCAS fee + LMU Application fee)
  • Full CV
  • Proof of Veterinary Technician Licensure or Credentials

When reviewing application files, the committee looks at numerous applicant criteria, including undergraduate/graduate coursework, letters of recommendation, personal statements, and any other pertinent materials that may be included with the file. Upon acceptance into the graduate program, applicants will receive an official packet of materials including an acceptance letter and any other items than may be deemed necessary. Deadlines regarding program deposits, residential life, immunization records, etc. will be included in the acceptance packet.

Applicants with Foreign Coursework

Applicants to the MVCC 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, or if an applicant attended an institution located outside of the United States and did not complete six (6) hours of 100+ English courses*, 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.

Tuition and 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 here. The MVCC program is billed per credit hour.

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.

MVCC Academic Progress, Standards, and Policies

MVCC Program Requirements for Graduation

A minimum of 30 credit hours of graduate coursework and satisfactory completion of all core courses is required for graduation with the Master of Veterinary Clinical Care degree. The student must complete the degree program with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.85 or greater to be awarded the degree, unless otherwise required to be higher.

The student bears the ultimate responsibility for effective planning, progression, and completion of all requirements for the chosen degree. The student should review their academic progress on MyLMU by accessing WebAdvisor for students, then Academic Planning, then Program Evaluation to access their academic evaluation. This document also represents the Intent to Graduate form, which is signed and submitted to the Registrar’s Office by the specified due date for participation in the commencement ceremony and conferring of degree. 

MVCC Curriculum

The Master of Veterinary Clinical Care (MVCC) curriculum is designed for credentialed veterinary technicians who desire to have advanced knowledge in patient case management, evidence-based medicine, clinical practice, critical thinking, practice management, clinical skills, and professional skills.  

Enrollment Status as Determined by Credit Hours 

Full-time status as an MVCC student is nine (9) graduate credits in a Fall or Spring semester. Part-time status is anything fewer than 9 hours.  Students may alternate between full- and part-time enrollment. Part-time students must obtain course schedule approval from the MVCC Program Director before registering. 

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. 

Attendance

Graduate students in the MVCC program have online courses and are expected to follow the online attendance and participation policies of the program in which they are registered.

Maximum Timeframe for Program Completion

Students must complete their studies within five (5) years after initial registration.

A request for an extension of graduate program completion requires the approval of the Graduate Council and the LMU-CVM Dean.

The student bears the ultimate responsibility for ensuring completion of all graduation requirements.