Graduate Programs
Veterinary Science Graduate Programs
Our leading Veterinary Science faculty are educating tomorrow's equine scientists across a variety of research areas. Our graduate programs' overall mission is to provide opportunities for students to become talented scientists who are creative, critical and independent thinkers with the contemporary skills and knowledge to perform independent research and to effectively communicate their results. A primary goal of the research is to improve our understanding of the biology of Equidae. Emphasis is placed on investigating the causes and mechanisms that affect the production and performance of horses, regardless of breed.
Questions?
Contact Director of Graduate Studies Dr. Ted Kalbfleisch.
More Information
Get more information about our Veterinary Science graduate programs, including course details, research areas and more through our Academic Exploration Tool.
Learn MoreM.S. - Veterinary Science
Students enrolled in the Master of Science program will gain comprehensive knowledge in the field of specialization through advanced course work and an introduction to research methods. The candidate is expected to demonstrate sufficient comprehension and mastery of the principles of scientific investigation to frame a question related to the field of interest and to design and execute an investigation which will provide a valid answer, presented in the form of a thesis. This program is generally completed in 2 years.
- Schedule an orientation meeting with the Director of Graduate Studies. They will serve as your advisor until a major professor has been selected, if you have not already aligned with one.
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Identify a faculty member to serve as your major professor/research advisor. This should be accomplished during the first semester and must be done within the first year.
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Work with the major professor to formulate your curriculum and help guide your research. If desired, an advisory committee may be formed to assist with course selection and the research plan. Ordinarily, M.S. coursework is completed in three semesters. Thereafter, see the Director of Graduate Studies about semesterly registrations.
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Continue coursework and initiate research activities. Formulate your research plan for the thesis.
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Write a thesis based on the research conducted and submit it to the examining committee.
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Within 30 days after the beginning of the semester you intend to graduate, submit the online application for degree through myUK.
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Schedule a time for your final examination, which will be a defense of your thesis and a comprehensive examination of subject matter decided upon by the committee. Submit the online Request for Final Master’s Examination and Thesis Approval form two weeks prior to the examination. Additional timing and examination considerations are detailed in the catalog.
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After you successfully pass the final examination, prepare a final copy of the thesis for submission to the Graduate School. Copies for the major advisor and the library of the department will be bound at departmental expense. The final copy must be filed within 60 days of the exam.
Ph.D. - Veterinary Science
The Doctor of Philosophy program is research-oriented, enabling the student to become a self-educating and creative scholar. This degree implies the individual has demonstrated the capacity to frame an interrelated series of questions and to design and execute an appropriate series of investigations. Research projects are expected to either answer all of the questions or illuminate the area of inquiry in such a way that the resulting dissertation and publications will constitute a definitive contribution to science. This program is generally completed in 4-5 years.
- Schedule an orientation meeting with the Director of Graduate Studies. They will serve as your advisor until a major professor has been selected, if you have not already aligned with one.
- Identify a faculty member to serve as your major professor/research advisor. This should be accomplished during the first semester and must be done within the first year.
- Work with the major professor to form an advisory committee to approve your curriculum and help guide your research. This should be done as soon as practical, as the committee is not obligated to accept coursework taken prior to its formation or to limit the student's curriculum to such courses. The composition of this committee must be consistent with Graduate School guidelines. Submit the online Request for Formation of the Advisory Committee.
- Continue coursework and initiate research activities. Formulate your research plan for the dissertation.
- Schedule periodic meetings with the advisory committee to ensure continuity in the program. These meetings must be held at least once (preferably twice) a year at the request of the student. As stipulated by the Graduate School, a record of the proceedings of each meeting must be filed by the major professor with the Director of Graduate Studies and will become part of the permanent file of the student. You are encouraged to consult with members of the committee and the university-at-large for advice outside of the official meeting times.
- When you have completed the majority of your scheduled courses and feel prepared, petition your committee to schedule the Qualifying Examination. Requirements are listed in the Graduate Catalog. Regardless of the format used for administering the examination, the purpose of the Ph.D. Qualifying Examination is "to verify that students have sufficient understanding of and competence in their fields to become candidates for the degree.” If the advisory committee uses a grant proposal format for the qualifying examination, the following guidelines will apply:
- You will select and present topics which interest you to the committee.
- The committee chooses one of the above or presents an alternate topic for you to develop into an NIH or USDA style proposal. Examples of proposals will be available for your review through the Director of Graduate Studies.
- The examination is based on: 1) the quality of the written proposal; 2) the oral presentation and defense of the proposal; and 3) demonstration of a comprehensive knowledge, ability and understanding of the scholarly subject matter in your area of concentration.
- At least two weeks prior to the qualifying exam date, submit the online Request to Schedule the Qualifying Exam. Scheduling and reporting requirements are described in the catalog.
- After successful completion of the qualifying exam, you attain "candidate" status and continue your research. Post-qualifying students need to enroll in two credit hours of VS 767 each semester until the dissertation defense is completed. Maintain close contact with the advisory committee, which will monitor your progress. Committee meetings should be scheduled at least once a year.
- When you and the major professor/committee agree that a point of conclusion has been reached in your research (i.e. the dissertation has been written) AND you have completed two semesters of post-qualifying residency, you are eligible to schedule the final examination. See the catalog for details and timetables that must be met. Submit the online Notification of Intent to Schedule the Final Examination at least eight weeks prior to the anticipated defense date. The online Request for Final Examination must be submitted two weeks prior to the defense date.
- Within 30 days after the beginning of the semester you intend to graduate, submit the online application for degree through myUK.
- After you pass the final exam, turn in the final copy of the dissertation to the Graduate School with the required forms and signatures in a timely fashion (within 60 days). Provide two copies to the department for binding (one for the major advisor, one for the department library).
Application Deadlines
The application cycle for our 2025 graduate programs starts in October, and the deadline is February 1, 2025.
Admission Requirements
View the requirements of the UK Graduate School and find more information in the Graduate Catalog.
Financial Assistance
A limited number of funded fellowships and research assistantships through the department and/or the university are awarded on the basis of academic merit. These typically provide a stipend, tuition scholarship and health insurance. Some students are supported through extramural grant funds awarded to individual faculty members. All students are encouraged to apply to extramural sources for fellowship monies. Students with superior academic qualifications and high GRE scores will be nominated for institutional fellowships.
