This program will build upon a student’s undergraduate training in the life sciences to provide them with advanced knowledge and technical skills to be competent in the administration of routine veterinary care to small companion animals (dogs and cats only). The curriculum includes instruction in infectious, metabolic, neoplastic, and degenerative diseases, and includes the development of expertise in technical, communication and leadership skills. This program utilizes the facilities and expertise in CSU’s Department of Clinical Sciences, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, CSU SPUR campus, and other qualified facilities.
Learning Objectives
Upon successful completion, students will be able to:
- Apply expert knowledge in technical and medical communication by exhibiting successful veterinary medical case management with clients and colleagues.
- Demonstrate leadership skills through successful completion of individual and group work and cooperative case management.
- Utilize critical thinking, analytical skills, and clinical reasoning to address patient and client needs as an individual and as a member of a team.
- Apply knowledge of the spectrum of health and disease to develop, implement, document, and monitor effectiveness of patient management plans.
- Interpret data based on patient information, current scientific evidence, and clinical judgment to make informed decisions about diagnostic and therapeutic interventions.
- Prioritize proficiency to perform all medical, diagnostic, and surgical procedures considered essential to the role of the veterinary professional associate (VPA).
- Work effectively with DVMs and other veterinary health professionals to provide collaborative, patient-centered care to increase efficiency in the delivery of veterinary services.
- Generate a climate of mutual respect, dignity, diversity, ethical integrity, and trust in the delivery of veterinary services.
Plan B Requirements
The Plan B degree does not require a thesis; instead, either a scholarly paper, exam, portfolio, or similar project is required.
In semester 4, students are required to complete a case study project and common exam. The common exam will be rigorous and cumulative for the entire program, representing subjects and clinical situations that incorporate knowledge accumulated throughout the program that demonstrates clinical competency. The common exam will assess mastery of program learning objectives. The case study project will be a detailed case study on a patient. It will include an accumulation of their skills that demonstrates history taking, medical records, clinical reasoning, client communication, a surgical plan, an anesthetic plan, drug calculations, follow-up care, written and verbal communication, organizational skills, conflict resolution, and case management improvements.
Common Exam: Student must receive a 70% or above grade on exam to pass the course and graduate. A failing grade on the exam can be replaced by a makeup exam grade. Only one makeup exam will be allowed per student. If a student fails the exam twice they must retake the exam after 2 months.
The exam will be offered in an approved testing location and may include multiple choice questions, short answer, matching, essay, or other formats of assessment.
Case Study Project: Effective communication with team (DVM and technician, minimum); Demonstration of: history taking, medical records (SOAP, include behavioral assessment), clinical reasoning (include DDX), client communication (patient status throughout case, financial considerations, ethical standards), surgical plan (include other surgical options considered, if applicable, surgery report, and complications), anesthetic plan (include anesthetic record, reason for specific anesthetic plan, and complications), drug calculations (provide medication list, full calculations and sources for dosages, client instructions, contraindications), follow-up care (provide client instructions and potential complications); written and verbal communication and organizational skills; conflict resolution (client or team); case management improvement (address complications and conflicts previously noted).
20-minute presentation will be a summary, but a full paper will be part of the submission.
Paper: 3–5-page, single space with minimum 5 APA resources. Appendices (charts, tables, pictures) not included in the page limit.
Effective Fall 2025
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| VS 501 | Animal Behavior and Welfare | 2 |
| VS 502 | Clinical Anatomy | 2 |
| VS 503 | Principles of Radiology and Ultrasound | 2 |
| VS 504 | Infectious Pathogens and Parasites | 3 |
| VS 506 | Pathologic Basis of Disease | 3 |
| VS 526 | Foundations I | 2 |
| Total Credits | 14 | |
| Spring | ||
| VS 521 | Nutrition and Metabolism | 2 |
| VS 522 | Toxicology | 1 |
| VS 523 | Clinical Pharmacology | 3 |
| VS 527 | Foundations II | 2 |
| VS 535 | Practice Management and Team Leadership | 2 |
| VS 547 | Common Diseases of Body Systems I | 3 |
| Total Credits | 13 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| VS 528 | Foundations III | 2 |
| VS 541 | Fundamentals of Shelter Medicine | 1 |
| VS 542 | Principles of Anesthesia | 2 |
| VS 543 | Principles of Surgery | 2 |
| VS 544 | Preventative Medicine | 2 |
| VS 545 | Issues in Veterinary Medicine | 1 |
| VS 548 | Common Diseases of Body Systems II | 3 |
| Total Credits | 13 | |
| Spring | ||
| VS 601 | Physical Exam and Routine Care Lab | 2 |
| VS 603 | Anesthesia Lab | 2 |
| VS 604 | Diagnostics Lab | 2 |
| VS 607 | Clinical Skills Lab | 2 |
| VS 608 | Communications Lab | 1 |
| VS 609 | Surgical Skills Lab | 2 |
| VS 610 | Dentistry Skills Lab | 2 |
| Case Study Project and Common Exam1 | ||
| Total Credits | 13 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| VS 687 | Clinical Internship | 12 |
| Total Credits | 12 | |
| Program Total Credits: | 65 | |
A minimum of 65 credits are required to complete this program.
- 1
Students are required to complete a case study project and common exam.
The case study project will be a detailed case study on a patient. It will include an accumulation of their skills that demonstrates history taking, medical records, clinical reasoning, client communication, a surgical plan, an anesthetic plan, drug calculations, follow-up care, written and verbal communication, organizational skills, conflict resolution, and case management improvements.
The common exam will be rigorous and cumulative for the entire program, representing subjects and clinical situations that incorporate knowledge accumulated throughout the program that demonstrates clinical competency. The common exam will assess mastery of program learning objectives.
For more information, please visit Requirements for All Graduate Degrees in the Graduate and Professional Bulletin.
Summary of Procedures for the Master's and Doctoral Degrees
NOTE: Each semester the Graduate School publishes a schedule of deadlines. Deadlines are available on the Graduate School website. Students should consult this schedule whenever they approach important steps in their careers.
Forms are available online.
| Step | Due Date |
|---|---|
| 1. Application for admission (online) | Six months before first registration |
| 2. Diagnostic examination when required | Before first registration |
| 3. Appointment of advisor | Before first registration |
| 4. Selection of graduate committee | Before the time of fourth regular semester registration |
| 5. Filing of program of study (GS Form 6) | Before the time of fourth regular semester registration |
| 6. Preliminary examination (Ph.D. and PD) | Two terms prior to final examination |
| 7. Report of preliminary examination (GS Form 16) - (Ph.D. and PD) | Within two working days after results are known |
| 8. Changes in committee (GS Form 9A) | When change is made |
| 9. Application for Graduation (GS Form 25) | Refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School Website |
| 9a. Reapplication for Graduation (online) | Failure to graduate requires Reapplication for Graduation (online) for the next time term for which you are applying |
| 10. Submit thesis or dissertation to committee | At least two weeks prior to the examination or at the discretion of the graduate committee |
| 11. Final examination | Refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School Website |
| 12. Report of final examination (GS Form 24) | Within two working days after results are known; refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School website |
| 13. Submit a signed Thesis/Dissertation Submission Form (GS Form 30) to the Graduate School and Submit the Survey of Earned Doctorates (Ph.D. only) prior to submitting the electronic thesis/dissertation | Refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School website. |
| 14. Submit the thesis/dissertation electronically | Refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School website |
| 15. Graduation | Ceremony information is available from the Graduate School website |