Program
At NSU, we offer two degree options for students in Veterinary Technology. The first is an Associate Degree that includes 82 credit hours of courses. The second is a Bachelor of Science in Biology with a Veterinary Technology concentration that includes 120 credit hours of courses. Either of these degrees provide students with the requirements necessary to sit for the Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE). Upon successful completion of the VTNE, and registration with the State Board of Veterinary Medicine, the graduate will be credentialed as a Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT). We highly recommend the bachelor’s degree for pre-vet students that are using our curriculum to complete their prerequisite courses for application to veterinary school to become a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.
University Core Requirements: 22 credit hours
Biology Major Requirements and Concentration Dependent Electives: 60 credit hours
Students seeking a major in Veterinary Technology must complete the following:
Biology core: 8 credit hours
— BIOL 1010/1011
— BIOL 1020/1021
Veterinary Technology core: Take the following 52 credit hours BIOL 2060/2061, VTEC 1010/1011, 1020, 1030/1031, 2060, 2090/2091, 2600, 2900, 3010, 3100/3101, 3190/3191, 3200/3201, 3700/3701, and 4090.
University Core Requirements: 34 credit hours
Biology Major Requirements: 22 credit hours
Concentration Dependent Electives: 55 credit hours
Electives: 9 hours
Students seeking a major in Veterinary Technology must complete the following:
Biology core: (22 credit hours)
— BIOL 1010/1011
— BIOL 1020/1021
— CHEM 1030/1031
— CHEM 1040/1041
— VTEC 4900
Veterinary Technology core: Take the following 55 credit hours BIOL 2060/2061, VTEC 1010/1011, 1020, 1030/1031, 2060, 2090/2091, 2600, 2900, 3010, 3100/3101, 3190/3191, 3200/3201, 3700/3701, 4090, 4200.
- Students must pass all BIOL and VTEC courses with a C or better.
- VTEC courses other than internships are only offered once a year.
- Course descriptions and when they are offered can be found in the Documents tab.
Other than VTEC 2900, 4090, and 4900, VTEC courses are taken in-person on the Natchitoches campus of Northwestern State University. The laboratories provide “hands-on” training for essential skills as required by the American Veterinary Medical Association Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and Activities (AVMA-CVTEA).
VTEC 2900 and 4900 are internship courses that can be completed at most well equipped veterinary hospitals across the state or even the nation. However, these internship sites must be approved by the director of the program prior to enrollment.
NSU has a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Delgado Community College that allows graduates of their program that are Registered Veterinary Technicians to complete the Bachelor of Science degree in Biology with a Veterinary Technology concentration through NSU. Many of these courses may be completed online. See the file in the Documents Tab that outlines the courses necessary to complete this degree.
