The College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences will debut a new and improved undergraduate major in Fall 2020. By rolling three of its previous majors into one major with three concentrations, the college will offer undergraduate students more flexibility, more interdisciplinary learning opportunities, and more exposure to real-world work environments.

In the Introduction to Biomedical Sciences course, incoming students will work on case studies and practice tackling problems from the perspective of all three concentrations. They will then be able to align their academic interests with their career  goals  through  a concentration in either anatomy and physiology, microbiology and infectious disease, or environmental public health.

“Everyone will start on Page 1 together,” said Sandra Quackenbush, associate dean for academic and student affairs. “This will really help students find the best  fit  for  their  area  of interest as well as build community. We want to help the students who come into our program feel like they belong here.”

Whether students are looking for unique career opportunities in health and medicine or a path to graduate school and professional programs, such as medical, veterinary, or pharmacy school, the modernized major provides everyone with hands-on learning, scientific expertise, laboratory opportunities, and engagement in leadership, community service, and career exploration.

“We built it to be flexible, too, so students can have more than one concentration if they want,” said Quackenbush. “We will continue to deliver the excellent programs that we currently do, with some new approaches. It’s a good change.”