UMass launches vet tech program

Students at the University of Massachusetts now have the opportunity to get a degree in veterinary technology.

The university’s Amherst campus received approval from the state Department of Higher Education to offer a bachelor of science degree in veterinary technology. The four-year program will begin this fall.

According to the university’s announcement, this program is a redesign of the Mount Ida College veterinary technology program. UMass Amherst adopted the program when it acquired Mount Ida’s Newton campus. Students who pursue the degree will study for two years at the Amherst campus, followed by two years at the Mount Ida campus.

“By leveraging the large animal facilities in Amherst, the small animal facilities in Newton and the career networks in both locations, the program offers veterinary science students a unique and comprehensive academic and professional development experience,” said John J. McCarthy, provost and senior vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Employment in the veterinary technology field is expected to increase 19% nationally by 2028, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Students who graduate from the new program will be prepared to work as a veterinary technologist in veterinary clinics or hospitals, assisting in biomedical research or continuing on to graduate school, the announcement said. They’ll have opportunities for internships and practical experience.

The university’s vet tech degree is its third veterinary degree, complementing bachelor degrees in animal science and pre-veterinary science.