Animal Health and Disease

The Specialization in Animal Health and Disease is designed to teach you about general animal physiology and animals' susceptibility to various diseases. You will learn methods for limiting and controlling outbreaks, and the implications this has for animals, consumers, and the environment. An emphasis of this specialization is how to prevent, treat and understand disease in domesticated animals.

This program starts with courses in biological and health sciences that will give you a solid foundation in basic sciences such as genetics, molecular biology and biochemistry. You can then take more advanced courses in the animal and health sciences, and gain an understanding of physiology, immunology, animal nutrition, animal industries and animal behaviour. 

This program is ideal for students who are interested in caring for animals or working in laboratories where diseases are being researched. It is also useful if you plan to continue study in a veterinary college in North America. It must be taken along with a major in the BSc(AgEnvSc). The recommended major is Life Sciences (Biological & Agricultural).

• Canadian citizenship or Canadian permanent residency
• 23 years of age or older by the start of classes (21 years of age for the Faculties of Management and Music)
• No high school, college or university level studies within the last five years that would constitute a basis for admission
• Two letters of reference
• Mature Student Statements:
  • Letter of Intent, including description of all educational experiences
  • Complete resume of employment and other activities, highlighting points relevant to the application
• In some cases, an interview may be required
• Demonstrate academic potential by successfully completing a minimum number of specific courses (see 'Minimum grades & prerequisites' below) within the three-year period prior to admission and no later than May 15th of the year of application for the intended program (May 1 for some programs). These courses, which may be completed at CEGEP or university, will also fulfill prerequisites for the intended program. 

This specialization prepares you for a career in animal health sciences, or for further studies at the graduate level in the life sciences, various health fields or animal sciences. You could become a: 

• Veterinarian
• Animal health technologist
• Animal production consultant
• Policy advisor
• Researcher

1. Know your deadlines.

   Mark your calendar with these important dates regarding your application. 

2. Decide what to study.

   Use the program finder tool to explore over 300 undergraduate programs and find your best match. 

3. Make sure you're eligible.

   Admission to most programs is based on grades only. In this step, you'll find:
   • How your academic record is reviewed
   • The grades that gained entrance to your program in previous years
   • The prerequisites for your program

4. Get ready to apply.

   As of October 1, you can apply. Complete each step of the pre-application to-do list, including:

   • Understand the deadlines that apply to you
   • Prepare your academic documents
   • Identify supporting documents you'll need to provide

5. Submit your application.

   Review our tips on how to apply and see what the application fees will be. Remember that you can apply to two programs.

6. Apply for an entrance scholarship.

   Look into entrance scholarships early! The deadline is usually a week after your application deadline. This page provides information about entrance scholarships, bursaries, and other funding opportunities.

7. Submit documents and keep in touch.

   We'll connect with you by email to let you know when to upload supporting documents, if required. In this step, you'll see:
   • How to follow your applications status
   • Supporting documents you may need to prepare
   • How to submit supporting documents, including self-reporting your grades