About the App State Online Vet Tech Degree Program
The demand for pet care is on the rise. Now is the time to become a credentialed veterinary technician.
Earning a veterinary technology degree online at App State puts your love of animals to work for you.
The four-year online B.S. in Veterinary Technology — developed with Banfield Pet Hospital®, the leading provider of preventive veterinary care in the U.S. and part of the Mars Veterinary Health family of practices — is designed to benefit veterinary professionals, animals and the broader industry.
No matter your busy schedule, you will learn to capably assist veterinarians and prepare for certification exams to take advantage of a flourishing job market and ensure pets get the care they need.
As you complete your vet tech coursework online, you’ll gain real-world experience working with animals during your clinical experience. Upon graduation, you’ll be positioned to leverage your skills to take care of the best friends in your community and even shape the future of the field.
Curriculum
Our fully online curriculum incorporates training in core vet tech subject areas and lets you focus your studies in a specific area of veterinary studies like practice management or public health.
The core vet tech curriculum provides at least 70 credit hours of coursework in topics required by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), including:
- 23 credit hours in foundational subject areas
- Approximately 50 hours of coursework in domain-specific areas.
- 400 hours of practical experience obtained through clinical experiences.
You’ll take online vet tech courses such as:
- Introduction to Veterinary Nursing
- Principles of Veterinary Pharmacology
- Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia
- Professional Communication Skills in Veterinary Medicine
You’ll choose from one of three focus areas so you can tailor your coursework to your interests and career paths:
- Companion Animal
- Practice Management
- One Health
In addition to classes in discipline-specific skills, a well-rounded general education curriculum provides you with skills that enrich your abilities in the workplace.
Review general education requirements, which must be met prior to beginning the clinical experience. General education classes can be taken in-person at our campuses in Boone or Hickory.
See the complete B.S. in Veterinary Technology online curriculum, including course descriptions.
Clinical Experience
Under the guidance and mentorship of experienced veterinary professionals, you will apply the knowledge and skills acquired through their coursework in clinical experiences at veterinary clinics and other animal health settings.
Clinical experiences allow for real-world training working with animal patients and practicing interpersonal and management skills in advance of certification. In your clinical hours, you’ll perform essential tasks and learn skills such as:
- Examination and surgical procedure, preparation and assistance
- Pharmacy and pharmacology
- Laboratory procedures
- Radiology and ultrasound imaging
Admissions Requirements
App State’s online veterinary technician program admits both first-year college students and transfer students from other degree or vet tech programs. Find more information on application requirements below.
- If you are a current high school senior or haven't attended college since graduating high school (including Early/Middle college applicants), review First-Year Admission Requirements.
- If you have completed college coursework since graduating high school (including military service member or veteran and second-degree seeking applicants), review Transfer Admission Requirements. Visit our transfer equivalency course search to see how your previous coursework transfers to the App State Online program.
- If you have previously taken classes at App State and would like to re-enroll, review our Readmissions Requirements.
App State Vet Tech Career Outcomes
Credentialed veterinary technologists and technicians are highly sought after. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the number of available positions increasing by 21% over the next 10 years — faster than the average for all professions.
It’s easy to see why: a recent study from Banfield Pet Hospital® found that by 2030, an estimated 75 million pets in the U.S. won't have access to the veterinary services they need.
To employers across the profession, a bachelor’s degree in veterinary technology demonstrates your expertise in both clinical and non-clinical foundational knowledge and skills, preparing you for a path to leadership positions and expanded career opportunities in veterinary clinics, other animal health-related organizations and public health settings.
Pathway to Veterinary Technician Certification and Licensure
Appalachian State programs that lead to a professional licensure or certificate are intended to prepare students for licensure or certification in North Carolina. Check the Professional Licensure webpage for information on licensure requirements in other states.
Learn More about App State’s Online Vet Tech Program
If you’re interested in a flexible, online veterinary technology degree that leads to certification and prepares you for an advanced career in practice management or research, join us for an App State Online Information Session.
Apply to the Online B.S. in Veterinary Technology
Our flexible online vet tech degree program is designed to train future professionals through expert instruction and hands-on clinical experiences.
You were meant to care for animals. Take the next step by applying today.