
The University of Minnesota’s strengths in infectious disease, immunology, comparative medicine, and zoonotic agents will prepare you for success at the intersection of animal, human and ecosystem health. Key scientific fields are facing shortages of new graduates, and an advanced degree rooted in comparative veterinary medicine will give you an advantage to address long standing health issues.
Apply by December 1 for admission in the fall z.umn.edu/vetgradprogram
The University of Minnesota Difference

- Zoonotic diseases like avian influenza illustrate the importance of advancing animal and human health from a shared scientific foundation. That’s our One Health approach—that animal, human and ecosystem health are intertwined.
- We provide state-of-the-art training with the country’s leading scientists.
- We help our students complete their degrees in a timely fashion by providing individualized mentoring, clear timelines, and annual reviews of student progress.
- Our campus’ urban setting provides easy access to arts and culture, professional and Big Ten sports, multicultural neighborhoods and events, and restaurants, including 20 different craft beer taprooms. And yet we are just minutes from open fields, boating, golf courses, skiing, and nature sanctuaries.
- Our diverse community of scientists and mentors is drawn from colleges of veterinary medicine, agriculture, biological sciences, public health, and human medicine. This unique collection of expertise on one campus increases your opportunity to discover scientific breakthroughs.
Remember to apply by December 1 to ensure full consideration for funding to earn your graduate degree. Visit z.umn.edu/vetgradprograms for details or contact the Office of Graduate Programs at cvmmsphd@umn.edu.
Projects seeking students:
- Molecular epidemiology and of swine viruses: The VanderWaal lab is recruiting a talented PhD student who is excited about combining computational tools and field data from food animal systems to address practical questions about the interplay between virus evolution, immunity, and epidemiology
- We are seeking a PhD candidate with an interest in combining microbial ecology, epidemiology and data analytics to improve understanding of virus transmission and respiratory disease during commingling of calves. The PhD project will focus heavily on data analysis (bioinformatics, epidemiological modeling), but will also include field work and molecular wet lab work to provide robust cross-training. The overarching project is a collaborative effort across multiple institutions in the US and UK, with potential for international travel. To learn more about the lab, visit thenoyeslab.org. For questions about the project, email Dr. Noelle Noyes at nnoyes@umn.edu