Veterinary Science
Veterinary Science
Animal careis realmedicine.
Work with animals of every size, from house pets to livestock, in a lab with a full operating room and a working doggy daycare. You'll train toward two Elanco certifications and learn the science behind keeping an animal healthy.
More Than Vet Tech
Animal science runs from nutrition to genetics to wildlife. This is the foundation under all of it.
2 Years
Junior and senior year. A senior-only option is available, but you'll miss a full year of lab time and credential prep.
No Tuition
Lab fees are typically a few hundred dollars. Payment plans are available.
College Credit
Earn college credit toward a degree while you are still in high school.
Pay in animal science varies widely by role, employer, and how much schooling you add. Veterinary assistant work hires with a high school diploma; registered vet tech, research, and veterinarian roles each require their own degree.
Credentials You Can Earn
Both are earned by passing the exam. We get you ready. The score is yours.
ELANCO
Fundamentals of Animal Science
- Animal anatomy and physiology
- Nutrition and feeding
- Species, breeds, and their differences
- Behavior, handling, and restraint
- Animal welfare and husbandry
ELANCO
Veterinary Medical Applications
- Common diseases and how they spread
- Vaccines, medications, and dosages
- Clinical procedures and patient prep
- Lab samples and diagnostics
- Surgical assisting and recovery care
Elanco is an animal health company, so these credentials come from the industry rather than from a school. Worth knowing the ladder: becoming a registered veterinary technician takes an accredited two-year program after high school. This is where you build the foundation and find out whether the work suits you.
The Animals Are the Easy Part.
Yes, you'll be around animals every day, and not only the small ones. You'll also be learning anatomy, reading medical charts, calculating doses, and cleaning up after a patient who can't tell you what hurts. That's the job, and the people who love it love all of it.
- Handling and restraining animals safely
- Anatomy, physiology, and animal health
- Vital signs, exams, and recognizing illness
- Medications, dosage math, and vaccines
- Large animal handling, husbandry, and care
- Surgical prep, assisting, and recovery
- Lab samples and diagnostic testing
- Charting, records, and client communication
In the labA full operating room and a working doggy daycare, plus hands-on time with a range of species. It is set up like a mixed animal practice because that is what you are training for.
Why WCCC
You work with real animals
Not models, not videos. Live animals that move, get nervous, and don't hold still — and not just dogs and cats. You'll work with animals of different shapes, sizes, and species, because a mixed animal practice is what most of this field actually looks like. Handling a horse is nothing like handling a kitten, and you only learn the difference by doing both.
Keep your home school
You're still part of your home high school. Graduate with your class, and keep playing sports, going to prom, and showing up for homecoming.
Steady demand
Veterinary jobs are projected to grow 9% through 2035, much faster than average, at every level from assistant to veterinarian. About 23,200 veterinary assistant openings are projected each year, driven by how much households now spend on their pets.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, May 2025 wage data and 2025–2035 projections.Where This Can Lead
This program is a head start, not the finish line, and it does not box you into one job. When you graduate, you'll have real options:
Start working
Veterinary assistant or animal care work in a clinic, shelter, kennel, farm, or research facility
Keep training
An accredited vet tech program, or a degree in animal science or pre-veterinary studies
Keep building
Registered veterinary technician, specialty certification, or on to veterinary school
And doors you don’t know exist yet
Most people hear animal science and think veterinarian or vet tech. Those are two jobs out of dozens. Here is a sample of where else this foundation leads:
- Animal Nutritionist — develops diets and feeding programs for animals
- Wildlife Rehabilitation Technician — cares for injured, sick, or orphaned wildlife
- Livestock Geneticist — uses genetics and breeding to improve animal health and production
- Animal Research Technician — works with animals in biomedical or agricultural research
- Animal Health Sales Representative — sells animal-health products, medications, and equipment
- Animal Behaviorist — studies behavior and builds strategies to improve welfare and management
- Artificial Insemination Technician — performs reproductive procedures and assists breeding programs
- Zoo Animal Keeper — handles daily care, nutrition, enrichment, and monitoring for zoo animals
- Meat Quality Assurance Technician — monitors animal products for quality, safety, and standards
- Agricultural Extension Educator — supports farmers, livestock owners, and communities with training
Applications open December 2.
See the lab before you apply.