Established in 1899, Mount Ida is a private, nonsectarian institution in Newton, approximately 8 miles west of Boston. The school is home to approximately 1,400 students, approximately 54 percent of which are from Massachusetts, reports the 2009 Barron's Profiles of American Colleges. The college grants both an Associate of Science and a Bachelor of Science in veterinary technology. Bachelor's degree students spend their fourth years off campus, participating in clinical internships, while students in the associate course of study complete a short, part-time one-term internship. Students study surgical nursing, livestock management, radiography, anesthesia and laboratory science as part of the required curriculum.
Mount Ida College
777 Dedham St.
Newton, MA 02459
617-928-4545
mountida.edu
Located in Worcester, Becker College is a private, four-year institution founded in 1784. Around two-thirds of the school's more than 1,750 students are Massachusetts residents, according to the 2009 Barron's Profiles of American Colleges. The school offers an Associate of Science degree in veterinary technology, which includes coursework in domestic and farm animal care, radiology, hematology and pharmacology as well as a one-term internship. Students can also elect the bachelor's program in veterinary science that builds upon the associate-degree curriculum with courses in microbiology, ethics, immunology, genetics, nutrition and up to four additional clinical rotations.
Becker College
61 Sever St.
Worcester, MA 01609
877-523-2537
beckercollege.edu
A public, two-year college, Holyoke Community College is 4 miles north of Chicopee. The school serves approximately 9,000 credit and 4,000 non-credit students each year on its 135-acre campus. The school offer an Associate of Science degree in veterinary and animal science, which requires approximately two years to complete. Before enrolling in the program, students must complete a 10-hour observation of a veterinary clinic or practice. Required coursework includes drug dosage calculation, medical practice management, veterinary lab technology, exotic animal science, radiography and animal reproduction. Students participate in one term of clinical rotations and two summer-long internship placements.
Holyoke Community College
303 Homestead Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
413-538-7000
hcc.mass.edu
North Shore Community College is situated 23 miles northeast of Boston in the town of Danvers. Approximately 6,600 students attend the college each year, with 58 percent attending courses part-time, according to the school's website. The college's Associate of Applied Science degree in veterinary technology features classes in parasitology, office management, canine and feline behavior, ethics and law and equine science. Students participate in a summer-long paid and for-credit work experience placement between the first and second years of the program. The college offers job search and career counseling assistance for all graduates.
North Shore Community College
1 Ferncroft Road
Danvers, MA 01923
978-762-4000
northshore.edu