Animal Studies
The pet care industry is a rapidly growing segment of today's world. Americans love pets; in fact, we spend over 43 billion dollars a year on veterinarian visits, pampering and grooming, treats, and other services.
The Animal Studies program at Greenville Technical College will allow you to build a career around one of America’s passions. You’ll find plenty of customers when you graduate, and you’ll be well prepared to help them, thanks to a combination of classroom and hands-on experience that allows you to apply what you’re learning as you gain practice and confidence.
- Grooming salon
- Veterinary practice
- Pet store
- Animal day care
- Boarding facility
Some graduates may establish their own grooming businesses, allowing them to work when and where they wish in their own salon or traveling to customers with a mobile grooming business.
Veterinary Assistant or Veterinary Technology training may take you into positions in
- Private veterinary practice
- Animal shelters
- Humane societies
- Animal hospitals
- Laboratories and other veterinary care facilities
Local Opportunities
Learn about real-time job openings and salary information through Career Coach.
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN IN THE PROGRAM
Your courses will vary depending on your focus, but some of the skills you’ll learn may include
- Veterinary medical terminology
- Animal breeds & husbandry
- Small animal care & welfare
- Small animal behavior kennel management
- Animal nutrition
- Pharmacy skills
The Veterinary Technology program prepares graduates to assist the veterinarian by drawing blood, assisting in x-rays and other diagnostic tests, and educating pet owners to improve the health and wellness of their pets.
Students in Professional Pet Grooming have the opportunity to put their skills to work in the college’s Pet Grooming Clinic.
Pets come into the clinic and receive grooming services, and our students are closely supervised as they apply what they’re learning. Faculty and students in the clinic also give back often when there is a need in the community for grooming care.
The Veterinary Technology program at Tri-County Technical College, which offers Phase II of this 1 + 1 program, is fully accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), 1931 N. Meacham Road, Suite 100, Schaumburg, Illinois 60173-4360. Telephone: (847) 925-8070, Fax: (847) 925-1329, and is sanctioned by the South Carolina Association of Veterinarians.
Upon successful completion of phase II, students will be eligible to take the Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE). After passing the VTNE, students will be eligible to take the South Carolina State Jurisprudence Examination to become a South Carolina state Licensed Veterinary Technician (LVT).
Greenville Technical College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award certificates, diplomas, associate degrees, and baccalaureate degrees. Contact the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call (404) 679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Greenville Technical College.
Veterinary Technology, Phase I
This program is designed to satisfy Phase I requirements for a one-plus-one articulation agreement leading to an associate degree in Veterinary Technology at Tri-County Technical College.
- Phase I consists of general education and foundational course work including basic terminology, clinical techniques, and anatomy and physiology at Greenville Technical College.
- The VET courses at GTC are offered at the Northwest Campus only. The general education courses may be available at other campuses and online.
- Upon successful completion of Phase I, qualified students may apply for Phase II at Tri-County Technical College, which includes labs, clinicals and internships.
Veterinary Tech Phase 1 details from our current catalog (pdf) »
Professional Grooming and Animal Care
Certificate in Applied Science
This nine-course certificate focuses on animal care and pet grooming and will prepare you for an entry-level position in a grooming salon or to establish your own grooming business. You’ll learn about breed-specific and mixed-breed canine and feline grooming as well as foundational procedures, skills, and techniques, which are necessary for a career within the grooming industry.
This program is located at the Northwest Campus.
Professional Grooming details from our current catalog (pdf) »
Veterinary Assistant
Certificate in Applied Science
This program trains students for entry-level positions in kennels, veterinary offices, shelters, and animal hospitals, covering the areas of nutrition, veterinary services, pharmacological applications, handling procedures, and ethical practices.
This program is located at the Northwest Campus.
Veterinary Assistant details from our current catalog (pdf) »
In addition to Greenville Technical College admissions process, outlined in these Enrollment Steps, students interested in a program in the School of Health Sciences must also successfully complete the following:
Career Talk
Participating in an online Career Talk session for your program is a requirement for all Health Sciences students. Click here for the Career Talk monthly schedule.
Policies
The Animal Studies program strictly adheres to all the School of Health Sciences policies, which are detailed on the Health Sciences admissions information page.
Supplemental Admission Process
How to apply for the Veterinary Technology Phase I program
Veterinary Technology Phase I admission is competitive, based on weighted admission scores and the relative scores of the applicant pool each year. Qualified students are eligible to apply for the program May 15 through June 15.
Veterinary Technology Phase I Weighted Admissions Form »
Veterinary Technology Phase II
Tri-County Technical College will accept 12 students from GTC who complete the Phase I program and meet all other program requirements. It is the student’s responsibility to apply to Phase II at TCTC for consideration of acceptance into the Veterinary Technology Program at TCTC.
Admission into the Greenville Technical College Veterinary Technology program Phase I does not guarantee admission into Phase II of the program at TCTC.
Special requirements
- Documentation of Tetanus vaccination within the past ten (10) years
Department Head
Erin Bouchillon | Erin.Bouchillon@gvltec.edu | (864) 250-3621
Academic Program Director
Misty Cox | Misty.Cox@gvltec.edu | (864) 250-3614
Administrative Assistant
Lisa Patterson | Lisa.Patterson@gvltec.edu | (864) 250-3660
Instructors
Erin Bouchillon, LVT
Animal Studies Dept. Head
Instructor, VET, VET-Phase I
Member of SCAVT, NAVTA, SCTEA, AVTE
(864) 250-3621
Misty Cox, CG, CVA
Academic Program Director
Professional Pet Grooming
Member of NDGAA, NCGIA, SCTEA
(864) 250-3614
Alison Kay, CG, CVA, PCT
Instructor, Professional Pet Grooming
Member of NDGAA, NCGIA, SCTEA
(864) 250-3626
Barbara Lukovic, LVT, BS
Instructor, VET, VET-Phase I
Member of SCAVT, AVTE
(864) 250-3607
Melissa Entrekin, LVT, VTS, (ECC)
Instructor, VET, VET-Phase 1
Member of SCAVT, NAVTA, SCTEA, AVECCT, AAHA, VECCS
(864) 250-3632
CONTACT US
Department Head
Erin Bouchillon
Erin.Bouchillon@gvltec.edu
(864) 250-3621