The Department of Veterinary Medicine is located in Berlin-Dahlem, Berlin-Düppel, and Bad Saarow. It has five veterinary clinics and 15 academic institutes. From the beginning of their studies, students enrolled in veterinary science as well as those working toward a doctorate in the field can gain insight into both the traditional and the current working areas of veterinary research.

Studying and Earning a Doctorate

After completing their degree at the Department of Veterinary Medicine, graduates may work as licensed veterinarians. Those interested in a research career in the field are given comprehensive advice regarding the development and implementation of their own research projects and in applying for external funding.

Doctoral Degree Program in Biomedical Sciences

Working together, the Department of Veterinary Medicine and the Department of Biology, Chemistry, and Pharmacy offer outstanding students a doctoral degree program in Biomedical Sciences It was set up in 2008 under the auspices of Dahlem Research School and is a graduate training program in the field of basic and applied life sciences. In 2013 an FAO Reference Centre for Veterinary Public Health was set up at the Department of Veterinary Medicine at Freie Universität.

Research

At the Department of Veterinary Medicine there is a particularly broad spectrum of different scientific research profiles. This diversity makes it possible to successfully deal with complex problems using different approaches through interdisciplinary collaboration. Particular areas of emphasis in the department are, for example, research on microbiota and probiotics, food safety and product quality, pathogen-host interactions and zoonoses, and diseases of the central nervous system (CNS).

International Ties

Scientists at the department are active in national and international commissions – in EU bodies as well as in professional societies, professional associations, and chambers of veterinary surgeons.

The International Animal Health unit conducts international postgraduate training programs in the Department of Veterinary Medicine. Three master’s degree programs focus on current challenges of veterinary medicine in specific regions of the world. The Veterinary Public Health program focuses on the Asian Pacific region, while the Food Chain Management program focuses on Latin America, and the Epidemiology program on Africa. Each master's degree program is conducted jointly with partner universities and health institutions in the region and is concluded with a jointly conferred master's degree from Freie Universität Berlin and one of the partner universities.

Through the ERASMUS exchange program, students have an opportunity to spend one or two semesters abroad. The Department of Veterinary Medicine has cooperation agreements with numerous universities in Europe.

Veterinary Literature

The holdings of the Veterinary Medicine Library include more than 160,000 volumes. In addition to recent publications on veterinary research and related fields, research can also be conducted here with literature reaching back to the 16th century.

The Veterinarium Progressum is the department’s education center for its approximately 500 employees as well as external participants.

In addition to the Department of Veterinary Medicine, there are eleven other academic departments and four central institutes at Freie Universität:

Academic Departments

• Department of Biology, Chemistry, and Pharmacy
• Department of Earth Sciences
• Department of Education and Psychology
• Department of History and Cultural Studies
• Department of Law
• Department of Mathematics and Computer Science
• Department of Philosophy and Humanities
• Department of Physics
• Department of Political and Social Sciences
• Department of Veterinary Medicine
• School of Business and Economics
• Medical School - Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin

Central Institutes

• Dahlem School of Education
• Institute for East European Studies
• Institute for Latin American Studies
• John F. Kennedy Institute for North American Studies