Its goal was to motivate students from the beginning of their undergraduate preparation with a holistic approach to their major subject area. At the same time, students would be provided a broad liberal arts background and more coherent direction for their training. Initiated in the fall of 1979, its purpose is to overcome under-representation in the professions among minority groups, students from rural areas, and women. Students interested in pursuing careers in allied health, dentistry, law, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, physical therapy, or social work are eligible for admission. The UMES-UMAB Honors component is designed so those students entering as freshmen or sophomores are simultaneously tracked to the appropriate professional school at the Baltimore campus.
Students pursue a prescribed curriculum approved by both institutions.
Preference is given to Maryland residents. Once accepted into the program, students are required to maintain a 3.3 grade point average or better in all honors courses, as well as on a semester basis and cumulatively for all courses taken. Before entering UMAB, students must earn a satisfactory score on the professional school's entrance examination. The program is designed for high ability students of Maryland, from under-represented groups, who are seeking to pursue a career in veterinary medicine. The purpose of the component is to provide enriched programming at the baccalaureate level for academically talented students aspiring to attend graduate school.