Graduate Program: Masters of Science
The Department of Animal Science offers graduate programs leading to the Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy with a major in animal science. Major areas of emphases include animal physiology (e.g., ruminant and monogastric nutrition, reproduction, stress or obesity) or health and well-being (immunology, genomics, microbiology, or pre-harvest food safety).
The Master of Science Program
The program requires the writing of a thesis based on original research; the completion of a minimum of 24 hours of graduate coursework, of which at least 14 hours must taken in courses numbered at or above the 500 level; and six hours of thesis. Included in the course requirement are one hour of Agriculture and Natural Resources 512 and a minimum of three hours in statistics. Statistics courses must be chosen from the 500 or 600 level courses approved for use in the Intercollegiate Graduate Statistical Program (ICGSP). The remainder of coursework will be selected jointly by the student and the major professor depending on the student’s area of emphasis and professional objectives.
The advisory committee will consist of the graduate mentor (i.e., major professor, a graduate research faculty member of the Department of Animal Science), who will act as chairperson of the committee, and minimum of two other faculty members, one of whom may be outside of the Animal Science Department. The advisory committee approves the student's coursework and research problem, and conducts the final oral examination which consists of a comprehensive oral examination and a defense of the thesis.