MS, Animal & Dairy Science – Non-thesis

Degree Program Summary:

This is a non-thesis degree program intended to give students advanced academic and professional training in food animal production and management. Students in this degree program use it to gain advanced animal knowledge and experience to enhance their opportunities for Veterinary School admittance or opportunities in extension, teaching, technical and/or laboratory support in agribusiness and pharmaceutical industries.

This is a non-thesis degree program and consists of 33 h of graduate course work and a special problem requirement. This is a terminal degree program designed for those who desire advanced instruction in animal sciences but are not specifically interested in a research career. A minimum of 12 h of animal and dairy science courses or related courses is required. There are animal and dairy science courses in quantitative genetics, meat science, nutrition, reproductive physiology and biotechnology. One course in graduate level biochemistry and statistics are required. Other courses in the program of study include courses in animal nutrition, biochemistry and molecular biology, crop and soil sciences, poultry science, genetics, cell biology, microbiology, statistics, veterinary physiology and agriculture and applied economics. Most students in this degree program use it to gain food and companion animal knowledge and experience to enhance their opportunities to be accepted into Veterinary School. Other opportunities for students with this degree include careers in extension, teaching, animal technical and laboratory support and in the animal nutrition and pharmaceutical industries. Programs areas and contact information for individual Departmental faculty may be obtained from our Departmental Web page.

There are approximately 20 graduate faculty and 40 graduate students in the Department of Animal and Dairy Science. Several graduate faculty and students are located at the Coastal Plains Experiment Station (CPES) in Tifton, GA. Collaborative research programs exist with USDA Scientists and research faculty from other Departments.

Modern classrooms and computing facilities, animal facilities and farms, laboratories and equipment are in place for in depth teaching and research training in all program areas. Specialized areas of interest include a core facility for genomics and/or proteomics, a meat science technology center, nutrition laboratories, environmentally controlled large and small animal facilities on campus and beef and dairy cattle, swine and horse research farms located near campus and at CPES in Tifton.