The M.S. degree in Animal Sciences may be earned for a program of study in reproductive physiology, animal health, nutrition or management.  The Ph.D. degree may be earned by completing a program of study in Food and Nutrition Sciences or Biological Sciences.  Thesis research constitutes a major portion of the M.S. and Ph.D. programs.  Students are required to take Graduate Seminar (AVS 633).  Ph.D. students must present four seminars and M.S. students must present two seminars.  For the M.S. degree, a minimum of 30 semester hours, including credit given for the thesis, is required.  The minimum amount of credit for the thesis is 6 hours and in no case may it exceed 15 hours.  In addition, a minimum of 12 hours (exclusive of thesis) of 500- and/or 600-level course work is required.  Additional requirements for M.S. and Ph.D. degrees can be found in the General Policies and Regulations of the Graduate School elsewhere in this catalog.

Students interested in pursuing graduate studies in animal nutrition should have undergraduate courses in mathematics, physics, organic chemistry, biochemistry, and quantitative analysis.  Training in physiology and biochemistry is desirable for students interested in animal physiology, and some work in statistics is desirable for all graduate students.

Graduate students will take many of their formal graduate courses in supporting departments, depending upon their specific interests and fields of study.

Graduate students appointed to assistantships in Animal and Veterinary Sciences devote a minimum of half time to research or teaching activities.  Complete research facilities are available, including laboratories and animal units, with opportunities for field tests.

The program also offers a non-thesis Master of Professional Studies (M.P.S.) degree in Animal Sciences.  Requirements for the M.P.S. are 30 credit hours, of which at least 15 hours must be 500- and/or 600-level.  In addition, each student will be required to complete a minimum of three hours in an “independent study” type course in the area of Animal and Veterinary Science.  The M.P.S. student is required to demonstrate competence in chosen fields of specialization during an oral comprehensive examination at the completion of his or her program.  Courses selected must include a minimum of 12 credits in Animal and Veterinary Sciences.  In addition, a minimum of 12 hours must be selected in a specialized field of study.  The three credit “independent study” type course is to be a short-term research project.  Upon completion of the project, a written report will be presented to the major professor and a seminar on the project will be presented to the Animal Science faculty and students.

 

Graduate Faculty

Timothy Bowden, Ph.D. (University of Aberdeen, 1998), Associate Professor. Aquatic animal health.

Robert C. Causey, Ph.D., D.V.M., (Louisiana State, 1985, University of Minnesota, 1989), Associate Professor. Equine reproduction, veterinary microbiology.

Suzanne L. Ishaq, PhD (University of Vermont, 2015), Assistant Professor. Host-associated microbial communities and animal health. 

Pauline Kamath, Ph.D., (University of California, Berkeley, 2011), Assistant Professor. Ecology and evolution of infectious diseases in wildlife and livestock, population and phylogenetics/genomics.

Colt Knight, Ph.D., (University of Arizona, 2016), Assistant Professor of Extension - State Livestock Specialist

Anne Lichtenwalner, PhD., D.V.M., (University of Idaho, 1995, Oregon State University, 1989), Associate Professor. Diseases of Livestock, poultry and fish.

David Marcinkowski, Ph.D., (The Ohio State University, 1982), Associate Extension Professor. Dairy Management.

Juan J. Romero, Ph.D. (University of Florida, 2013), Assistant Professor. Ruminant nutrition, forage quality, and hay and silage production.

James Weber, Ph.D., D.V.M., (University of Idaho, 1992, Washington State University, 1994), Associate Professor. Reproductive physiology of horses and sheep, parasite management of small ruminants. medical implant design.

 

Associate Graduate Faculty

Gary W. Anderson, Ph.D. (Virginia Tech, 1982), Associate Extension Professor. Reproduction efficiency of livestock, dairy farm management, animal health.

Robert C. Bayer, Ph.D. (Michigan State, 1972), Professor. Fisheries and aquaculture nutrition, management and physiology.