Plan A (Thesis)
The student, major professor, and graduate committee determine the program of study and research project, which meets the needs of the individual student. The candidate’s graduate committee should be established and functioning by the time the student has completed 12 semester hours of formal coursework. The master of science program should be approved and filed by the end of the student’s second semester of graduate study in animal science. This committee shall also determine if the student is making satisfactory progress to be advanced to a candidate for a master’s degree or continued in a doctoral program by the end of the student’s third semester following matriculation.
The student can specialize in breeding, food science and human nutrition, nutrition, physiology, meat science, reproduction or wool for coursework and thesis/dissertation project. In addition, supporting coursework is available in agricultural economics, biochemistry, microbiology, range management, genetics, statistics, and other areas of interest to the individual. In certain cases it is possible to develop a joint research project between animal science and another department.
Students may use the research facilities and herds of beef cattle, sheep, and swine at the university livestock center near the university or at one of the university research and extension centers in the state. Research laboratories are located on campus and include a modern meat processing facility.
The Thesis program is a 30 hour program, 26 hours of coursework and 4 hours of thesis research.
Plan B (Non-thesis)
The Non-thesis program requires a coursework-intensive, non-thesis master of science program for those students whose career paths may not require a thesis research program.
The program requires 32 hours of coursework in addition to an acceptable non-thesis research paper as defined by the student’s graduate committee.
Program Specific Degree Requirements
A minimum of 30 credit hours including 4 thesis hours must be earned in 4000-5999 level courses.
The program of study is arranged with the student’s graduate committee.