The Majors

Two majors are available within the department. The B.S. in Animal Science major is designed to provide a flexible program to accommodate students with interests in animal production and related support industries. With appropriate selection of elective courses, this major can also prepare students for postgraduate studies. The B.S. Pre-Veterinary major is designed specifically for students interested in postgraduate studies in the sciences including entrance into veterinary, medical, master's and doctoral research programs.

Admission to majors

All students are admitted first to the Animal Science major. Students completing predictor courses (indicated immediately below with an asterisk) with an average grade of B- or better are eligible to enter the Pre-Veterinary major. Students interested in transferring to the program or obtaining a second bachelor’s degree in Animal Science should contact the department’s Undergraduate Program Director.

Requirements for all majors include the following ANIMLSCI and extra-departmental courses:

101 Introductory Animal Science
*103 Introductory Animal Management
200 Animal Cell and Molecular Biology
*220 Anatomy and Physiology
260 Animal Care and Welfare
311 Animal Genetics and Breeding
332 Basic Animal Nutrition and Feeding
494GI Integrated Experience: Good Intentions

BIOLOGY 151/152/153 Introductory Biology
MATH 104 Algebra, Analytic Geometry and Trigonometry
NATSCI 397A CNS Junior Writing Course
STATS 240 Introductory Statistics
MICROBIO 310 General Microbiology
BIOCHEM 420 Elementary Biochemistry

Additional Animal Science requirements:

CHEM 111 General Chemistry
CHEM 250 Organic Chemistry
ANIMLSCI 372 Animal Diseases
ANIMLSCI 421 Fundamentals of Reproduction

Additional Pre-Veterinary requirements:

*CHEM 111/112 General Chemistry for Science and Engineering Majors
*CHEM 261/
CHEM 262/269 Organic Chemistry I, II, with Lab
*MATH 127 Calculus for the Life and Social Sciences I
PHYSICS 131/132 Introductory Physics I,II with Lab
ANIMLSCI 572 Infection and Immunity
ANIMLSCI 521 Physiology of Reproduction

Students work closely with their academic advisor, who assists them in selecting elective courses to enhance specific areas of interest and to develop curriculums that meet their career objectives as described under “Areas of Advanced Training.”

Areas of Advanced Training

Students, working with their advisor, concentrate their studies in one of the following emphasis areas that highlight departmental offerings in Animal Managment or Biotechnology studies.

Animal Managment Emphasis

Our large animal population consisting of: goats, horses, poultry, sheep, and Belted Galloway cattle maintained on the Hadley Farm and at the South Deerfield Complex provide the basis for much of the animal experience we offer whether one is interested in applying to veterinary school or seeking employment opportunities after graduation.  Along with our curricular offerings of reproduction, nutrition, and management, we offer numerous extracurricular activities to all interested students.  These have included:  participation in Regional and National Dairy Challenges, the Genex Open House and tour of Cornell Veterinary School, Winter Traveling Dairy Tour, NESA (the Northeast Student Affiliate undergraduate regional division of the American Dairy Science Association) Intercollegiate Animal Science Competition, the Boer Bash and our Artificial Insemination Certification class. Students also have the opportunity to participate in The Annual Baystate Livestock Classic; this show is open to the public and is held at the Hadley Farm.  Students organize this event and learn the grooming and showing of cattle, swine, sheep, goats and horses. These events all promote positive student to student, student to faculty, and student to industry representative interaction, which can lead to post-baccalaureate internship employment, and graduate school opportunities.  We encourage students to develop and pursue their research interests in the field and in the University’s laboratories.  Animals contribute to human health through companionship, their role as models for diseases, as well as a source of food and fiber.  There is a need for graduates that are familiar with animals to serve as lab technicians in the laboratories of both public and private research institutions.  We encourage all students, regardless of their professional goals to participate in as many of these offerings as possible.

Biotechnology Emphasis

This area prepares students interested in technical careers in biotechnology, biomedical, and pharmaceutical laboratories. Courses and laboratory experiences are directed specifically toward acquiring skills in molecular and cellular biology as applied to animals, including recombinant DNA, embryo manipulation, and cell and tissue culture. Elective courses should emphasize advanced training in basic sciences (chemistry and biochemistry) and modern laboratory technologies. These include courses in research animal management, immunology, and lab methods in biotechnology that provide excellent preparation for employment in the expanding field of biotechnology and biomedical research.