Program Overview

Introduction to the Poultry Science Program

The Poultry Science Department at Texas A&M University aims to lead the way to further advancements in poultry production and development of poultry professionals who seek lifelong discovery and optimization of the poultry industry and translation of poultry production into human health improvement.

Program Overview

Poultry meat and eggs in their myriad forms remain the most consumed, high-quality animal proteins in the human diet. Flexible, economical, and sustainable; poultry production provides the means and methods to improve human health and diet quality in even the most under-developed countries. Therefore, poultry production is expected to take on an ever-greater proportion of animal agriculture into the foreseeable future.

Areas of Focus

The industry still has significant opportunities for advancement in the areas of:

• Nutrition
• Health
• Disease prevention and treatment
• Food safety
• Antimicrobial resistance
• Processing and products
• Genetics and breeding
• Animal welfare and husbandry
• Environmental/agricultural engineering
• Nutrient management

Degree Options

The Department of Poultry Science offers:

• Master of Agriculture
• Master of Science
• Doctor of Philosophy degrees
  • With generous assistantships to help defray costs of graduate education

PhD Program

The Doctor of Philosophy is a thesis option research degree, which requires:

• 96 hours with a BS
• 64 hours with a MS degree The PhD is the terminal Poultry Science degree with a focus on conducting independent research. The degree holder will become the preeminent expert in a focused area of study. Similar to the MS degree, the student will learn by teaching, research, coursework, and scientific writing. A PhD candidate will typically conduct three or more major independent research projects that will become peer-reviewed manuscripts. These data will be presented and defended at scientific meetings.

Career Opportunities

A PhD degree graduate may work in:

• Government (FDA, USDA)
• Industry (poultry integrators)
• The allied industry (nutrition, vaccine, and drug companies)
• Medical research labs
• Academia These individuals will utilize their training to analyze data, write publications, conduct independent research, and help stakeholders with technical service in the field. A PhD degree holder may mentor colleagues with BS and MS degrees.

Program Quick Facts

• Dual Degree Option: No
• Thesis or Dissertation Required: No
• Main Method of Study: Face-to-Face

Related Programs

• Poultry Science MAg
• Poultry Science MS
• View Details for each program

Department History and Expertise

The Texas A&M University Poultry Science Department has over a 100-year history and is the largest of six Poultry Science Departments by twofold. The collective expertise of faculty includes the areas of:

• Nutrition
• Intestinal physiology and microbiota in health maintenance as well as disease
• Reproduction
• Genetics
• Poultry welfare
• Immunology
• Food safety
• Management of birds and their waste Our comprehensive intellectual resources support integrated investigations into complex interactions among nutrition, production, disease, and sustainability in poultry.