Program Overview

Animal Science (ANSC) Program Overview

The Animal Science (ANSC) program at the University of Arkansas offers graduate studies in various subject matter areas, including genetics, nutrition, parasitology, meats, and physiology. The program provides students with the opportunity to pursue research programs in the Animal Science Department, utilizing beef cattle, swine, sheep, and laboratory animals.

Degrees Conferred

The ANSC program confers the following degrees:

• M.S. (Master of Science)
• Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy)

Areas of Study

The program offers graduate studies in the following areas:

• Genetics
• Nutrition
• Parasitology
• Meats
• Physiology

Primary Areas of Faculty Research

The faculty's primary research areas include:

• Animal nutrition
• Animal physiology
• Animal breeding (genetics)
• Meat science (muscle biology)
• Parasitology

M.S. in Animal Science

Prerequisites to Degree Programs

To pursue a Master of Science degree in Animal Science, students must meet the general requirements of the Graduate School. Additionally, students must have completed a B.S. degree, preferably in a college or university with a major or equivalent in one of the areas of the Animal Science Department. Applicants must submit three letters of recommendation.

Requirements for the Master of Science Degree

The Master of Science degree requires a minimum of 30 hours, which can be completed through either a thesis or non-thesis option.

Thesis Option

The thesis option requires:

• A minimum of 24 hours of graduate course work
• Six hours of thesis research credit
• Preparation of a program of work that may include additional undergraduate basic courses
• Successful completion and defense of a thesis
• Submission of one research paper suitable for submission to a peer-reviewed professional journal

Non-Thesis Option

The non-thesis option requires:

• Completion of a plan of study outlined by the graduate committee
• Successful performance on a final exam
• No preparation of a thesis

Non-Thesis M.S. Program Requirement

The non-thesis program requires a minimum of 30 hours, including:

• Core courses: 18-19 hours
  • Basic Program Core: 4 hours
    • ANSC 59001: Seminar
    • AGST 50203: Principles of Experimentation
    • STAT 50133 and STAT 50131: Statistical Methods and Statistics Methods Laboratory
    • ESRM 53903: Statistics in Education and Health Professions
  • Animal Science Core Courses: 8-9 hours
    • Genetics: 3 hours
    • Nutrition: 3 hours
    • Physiology: 2-3 hours
• ANSC Electives: 9 hours
• General Electives: 9 hours

Ph.D. in Animal Science

Prerequisites to Degree Program

To pursue a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Animal Science, students must have a grade-point average of 3.00 on all previous graduate work and submit three letters of recommendation. Students accepted into the Ph.D. program without a M.S. must have a 3.20 cumulative grade-point average on all undergraduate work.

Requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree

The Doctor of Philosophy degree requires:

• A program of research
• Appropriate course work and seminars as specified by the student's graduate committee
• A dissertation
• Two research papers acceptable to the dissertation committee

Graduate Faculty

The ANSC program has a diverse faculty with expertise in various areas of animal science. The faculty members are:

• Coffey, Ken, Ph.D.
• Gadberry, M. Shane, Ph.D.
• Huang, Yan, Ph.D.
• Jennings, John A., Ph.D.
• Kegley, Beth, Ph.D.
• Kutz, Bryan Richard, Ph.D.
• Littlejohn, Brittni P., Ph.D.
• Looney, Charles R., Ph.D.
• Looper, Michael L., Ph.D.
• Philipp, Dirk, Ph.D.
• Powell, Jeremy G., Ph.D.
• Quadros, Danilo, Ph.D.
• Rivera, Daniel J., Ph.D.
• Rogers, Lauren, D.V.M.
• Rumley, Elizabeth R., LL.M.
• Russell, Mark, Ed.D.
• Setyabrata, Derico, Ph.D.
• Vierck, Kelly, Ph.D.
• Zhao, Jiangchao, Ph.D.

Courses

The ANSC program offers a wide range of courses, including:

• ANSC 5000V: Special Problems
• ANSC 50103: Domestic Animal Energetics
• ANSC 50203: Legal Issues in Animal Agriculture
• ANSC 50502: Cow-Calf Management
• ANSC 5100V: Special Topics in Animal Sciences
• ANSC 51203: Advanced Animal Genetics
• ANSC 51403: Biochemical Nutrition
• ANSC 51502: Protein and Amino Acid Nutrition
• ANSC 51603: Companion Animal Nutrition
• ANSC 52602: Swine Production
• ANSC 52702: Sheep Production
• ANSC 52803: Horse Production
• ANSC 53303: Diseases of Livestock
• ANSC 54103: Animal Welfare
• ANSC 54502: Milk Production
• ANSC 54802: Companion Animal Management
• ANSC 55402: Concepts in Nonruminant Nutrition
• ANSC 55503: Forage-Ruminant Relations
• ANSC 56103: Muscle Growth and Development
• ANSC 56502: Stocker-Feedlot Cattle Management
• ANSC 56602: Comparative Studies in Panamanian and US Agricultural Practices
• ANSC 57403: Advanced Analytical Methods in Animal Sciences Laboratory
• ANSC 58503: Advanced Meats Technology
• ANSC 59001: Seminar
• ANSC 59302: Cardiovascular Physiology of Domestic Animals
• ANSC 59403: Endocrine Physiology of Domestic Animals
• ANSC 59502: Respiratory Physiology of Domestic Animals
• ANSC 59602: Gastrointestinal/Digestive Physiology of Domestic Animals
• ANSC 59702: Renal Physiology
• ANSC 6000V: Master's Thesis
• ANSC 61403: Minerals in Animal Nutrition
• ANSC 62403: Ruminant Nutrition
• ANSC 63403: Vitamin Nutrition and Metabolism
• ANSC 68303: Reproduction in Domestic Animals
• ANSC 7000V: Doctoral Dissertation