Program Overview

Doctor of Philosophy in Animal & Rangeland Sciences

The Doctor of Philosophy in Animal & Rangeland Sciences is a graduate program offered by the Department of Agriculture, Veterinary & Rangeland Sciences.

Admission

To be admitted to the Ph.D. Program, prospective students must obtain the agreement of a graduate faculty member to serve as a student's advisor.

• A bachelor's or master's degree from an accredited institution of higher education in an appropriate area of science,
• An undergraduate/graduate grade point of 3.0 or higher, and
• Students must meet a set of coursework requirements consistent with career objectives in either animal science or rangeland ecology and management.

Additional Admission Requirements

• Students emphasizing animal science must have completed a degree in (or similar to) animal science or veterinary science, or complete course work in physical sciences (6 credits), organic chemistry or biochemistry (6 credits), and biology, agriculture or natural resources (24 credits, including genetics, anatomy, physiology, soils, hydrology, ecology or plant or animal science).
• Students emphasizing rangeland ecology and management must have completed the equivalent of a bachelor's degree in animal science, rangeland science or a closely related area.
• In selecting applicants, the Animal & Rangeland Sciences Graduate Selection Committee will consider the prospective student's statement of purpose, undergraduate and graduate transcripts and three letters of recommendation.

Application Deadline

Applications may be reviewed at any time. However, to receive full consideration for fall admission, all application materials should reach the department by Feb. 1. For spring admission, all application materials should reach the department by Nov. 1.

• Prospective students must apply online.
• In addition to transcripts, prospective students need three letters of recommendation and a Statement of Purpose and Intent.

Doctor of Philosophy Graduation Requirements

• Students for the Ph.D. in Animal & Rangeland Sciences must satisfy the general requirements of the Graduate School.
• Students must select a Ph.D. graduate advising committee consisting of at least five members of the graduate faculty, including the advisor, at least one other member from the advisor's department, a member representing a closely allied discipline to the area of specialization and one member serving as the Graduate School representative.
• Students must present a dissertation proposal within their first year.
• Courses should be selected to complement the student's fields of interest and enhance his or her conceptual and research skills.
• A minimum of 60 graduate credits (with grades of "B" or better) beyond the baccalaureate are required, including at least 40 units in coursework.
• A maximum of 24 units may be used from a completed master's degree.
• Some 12 – 30 units of dissertation are required with at least 18 units of 700-level courses, exclusive of dissertation units are required for the doctoral degree.
• Only 9 credits of satisfactory/unsatisfactory grading are allowed.

Required Core Curriculum

• Two units of a Graduate Seminar, with at least one unit being Animal and Rangeland Science Seminar.
• Graduate-level statistics class (3 units)
• For graduate students with an emphasis in the animal sciences choose two of the three following courses or others approved by their committee:
  • Advanced Nutrition Management
  • Sheep Management
  • Cattle Production & Management
• For graduate students with an emphasis in Rangeland Science choose two of the three following courses or others approved by their committee:
  • Rangeland Ecosystems
  • Rangeland Restoration Ecology
  • Rangeland Livestock Interactions

Comprehensive Examination

• Students will take and pass a 1-credit comprehensive examination to be admitted into Candidacy for the Doctoral Degree.
• The written and oral comprehensive examination will be administered by the student's advising committee.

Dissertation

• Each candidate will write and defend in public their dissertation.
• The student's advising committee will pass judgment concerning the quality and sufficiency of the dissertation and its defense.
• The dissertation must also be accepted by the graduate school.