Animal Sciences
The Department of Animal Sciences graduate program is open to all qualified graduates of universities and colleges of recognized standing. In addition to the Graduate School’s requirements, to be admitted with full status to the program, an applicant must have adequate preparation in animal sciences or in a complementary area of life sciences and have a background or interest in agriculture.
Financial Assistance
Research assistantships are available. Applicants are considered on the basis of scholarship and potential to undertake advanced study and research.
The Animal Sciences program has two options for the M.S. degree: the thesis option and the comprehensive study option. The M.S. program requires completion of 30 semester credits of approved graduate and letter-graded course work with an overall GPA of 3.0 or better. The Ph.D. program requires the completion of 90 semester credits (or the equivalent) of graduate approved and letter graded course work with an overall GPA of 3.0 or more.
Each student must choose an adviser, usually based upon area of academic and research interest when starting the program. By the end of the first year of residence, the student must have selected an advisory/supervisory committee and have an approved graduate plan of study, including a research proposal. The advisory/supervisory committee advises the student and administers the graduate exams to the student. Students are referred to the Animal Sciences Graduate Student Handbook for information regarding additional requirements.
Candidates for the M.S. normally complete their degree requirements in two years. Candidates for the Ph.D. generally complete their degree requirements in three to four years.
The M.S. candidates are required to take an oral examination which covers both the research and academic subject matter covered in their program. Candidates for the Ph.D. are required to take a preliminary written and oral examination directed toward the academic subject matter of their chosen discipline and a final defense of a research based thesis.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| Didactic coursework (601-689, 691; 700-789, 791; 800-889, 891) | 16 | |
| Statistical Courses* | 6 | |
| Applied Regression Models | ||
| Field Design I | ||
| ANSC 790 | Graduate Seminar | 2 |
| ANSC 792 | Graduate Teaching Experience ** | 2 |
| ANSC 798 | Master's Thesis (6-10 credits) | 6 |
| Total Credits | 32 | |
- *
Other NDSU statistical courses or equivalents (transfer credit)
- **
Required for students receiving assistantships.
See information in Graduate Bulletin
Marc L. Bauer, Ph.D.
University of Kentucky, 1996
Research Interests: Nutritional Physiology with emphasis on Nutrient Metabolism and Utilization in Ruminants
Eric P. Berg, Ph.D.
Purdue University, 1996
Research Interests: Influence of Environment, Nutrition, and Genetic Factors as They Impact Meat-Animal Production Efficiency, Health, Carcass Composition, and Meat Quality
Erika Berg, Ph.D.
University of Missouri, 2006
Research Interests: The Impact of Therapeutic Horsemanship on Human and Equine Participants. Maternal and Environmental Influence on Equine Neonatal Physiology
Kasey Maddock Carlin, Ph.D.
Iowa State University, 2005
Research Interests: Meat Science with emphasis on Physiological and Biochemical Changes in Muscle Postmortem on Meat Quality
Joel S. Caton, Ph.D.
New Mexico State University, 1987
Research Interests: Ruminant Nutrition with emphasis on Nutrition and Reproduction interactions, Forage Utilization, Digestive Physiology and Selenium Metabolism
Carl Dahlen, Ph.D.
University of Minnesota, 2009
Research Interests: Beef Cattle Production
Neil Dyer, DVM, M.S., Diplomate ACVP
Iowa State University, 1991
Research Interests: Infectious Diseases of Domestic Animals; Public Health
Lauren Hanna, Ph.D.
Texas A & M University, 2013
Research Interest: Animal Genetics; Genomics
Anna T. Grazul-Bilska, Ph.D.
University of Agriculture and Technology, Olsztyn, Poland, 1983
Research Interests: Applied and Basic Aspects of Embryology and Ovarian Function in Livestock Species
Carolyn Hammer, DVM, Ph.D.
Iowa State University, 2003
Research Interests: Equine Preventative Medicine, Growth and Development, Immunology
Greg Lardy, Ph.D.
University of Nebraska,1997
Research Interests: Cow-Calf Nutrition, By-Product Utilization, Range Nutrition
Rob Maddock, Ph.D.
Texas A&M University, 2000
Research Interests: Factors Affecting Beef Quality and Value, Consumer Acceptance of Meat Products
Miranda Meehan, Ph.D.
North Dakota State University, 2012
Research Interests: Riparian Ecology and Management, Livestock and Wildlife Interactions, Impacts of Energy Development on Livestock Production
Dale A. Redmer, Ph.D.
University of Missouri, 1983
Research Interests: Regulation of Ovarian and Uterine Function, Including Angiogenesis and Endocrine Control of Follicular and Placental Development in Farm Animals
Lawrence P. Reynolds, Ph.D.
Iowa State University, 1983
Research Interests: Maternal and Placental Physiology During Pregnancy in Livestock Including Cellular and Molecular Aspects
Gerald Stokka, DVM, M.S.
Iowa State University, 1982
Research Interest: Immunology; Preventive Medicine; Animal Stewardship-well-being
Kendall Swanson, Ph.D.
University of Kentucky, 2001
Research Interests: Ruminant Nutrition
Kimberly Vonnahme, Ph.D.
University of Wyoming, 2003
Research Interests: Nutritional Impacts on Placental Function in Livestock
Sarah A. Wagner, DVM, Ph.D.
Iowa State University, 2003
Research Interests: Food Animal Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Dairy Cattle Health
Alison Ward, Ph.D.
University of Saskatchewan, 2011
Research Interests: Nutritional and Genetic Interactions; Epigenetics, Especially In Regards to Maternal Nutrition and Fetal Programming
In addition to the above listed faculty, there are numerous adjunct faculty members who participate in the graduate program.