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Animal Science

Animal Science Major

The Animal Science major encompasses physiology, nutrition, genetics, reproduction, marketing, management, and husbandry of livestock and companion animals; the important scientific understanding for the utilization of animal products; and experiences necessary for leadership in, and advocacy for, industries that provide animals and animal products that benefit humans.

Curriculum Options

Five study options are available for the animal science major.

  • Animal Production, Management and Husbandry: This option is designed for students desiring a background in the principles of animal management and husbandry. It includes broad training in animal husbandry, production and management. Employment opportunities include careers in livestock production, allied support fields, and in technical support fields including agricultural positions within the Cooperative Extension Service.
  • Animal Biomedical Science: This option offers students a more scientific approach to animal science, preparing them for veterinary medicine, graduate research in animal science, teaching, food technology and the biotechnology industry. Students may receive an animal science degree while meeting academic requirements for application to veterinary schools.
  • Animal Agribusiness: This option is designed for students desiring a background in the business and economic principles as they apply to the livestock industry. It leads to broad training in animal husbandry, production, business, and management. Employment opportunities include careers in agribusiness, sales and marketing of livestock and products for the livestock industry, and a variety of public and private institutions which serve the business of animal agriculture.
  • Livestock Media: This option offers students an opportunity to acquire skills in journalism, advertising, and public relations in addition to the fundamentals of animal science. Employment opportunities include working for a variety of media outlets including print and virtual media, TV, radio, magazines, breed associations, or commodity organizations as well as positions involved in public relations in the livestock industry.
  • Meat Science: This option provides the opportunity to emphasize knowledge about the science of muscle biology and evaluation and processing of red meat. This option prepares students for a broad variety of career opportunities in the meat industry including management, sales, meat inspection, and meat marketing.

Animal Science Minor

Students from other majors may minor in Animal Science by completing a minimum of 16 credits. A minimum of eight credits must be completed at NDSU.

Major Requirements

Major: Animal Science

Degree Type: B.S.
Minimum Degree Credits to Graduate: 128

General Education Requirements for Baccalaureate Degree

  • A dynamic list of approved general education courses offered by term is available on the NDSU General Education Requirements website.
  • General education courses may be used to satisfy requirements for both general education and the major, minor, and program emphases, where applicable. Students should carefully review the major, minor, and program emphases requirements for minimum grade restrictions, if applicable.
First Year Experience (F)1
Skills For Academic Success (Also offered with the following prefixes: ABEN, AGRI, BUSN, HD&E, ME, NURS, PHRM)
Communication (C)12
College Composition I
College Composition II
Fundamentals of Public Speaking
Upper Division Writing
Quantitative Reasoning (R) 3
Science and Technology (S) 10
Humanities and Fine Arts (A) 6
Social and Behavioral Sciences (B) 6
Wellness (W) 2
Cultural Diversity (D) *†
Global Perspectives (G) *†
Total Credits40

Major Requirements

Required Core Courses for Animal Science
MATH 103College Algebra3
or MATH 105 Trigonometry
or MATH 107 Precalculus
or MATH 146 Applied Calculus I
ANSC 114Introduction to Animal Sciences3
ECON 201Principles of Microeconomics (May satisfy general education category B and G)3
VETS 135Anatomy and Physiology of Domestic Animals3
STAT 330Introductory Statistics (May satisfy general education category R)3
Select one of the following (Not required for students transferring in 24 or more credits):1
Agriculture Orientation
Animal Science Orientation
Introduction to the Veterinary Profession
ANSC 240Meat Animal Evaluation and Marketing3
ANSC 300Domestic Animal Behavior and Management3
ANSC 323Fundamentals of Nutrition3
ANSC 324Applied Animal Nutrition3
ANSC 463
463L
Physiology of Reproduction
and Physiology of Reproduction Laboratory
4
ANSC 478Research and Issues in Animal Agriculture3
Select one of the following:2
Undergraduate Research (research experience)
Field Experience (internship experience)
Select one of the following:3
Equine Industry and Production Systems
Sheep Industry and Production Systems
Swine Production/Pork Industry Systems
Beef Industry and Production Systems
Dairy Industry and Production Systems
Options: Select one of the five options listed below.46-50
Students must select one option of interest. The standard option for this major is the Animal Production, Management and Husbandry. Students who wish to declare an option other than the standard option must officially declare that option with the Office of Registration and Records.
Total Credits86-90
Option 1: Animal Production, Management, & Husbandry Option
AGEC 242Introduction to Agricultural Management3
AGEC 244Agricultural Marketing3
CHEM 260Elements of Biochemistry4
MICR 202
202L
Introductory Microbiology
and Introductory Microbiology Lab (May satisfy general education category S)
3
PLSC 110World Food Crops (May satisfy general education category S)3
PLSC 315Genetics (May satisfy general education category S)3
Select one from the following:4
Concepts of Biology
and Concepts of Biology Lab (May satisfy general education category S)
General Biology I
and General Biology I Laboratory
Select one from the following:4
Chemical Concepts and Applications
and Chem Concepts and Applications Lab (May satisfy general education category S)
General Chemistry I
and General Chemistry I Laboratory (May satisfy general education category S)
Select one the following evaluation courses:2
Meat Grading and Evaluation
Livestock Evaluation
Dairy Cattle Evaluation
Equine Evaluation
ANSC 340Principles of Meat Science3
ANSC 357Animal Genetics3
ANSC 370Fundamentals/Animal Disease3
ANSC 380Livestock Sales and Marketing2
ANSC 480Equine Industry and Production Systems3
or ANSC 482 Sheep Industry and Production Systems
or ANSC 484 Swine Production/Pork Industry Systems
or ANSC 486 Beef Industry and Production Systems
or ANSC 488 Dairy Industry and Production Systems
PLSC 320Principles of Forage Production3
or RNG 136 Introduction to Range Management
Total Credits46
Option 2: Animal Agribusiness Option
ACCT 102Fundamentals of Accounting3
AGEC 242Introduction to Agricultural Management3
AGEC 244Agricultural Marketing3
AGEC 246Introduction to Agricultural Finance3
Select one from the following:4
Concepts of Biology
and Concepts of Biology Lab (May satisfy general education category S)
General Biology I
and General Biology I Laboratory
Select one from the following:4
Chemical Concepts and Applications
and Chem Concepts and Applications Lab (May satisfy general education category S)
General Chemistry I
and General Chemistry I Laboratory (May satisfy general education category S)
Select one of the following evaluation courses:2
Meat Grading and Evaluation
Livestock Evaluation
Dairy Cattle Evaluation
Equine Evaluation
ANSC 357Animal Genetics3
ANSC 380Livestock Sales and Marketing2
ECON 202Principles of Macroeconomics (May satisfy general education category B)3
PLSC 315Genetics (May satisfy general education category S)3
AGEC elective300-400 level6
Animal Agribusiness electives - 9 Credits (Students may choose from upper level ANSC, AGEC, ECON, PLSC or RNG)9
Total Credits48
Option 3: Biomedical Science Option

Students interested in veterinary school should consider this option.   The option meets most veterinary school prerequisites.  Consultation with an adviser is recommended.

ANSC 357Animal Genetics3
or ANSC 314 Animal Biotechnology
ANSC 444Livestock Muscle Physiology3
BIOL 150
150L
General Biology I
and General Biology I Laboratory
4
BIOL 151
151L
General Biology II
and General Biology II Laboratory
4
CHEM 121
121L
General Chemistry I
and General Chemistry I Laboratory (May satisfy general education category S)
4
CHEM 122
122L
General Chemistry II
and General Chemistry II Laboratory (May satisfy general education category S)
4
CHEM 240Survey of Organic Chemistry3
or CHEM 341 Organic Chemistry I
CHEM 260Elements of Biochemistry0-3
or BIOC 460 Foundations of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I
MICR 350
350L
General Microbiology
and General Microbiology Lab
5
PLSC 315Genetics (May satisfy general education category S)3
Select one of the following evaluation courses:2
Meat Grading and Evaluation
Livestock Evaluation
Dairy Cattle Evaluation
Equine Evaluation
Select one from the following:4
Fundamentals of Physics
and Fundamentals of Physics Laboratory (May satisfy general education category S)
College Physics I
and College Physics I Laboratory (May satisfy general education category S)
Biomedical Science electives – 8 Credits (Students may choose from upper level ANSC, BIOC, BIOL, CHEM, MICR, PHYS OR ZOO)8
Total Credits47-50
Option 4: Livestock Media Option
AGEC 242Introduction to Agricultural Management3
AGEC 244Agricultural Marketing3
ANSC 357Animal Genetics3
ANSC 380Livestock Sales and Marketing2
PLSC 315Genetics (May satisfy general education category S)3
Select one of the following evaluation courses:2
Meat Grading and Evaluation
Livestock Evaluation
Dairy Cattle Evaluation
Equine Evaluation
Select one from the following:4
Concepts of Biology
and Concepts of Biology Lab (May satisfy general education category S)
General Biology I
and General Biology I Laboratory (May satisfy general education category S)
Select one from the following:4
Chemical Concepts and Applications
and Chem Concepts and Applications Lab (May satisfy general education category S)
General Chemistry I
and General Chemistry I Laboratory (May satisfy general education category S)
Complete any minor in the communication area (Agric Comm; Health Comm; Journalism; Mgmt Comm; New Media & Web Design; or Strategic Comm)21
Total Credits45
Option 5: Meat Science Option
AGEC 244Agricultural Marketing3
CHEM 260Elements of Biochemistry4
ANSC 230Meat Grading and Evaluation2
ANSC 340Principles of Meat Science3
ANSC 344Fundamentals of Meat Processing2
ANSC 357Animal Genetics3
ANSC 444Livestock Muscle Physiology3
CFS 210Introduction to Food Science and Technology2
MICR 202
202L
Introductory Microbiology
and Introductory Microbiology Lab (May satisfy general education category S)
3
PLSC 315Genetics (May satisfy general education category S)3
CFS elective300-400 Level3
Meat Science electives– 8 Credits (Students may choose from upper level ANSC, BIOC, CFS, CHEM, MICR OR SAFE)8
Select one from the following:4
Concepts of Biology
and Concepts of Biology Lab (May satisfy general education category S)
General Biology I
and General Biology I Laboratory
Select from the following:4
Chemical Concepts and Applications
and Chem Concepts and Applications Lab (May satisfy general education category S)
General Chemistry I
and General Chemistry I Laboratory (May satisfy general education category S)
Total Credits47

Degree Requirements and Notes:                                                                                       

  • Students must earn a minimum 2.00 cumulative GPA for courses that satisfy major requirements.
  • Transfer grades must be ‘C’ or higher to count toward major requirements.

Minor Requirements

Animal Science Minor

Minor Requirements

Required Credits: 16

Required Courses
ANSC 114Introduction to Animal Sciences3
ANSC 223Introduction to Animal Nutrition2
ANSC 220Livestock Production3
ANSC 240Meat Animal Evaluation and Marketing3
Elective Courses5
Must include one of the following courses:
Domestic Animal Behavior and Management
Animal Biotechnology
Fundamentals of Nutrition
Applied Animal Nutrition
Principles of Meat Science
Fundamentals of Meat Processing
Animal Genetics
Fundamentals/Animal Disease
Livestock Sales and Marketing
Feed Technology
Livestock Muscle Physiology
Physiology of Reproduction
Growing and Finishing Cattle Management
Remaining credits may come from those listed above or the following courses:
Meat Grading and Evaluation
Livestock Evaluation
Dairy Cattle Evaluation
Total Credits16

Minor Requirements and Notes:                                                                   

  • A minimum of 8 credits must be taken at NDSU.
  • Students must earn a minimum 2.00 GPA for the minor requirements.

Plan of Study

Freshman
FallCreditsSpringCredits
This Plan of Study applies to Animal Production, Management, and Husbandry study option (Option 1). For other options see the departmental website. ANSC 2403
AGRI 1891BIOL 111 or 1503
ANSC 1143BIOL 111L or 150L1
ANSC 150, VETS 150, or AGRI 1501ENGL 120 (ENGL 110 or placement as prerequisite)3
VETS 1353PLSC 1103
MATH 1033Humanity or Fine ArtOne course needs to be a Cultural Diversity3
CHEM 117 or 1213 
CHEM 117L or 121L1 
 15 16
Sophomore
FallCreditsSpringCredits
ANSC 3312CHEM 2604
AGEC 2423AGEC 2443
MICR 2022STAT 3303
MICR 202L1PLSC 3153
COMM 1103Humanity or Fine Art3
ECON 201Social Science and Global Perspective course3 
Humanity or Fine Art3 
 17 16
Junior
FallCreditsSpringCredits
ANSC 3003ANSC 3243
ANSC 3233ANSC 3403
ANSC 3703ANSC 3573
RNG 336 or PLSC 3203ANSC 3802
ENGL 3203ANSC 4633
Wellness2ANSC 463L1
 17 15
Senior
FallCreditsSpringCredits
ANSC 394 or 3961-5ANSC 480, 484, or 4863
ANSC 482 or 4883ANSC 4783
Social or Behavior Science3ElectiveSome are guided10
ElectiveSome are guided9-5 
 16 16
Total Credits: 128