a student holds a lamb in a barn

Concentrations

Concentrations

Animal Science student holding a chicken

All students must complete one of the following concentrations along with the core coursework. Concentrations need to be selected by the start of junior year. We've created PDF Concentration Checklists that can be used as tools to plan or track major requirements. Note: If you are a Pre-vet, it does not mean that you have to take the Pre-vet concentration. You can take any of the above concentrations and still meet vet school requirements and keep your options open.

 

Hear from our students

Applied Animal Biology & Interdisciplinary Studies

I truly love how welcoming Animal Science is. My concentration means so much to me because it allows me to explore so much about animal science as a whole.

  • Elisa Kim '24

Integrative Physiology & Nutrition

I see Integrative Physiology & Nutrition concentration as the best pathway for me to prepare for veterinary school while also exploring my interest in animal nutrition and metabolism.

  • Sydney Sill '23

Pre-Veterinary Medicine

The more involved I am in the world of animal science, the more I realize how intertwined people are with animals. I would love to be part of the process of helping people and animals alike.

  • Fiona Higgins '24

Dairy Management

The Dairy Management concentration and community provided rigorous hands-on learning, networking opportunities, and the ability to learn with the best professors in the industry.

  • Emily Starceski '23
Elisa Kim holding lamb
Sydney Sill drawing blood from sheep
Fiona Higgins holding baby goat
Emily Starceski showing a cow

Integrative Physiology and Nutrition builds a foundation of animal physiology and nutrition along with exploring several advanced elective courses. This is a great concentration for students interested in a research career and/or seeking a competitive edge in future veterinary training.

ANSC 4270 - Fundamentals of Endocrinology (cross-listed in BIOAP) (Fall, 3 credits)
ANSC 4410 - Nutritional Physiology and Biochemistry (Spring, 3 credits)

Three of the following:

  • ANSC 3300 - Fish Physiology (cross-listed in BIOAP) (Spring, 3 credits)
  • ANSC 3400 - Comparative Mammalian Reproduction (Spring, 3 credits)
  • ANSC 3410 - Biology of the Mammary Gland in Health and Disease (cross-listed in BIOAP) (Spring, 2 credits - offered in even-numbered years only)
  • ANSC 3700 - Immunology in Animal Health and Disease (Spring, 3 credits)
  • ANSC 3920 - Mechanisms of Growth and Development (Spring, 2 credits - offered in odd-numbered years only)
  • ANSC 4200 - Nutrition of Cats and Dogs (Fall, 3 credits)
  • ANSC 4280 - Comparative Nutrition of the Horse and Pig (Spring, 4 credits)
  • ANSC 4310 - Animal Genomics and Epigenomics (Fall, 3 credits)
  • ANSC 4500 - Model Organisms in Reproductive Sciences (Fall, 2 credits- offered in odd-numbered years only)

One of the following:

  • ANSC 3980 - Animals in Biomedical Research (Spring, 2 credits - offered in odd-numbered years only)
  • ANSC 4400 - Tools for a Career in Research (cross-listed in BIOMS) (Fall, 1 credit)

CHEM 1560 - Introduction to General Chemistry (Fall, 4 credits)
CHEM 1570 - Introduction to Organic and Biological Chemistry (Spring, 3 credits)

One of the following:

  • MATH 1106 - Modeling with Calculus for the Life Sciences (Spring, 3 credits)
  • MATH 1110 - Calculus I (Fall, Spring, 4 credits)
  • MATH 1710 - Statistical Theory and Application in the Real World (Fall, Spring, 4 credits)
  • STSCI 2100 - Introductory Statistics (cross-listed in ILRST) (Fall, Spring, 4 credits)
  • STSCI 2150 - Introductory Statistics for Biology (Fall, Spring, 4 credits)
  • STSCI 2200 - Biological Statistics I (cross-listed in BTRY 3010) (Fall, 4 credits)

One of the following:

  • AEM 1200 - Introduction to Business Management (Fall, Spring, 3 credits)
  • AEM 1500 - An Introduction to the Economics of Environmental and Natural Resources (Spring, 3 credits)
  • AEM 2050 - Introduction to Agricultural Finance (Spring, 3 credits)
  • AEM 2210 - Financial Accounting (Fall, Spring, 3 credits)
  • ECON 1110 - Introductory Microeconomics (Fall, Spring, 3 credits)
  • ECON 1120 - Introductory Macroeconomics (Fall, Spring, 3 credits)
  • HADM 2230 - Financial Accounting Principles (Fall, Spring, 3 credits)
  • HADM 2250 - Finance (Fall, Spring, 3 credits)

One course from each of the following categories:

Pre-Veterinary Medicine serves the dual purpose of providing a foundation in animal physiology and fulfilling prerequisites for veterinary schools, and other health professions.

* This concentration is also relevant for Pre-Medical.
* Courses in this concentration are not intended to specify Vet school or Med school application requirements

One of the following:

  • BIOMG 1350 - Cell and Developmental Biology (Fall, Spring, 3 credits)
  • BIOG 1440 - Comparative Physiology (Fall, Spring, 3 credits)
  • BIOG 1445 - Comparative Anatomy and Physiology (Individualized instruction format) (Fall, Spring, 3 credits)

Required Lab:
BIOG 1500 - Investigative Biology Laboratory (Fall, Spring, 2 credits)

Three of the following:

  • ANSC 3300 - Fish Physiology (cross-listed BIOAP) (Spring, 3 credits)
  • ANSC 3400 - Comparative Mammalian Reproduction (Spring, 3 credits)
  • ANSC 3410 - Biology of the Mammary Gland in Health and Disease (cross-listed BIOAP) (Spring, 2 credits - offered in even-numbered years only)
  • ANSC 3920 - Mechanisms of Animal Growth and Development (Spring, 2 credits - offered in odd-numbered years only)
  • ANSC 4200 - Nutrition of Cats and Dogs (Fall, 3 credits)
  • ANSC 4270 - Fundamentals of Endocrinology (cross-listed BIOAP) (Fall, 3 credits)
  • ANSC 4280 - Comparative Nutrition of the Horse and Pig (Spring, 4 credits)
  • ANSC 4310 - Animal Genomics and Epigenomics (Fall, 3 credits)
  • ANSC 4410 - Nutritional Physiology and Biochemistry (Spring, 3 credits)
  • ANSC 4500 - Model Organisms in Reproductive Sciences (Fall, 2 credits - offered in odd-numbered years only)

CHEM 2070 - General Chemistry I (Fall, 4 credits)
CHEM 2080 - General Chemistry II (Spring, 4 credits)
CHEM 3570 - Organic Chemistry for the Life Sciences I (Fall, 3 credits)
CHEM 3580 - Organic Chemistry for the Life Sciences II (Spring, 3 credits)
CHEM 2510 - Introduction to Experimental Organic Chemistry (Fall, Spring, 2 credits)

Option 1: BIOMG 3310 - Principles of Biochemistry: Proteins and Metabolism (Fall, 3 credits)
BIOMG 3320 - Principles of Biochemistry: Molecular Biology (Spring, 2 credits)

Option 2: BIOMG 3300 - Principles of Biochemistry (Individualized instruction format) (Fall, Spring, 4 credits)

Option 3: NS 3200 - Introduction to Human Biochemistry (Fall, 4 credits)

Option 4: BIOMG 3350 - Proteins, Metabolism, and Molecular Biology (Spring, 4 credits)

One of the following:

  • MATH 1106 - Modeling with Calculus for the Life Sciences (Spring, 3 credits)
  • MATH 1110 - Calculus I (Fall, Spring, 4 credits)
  • MATH 1710 - Statistical Theory and Application in the Real World (Fall, Spring, 4 credits)
  • STSCI 2100 - Introductory Statistics (cross-listed in ILRST) (Fall, Spring, 4 credits)
  • STSCI 2150 - Introductory Statistics for Biology (Fall, Spring, 4 credits)
  • STSCI 2200 - Biological Statistics I (cross-listed in BTRY 3010) (Fall, 4 credits)

Two of the following

  • ANSC 3700 - Immunology in Animal Health and Disease (Spring, 3 credits)
  • BIOMI 2900 - General Microbiology Lectures (Fall, Spring, 3 credits)
  • BIOMI 2911 - General Microbiology Laboratory (Fall, Spring, 3 credits)
  • BIOAP 3110 - Principles of Animal Physiology (cross-listed in BIOMS) (Fall, 3 credits)
  • BIOAP 3190 - Laboratory in Physiology (cross-listed in BIOMS) (Fall, 4 credits)
  • BIOAP 4130 - Histology: The Biology of the Tissues (cross-listed in BIOMS) (Spring, 4 credits)

Option 1: PHYS 1101 - General Physics I (Individualized instruction format) (Fall, 4 credits)
PHYS 1102 - General Physics II (Individualized instruction format) (Spring, 4 credits)

Option 2: PHYS 2207 - Fundamentals of Physics I (Calculus-based) (Fall, 4 credits)
PHYS 2208 - Fundamentals of Physics II (Calculus-based) (Spring, 4 credits)

Option 3: PHYS 1112 - Physics I: Mechanics and Heat (Fall, Spring, 4 credits)
PHYS 2208 - Fundamentals of Physics II (Calculus-based) (Spring, 4 credits)

Dairy Management focuses on the science, management, and business skills needed to be successful in the dairy industry and the larger agricultural business environment.

ANSC 2500 - Dairy Cattle Principles (Fall, 3 credits)
ANSC 3510 - Dairy Herd Management (Spring, 4 credits)
ANSC 3540 - Dairy Cattle Herd Health (Fall, 3 credits)
ANSC 3550 - Dairy Cattle Nutrition (Spring, 3 credits)
ANSC 4510 - Dairy Herd Business Management (Fall, 3 credits)
ANSC 4560 - Dairy Business and Enterprise Management (Spring, 2 credits)
AEM 3020 - Farm Business Management (Fall, 4 credits)

CHEM 1560 - Introduction to General Chemistry (Fall, 4 credits)

One of the following:

  • MATH 1106 - Modeling with Calculus for the Life Sciences (Spring, 3 credits)
  • MATH 1110 - Calculus I (Fall, Spring, 4 credits)
  • MATH 1710 - Statistical Theory and Application in the Real World (Fall, Spring, 4 credits)
  • STSCI 2100 - Introductory Statistics (cross-listed in ILRST) (Fall, Spring, 4 credits)
  • STSCI 2150 - Introductory Statistics for Biology (Fall, Spring, 4 credits)
  • STSCI 2200 - Biological Statistics I (cross-listed in BTRY 3010) (Fall, 4 credits)

Two of the following:

  • AEM 1200 - Introduction to Business Management (Fall, Spring, 3 credits)
  • ECON 1110 - Introductory Microeconomics (Fall, Spring, 3 credits)
  • ECON 1120 - Introductory Macroeconomics (Fall, Spring, 3 credits)
  • HADM 2230 - Financial Accounting Principles (Fall, Spring, 3 credits)
  • HADM 2250 - Finance (Fall, Spring, 3 credits)

One course from each of the following categories is also required:

AEM 1500 - An Introduction to the Economics of Environmental and Natural Resources (Spring, 3 credits)
AEM 2050 - Introduction to Agricultural Finance (Spring, 3 credits)
AEM 2210 - Financial Accounting (Fall, Spring, 3 credits)
AEM 3040 - Dairy Markets and Policy (Spring, 3 credits)
HADM 2740 - Business Computing (Spring, 3 credits)
HADM 4150 - Practical Leadership: Foundations for a Career (Spring, 1 credit weekend course)
ILRHR 2600 - Human Resource Management (Fall, 3 credits)
NBA 3000 - Designing New Ventures (Fall, Spring, 3 credits)
PLSCS 2110 - Field Crop Systems (Fall, 3 credits)
PLSCS 3150 - Weed Biology and Management (Fall, 4 credits)
PLSCS 3210 - Soil and Crop Management for Sustainability (Fall, 3 credits)

Applied Animal Biology and Interdisciplinary Studies provides a breadth of nutrition, physiology and management while allowing the opportunity to explore electives. It is strongly encouraged that students selecting this concentration complete a minor. 

One of the following:

  • ANSC 3550 - Dairy Cattle Nutrition (Spring, 3 credits)
  • ANSC 4110 - Integrated Cattle Nutrition (Fall, 3 credits)
  • ANSC 4200 - Nutrition of Cats and Dogs (Fall, 3 credits)
  • ANSC 4280 - Comparative Nutrition of the Horse and Pig (Spring, 4 credits)
  • ANSC 4410 - Nutritional Physiology and Biochemistry (Spring, 3 credits)

Two of the following:

  • ANSC 3300 - Fish Physiology (cross listed BIOAP) (Spring, 3 credits)
  • ANSC 3400 - Comparative Mammalian Reproduction (Spring, 3 credits)
  • ANSC 3410 - Biology of the Mammary Gland in Health and Disease (cross listed BIOAP) (Spring, 2 credits - offered in even-numbered years only)
  • ANSC 3700 - Immunology in Animal Health and Disease (Spring, 3 credits)
  • ANSC 3920 - Mechanisms of Animal Growth and Development (Spring, 2 credits - offered in odd-numbered years only)
  • ANSC 4270 - Fundamentals of Endocrinology (cross-listed BIOAP) (Fall, 3 credits)
  • ANSC 4310 - Animal Genomics and Epigenomics (Fall, 3 credits)
  • ANSC 4500 - Model Organisms in Reproductive Sciences (Fall, 2 credits - offered in odd-numbered years only)

Three of the following (in addition to the selected Core Coursework):

  • ANSC 1130 - Introduction to Captive Raptor Husbandry (Fall, 1 credit)
  • ANSC 2300 - Introduction to Domestic Mammalian Behavior (Fall, 2 credits)
  • ANSC 2500 - Dairy Cattle Principles (Fall, 3 credits)
  • ANSC 2650 - Equine Biology and Management (Fall, 3 credits)
  • ANSC 3000 - Avian Physiology and Management (Fall, 3 credits)
  • ANSC 3450 - Reproductive Physiology and Management of Dairy Cattle (Spring, 3 credits)
  • ANSC 3500 - Meat (Fall, 3 credits)
  • ANSC 3600 - Beef Cattle (Spring, 3 credits - offered in even-numbered years only)
  • ANSC 3800 - Sheep (Spring, 3 credits - offered in odd-numbered years only)
  • ANSC 3850 - Dairy Sheep Management (Fall, Spring, 3 credits)

CHEM 1560 - Introduction to General Chemistry (Fall, 4 credits)
CHEM 1570 - Introduction to Organic and Biological Chemistry (Spring, 3 credits)

One of the following:

  • MATH 1106 - Modeling with Calculus for the Life Sciences (Spring, 3 credits)
  • MATH 1110 - Calculus I (Fall, Spring, 4 credits)
  • MATH 1710 - Statistical Theory and Application in the Real World (Fall, Spring, 4 credits)
  • STSCI 2100 - Introductory Statistics (cross-listed in ILRST) (Fall, Spring, 4 credits)
  • STSCI 2150 - Introductory Statistics for Biology (Fall, Spring, 4 credits)
  • STSCI 2200 - Biological Statistics I (cross-listed in BTRY 3010) (Fall, 4 credits)

One of the following:

  • AEM 1200 - Introduction to Business Management (Fall, Spring, 3 credits)
  • AEM 1500 - An Introduction to the Economics of Environmental and Natural Resources (Spring, 3 credits)
  • AEM 2050 - Introduction to Agricultural Finance (Spring, 3 credits)
  • AEM 2210 - Financial Accounting (Fall, Spring, 3 credits)
  • ECON 1110 - Introductory Microeconomics (Fall, Spring, 3 credits)
  • ECON 1120 - Introductory Macroeconomics (Fall, Spring, 3 credits)
  • HADM 2230 - Financial Accounting Principles (Fall, Spring, 3 credits)
  • HADM 2250 - Finance (Fall, Spring, 3 credits)

One course from each of the following categories: