International Opportunities
International Experience
There are endless opportunities for Animal Science majors to go abroad during their time as undergraduates. At present, approximately 30 percent of Animal Science students have at least one meaningful international experience by the time they graduate from Cornell. Don’t you want to be among them?
Animal Science students can study for a semester, or for a year in places such as Italy, Ireland, the UK, Argentina, and Australia. While some students choose to take classes at other institutions abroad, others prefer to participate in faculty-led programs where they can apply their classroom learning to real-world situations.
There are also opportunities for students to join faculty-led, credit-bearing courses and travel to exotic destinations like Ecuador, Australia, and Italy. There is no one-size-fits-all study abroad program for Animal Science majors; students are encouraged to set a path that meets their personal, academic, and professional goals.
Search the extensive list of opportunities for Cornell-managed and Cornell-approved programs. Be sure to select “Agriculture and Life Sciences” under “Available To” during your search.
In addition to the regular study abroad semesters at partner universities, CALS offers “Signature Semesters” that cater specifically to Animal Science students. They are:
- Pre-Vet or Dairy Science Signature Semester in Argentina. The program permits high-achieving students to study and research alongside veterinary students at the Universidad Nacional Del Litoral in Esperanza, Argentina. Advanced beginner to intermediate Spanish is required. Spring & summer only.
- Agricultural Production Practices in Parma, Italy. Students take four courses in English taught by Italian professors at the University of Parma. The program also includes site visits to farms and academically supervised hands-on industry placements, so that students can learn about everything from supply chain management, food trace-ability, cheese making, and cooperatives. No Italian required. Spring only.
In addition to semester-long options, the Dairy Science Club has an impressive and unprecedented track record of giving students the opportunity to see first-hand dairy management and agribusiness practices overseas. Students have traveled with Cornell professors to Italy, Germany and China
What classes should I take abroad?
The department prefers that students take electives rather than core requirements abroad. However, it is important to know that studying abroad in general is a great opportunity for students to pursue other interests, and the experience should be viewed as an opportunity to see a new world, area of study, and way of life. It is a chance to try something new, and your international destination should not be solely chosen by your declared major, but also by your curiosities or prevailing interests.
Learn more about study abroad policies and credit transfer.
Special considerations for Pre-Vet students:
- Pre-Vet students interested in studying abroad can fit this enriching experience into their schedule with careful planning.
- Any prerequisite courses for veterinary school may not be taken abroad.
- Grades appear on the transcript but are not part of the overall Cornell GPA, unless you are in a Cornell program such as Urban Semester, Shoals Marine Lab, Cornell in Washington, SEA Semester or Cornell in Rome. Note that in some cases, AMCAS (American Medical College Application Service) has factored study abroad grades into an all-encompassing GPA.
- Follow the Pre-Vet groups in Chatter for special opportunity postings just for you.