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Online and Distance Education

Animal Science

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Program Contact

Dr. Shannon Pratt PhillipsProgram Director and Certificate Coordinatoronline-animalscience@ncsu.edu
Master's Degrees | Animal Science | Courses

Courses

The Master of Animal Science program requires 36 credit hours.

Core Courses

Units: 1

Weekly seminars on topics of current interest given by resident faculty members, graduate students and visiting lecturers.

Offered in Fall Only


Units: 1

This course is designed to assist graduate students with the preparation of professional information that they may be required to provide as they seek opportunities following graduate school. Course topics will include preparation of personal statements, resumes or curriculum vitae, investigation of the types of careers available to Animal Science graduates, and preparation of multimedia presentations that may be used in formal interviews.

Offered in Spring Only


Units: 3

Basic concepts of statistical models and use of samples; variation, statistical measures, distributions, tests of significance, analysis of variance and elementary experimental design, regression and correlation, chi-square.

Offered in Fall Spring Summer

Animal Science Discipline Core-Select one course from the following sections: Genetics, Nutrition, and Physiology

Genetics Courses

Units: 3

Modern evaluation and selection procedures for domestic animals; selection goals, estimation of breeding values and performance testing; their impact on genetic changes.

Offered in Fall Only


Units: 3

Introduction to the basic concepts of growth with emphasis on domestic mammals. Growth of the major classes of animal tissues and regulation by endogenous and exogenous factors. Relationship to efficiency of animal production. Credit will not be given for both ANS 453 and 553.

Offered in Fall Only

YEAR: Offered Alternate Even Years


Units: 1 - 3

Special topics in various aspects of animal science offered via Great Plains AG Idea.

Offered in Fall Spring Summer


Units: 3

Quantitative and population genetic theory of breeding problems; partitioning of genetic variance, maternal effects, genotype by environment interaction and genetic correlation; selection indexes; design and analysis of selection experiments; marker-assisted selection.

Offered in Spring Only


Units: 3

Advanced topics in quantitative genetics pertinent to population improvement for quantitative and categorical traits with special applications to plant and animal breeding. DNA markers - phenotype associations. The theory and application of linear mixed models, BLUP and genomic selection using maximum likelihood and Bayesian approaches. Pedigree and construction of genomic relationships matrices from DNA markers and application in breeding.

Offered in Spring Only

Nutrition Courses

Units: 3

Applied concepts in ruminant nutrition for the practicing agricultural professional. Protein, energy, vitamin and mineral nutrition in relation to the nutritional needs and practical feeding of beef cattle, dairy cattle, sheep, and goats. New developments in feeding systems, feed additives and the prevention and treatment of metabolic disorders. Emphasis on solving problems in case studies. Permission given to undergraduates

Offered in Fall Only

YEAR: Offered Alternate Even Years


Units: 3

Study of hormonal, enzymatic and molecular-genetic regulation of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism; emphasis on mammalian species.

Offered in Fall Only

YEAR: Offered Alternate Odd Years


Units: 3

This course explores concepts in equine nutrition including digestive physiology of horses, nutrient requirements for different classes of horses and feed management. Ration evaluation and balancing, as well as problem solving will be a core component to this course.

Offered in Spring Only

YEAR: Offered Alternate Odd Years


Units: 3

This course is about the advanced principles of nutrition within canines and felines. The course focuses on the unique gastro- intestinal tracts for the two species as well as their specific nutrient requirements and how the animal industry addresses these needs.

Offered in Fall Only


ANS 710-Advanced Swine Nutrition and Management

Physiology Courses

Units: 3

Comparative approach to examining aspects of reproductive physiology in selected vertebrate species. Detailed examination of current reproductive biotechnologies and ethical issues associated with the application of reproductive biotechnologies. Credit will not be given for both ANS 452 and ANS [PHY] 552.

Offered in Spring Only

YEAR: Offered Alternate Even Years


Units: 3

Stress Physiology in Animals is a course focusing on the mechanism whereby stress impacts multiple physiological systems throughout the body in animals [human and non-human models]. Physiological systems discussed will include the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, the nervous system, the cardiovascular system, the respiratory system, the immune system, the metabolic system, and the reproduction system.

Offered in Spring Only


Units: 3

This course will discuss aspects of exercise physiology with a focus on equine and canine species, also with some discussion on humans, other athletic mammals, aquatic and avian species. The course will cover elements of bioenergetics and exercise metabolism, cardiovascular, respiratory and muscular adaptations to exercise and training, thermoregulation, performance evaluation, biomechanics and lameness, and exercise-related health conditions, with a comparative nature.

Offered in Fall Only

ANS Elective Courses

Select two courses from the ANS Elective Courses List

Elective Courses

Select at least 5 of the following courses from the Elective Courses list

Additional Requirements

  • No more than three (3) credit hours of a seminar to be included in the 36 credit hour total
  • A minimum of one full academic year or its equivalent in residence as a graduate student at the university
  • The non-thesis Master of Animal Science degree requires a minimum of 36 credit hours, of which a minimum of 12 credits are in Animal Science courses at the 500 or above level
  • Non-thesis programs may include no more than three (3) hours of independent student study credits of special topics project (ANS 610) in the minimum 36-credit program
  • Research credit is not permitted in non-thesis programs, except upon approval by an associate dean of the Graduate School in cases where the student was initially enrolled in a thesis program but later transferred to a non-thesis program
  • 400-level ANS courses are not permitted in a graduate plan of work
  • No more than six (6) hours of 400-level courses from outside departments may be counted toward the 36-credit hour requirement
  • Non-Thesis Masters Examination (ANS 690) credits may not be used to satisfy the 36-credit hour requirement
  • Non-Thesis Masters Continuous Registration (ANS 688 and ANS 689) credits may NOT be sure to satisfy the 36-credit hour requirement
  • No more than three (3) credit hours of Masters supervised teaching (ANS 685) may be included in the minimum 36-credit hour program
  • A graduate mentor (advisor) is required
  • Mentor certification of a graduate plan of work and program completion
  • Meet with the graduate mentor at last once per semester
  • Complete the annual graduate student progress report
  • Committee not required, oral examination not required
  • The director of graduate programs and the Graduate School must approve the graduate plan of work