Students who choose to follow a career in animal management will have a well-structured and strong curriculum that can make them highly competitive in the market place, preparing them for both large-scale and small-scale farming with domestic animals, that is, “backyard to industrial.” The ‘buy local’ movement is expected to increase available jobs in New England for those schooled in this field. The Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences offers a series of courses that formalize the curriculum and accessory courses are taken in ancillary departments to provide expertise in non-domesticated animal management (wildlife, zoo, exotics) or for a career in teaching agriculture. Students have access to a number of animal species at our associated farms including a herd of Belted Galloway cattle, herds of Boer meat goats and Dorset sheep, as well as poultry and horses on which to learn management skills. The department partners with a local business to offer a service dog training course. The Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences emphasizes animal ethics of food animal production as well as the impact of farming techniques on the environment.
Animal Management Concentration Course Checklist
Suggested Sequence of Classes:
First year—Fall
- ANIMLSCI 101 - Intro to Animal Science with lab, 4
- BIOLOGY 151 - Intro Biology I, 4
- MATH 104 - Pre-Calculus, 3
- General Education Class DU or DG, 4
- FYFS Freshmen Seminar OR Residential Academic Program (RAP), 1
- Credits 16
First year—Spring
- ANIMLSCI 103 - Intro Animal Management with lab, 4
- BIOLOGY 152/153 Intro Biology II and Lab, 5
- CHEM 111 - General Chemistry I, 4
- ENGLWRIT 112 - College Writing, 3
- MATH 127 or MATH 131 - Calculus (Prereq for Vet School), 3
- Credits 16/19
Sophomore year—Fall
- ANIMLSCI 220 - Anatomy & Physiology with lab, 4
- ANIMLSCI 260 - Animal Welfare with discussion, 4
- CHEM 112 - General Chemistry II, 4
- STATISTC 111 or STATISTC 240 or RESECON 212 - Statistics OR General Education Class, 3/4
- Credits 15/16
Sophomore year—Spring
- ANIMLSCI 285 - Cellular & Molecular Biology, 3
- CHEM 250 or CHEM 261 - Organic Chemistry, 3
- General Education Class, 4
- STATISTC 111 or STATISTC 240 or RESECON 212 - Statistics OR General Education Class, 3/4
- ANIMLSCI 392A - Careers Seminar, 1
- Credits 14/15
Junior year—Fall
- ANIMLSCI 311 - Genetics, 3
- ANIMLSCI 333 - Equine, Cattle & Companion Animal Nutrition, 3 OR ANIMLSCI 332, (spring semester), 4
- ANIMLSCI 472 - Infection & Immunity OR ANIMLSCI 572 – Molecular Immunology (spring semester), 3
- MICROBIOLOGY 310, 3
- BIOCHEM 320 - Biochemistry, 3
- Additional Requirements - see below, varies
- Credits - Varies
Junior year—Spring
- ANIMLSCI 320 - Animal Business Management, 3
- ANIMLSCI 572 – Molecular Immunology, 3 OR ANIMLSCI 472 Infection & Immunity, (fall semester), 3
- NATSCI 387 - CNS Junior Writing or Elective, 3/4
- Additional Requirements - see below, varies
- Credits - Varies
Senior year—Fall
- ANIMLSCI 472 Infection & Immunity, 3 OR ANIMLSCI 572 – Molecular Immunology, 3 (spring semester)
- ANIMLSCI 494EI - IE: One Health, 3 OR ANIMLSCI 494GI - IE: Good Intentions, 3 (spring semester)
- NATSCI 387 - CNS Junior Writing or Elective, 3/4
- Additional Requirements - see below, varies
- Credits - Varies
Senior year—Spring
- ANIMLSCI 494GI - IE: Good Intentions, 3 OR ANIMLSCI 494EI - IE: One Health, 3 (fall semester)
- ANIMLSCI 421 - Wildlife Reproduction OR ANIMLSCI 521 - Physiology of Reproduction, 3/4
- Additional Requirements - see below, varies
- Credits - Varies
Animal Management Concentration—additional requirements
I. Complete one lab course from the list below:
- ANIMLSCI 365 – Fundamentals in Veterinary and Biomedical Laboratory Techniques (fall semester), 3
- ANIMLSCI 366 – Veterinary Microbiology Lab - (fall and spring semester), 2
- ANIMLSCI 386 – Veterinary Oncology - (fall and spring semester), 2
- ANIMLSCI 487 - Fundamental Vertebrate Embryology - (spring semester), 3
- BIOCHEM 321 – Elementary Biochemistry Lab - (fall semester), 2
II. Complete eight credits from the list below:
- ANIMLSCI 231 - Dorset Sheep Management I - (fall semester), 2
- ANIMLSCI 251 - Dorset Sheep Management II - (spring semester), 2
- ANIMLSCI 232 - Belted Galloway Management I - (fall semester), 2
- ANIMLSCI 252 - Belted Galloway Management II - (spring semester), 2
- ANIMLSCI 233 - Boer Goat Management I -(fall semester), 2
- ANIMLSCI 253 - Boer Goat Management II- (spring semester), 2
- ANIMLSCI 234 - Poultry Management I - (fall semester), 2
- ANIMLSCI 254 - Poultry Management II - (spring semester), 2
- ANIMLSCI 236 - Equine Management I - (fall semester), 2
- ANIMLSCI 256 - Equine Management II - (spring semester), 2
- ANIMLSCI 238 - Dairy Calf Management - (both semesters), 2
- ANIMLSCI 455 - Research Animal Management I - (fall semester), 4
- ANIMLSCI 456 - Research Animal Management II - (spring semester), 4
III. Complete three credits from the list below:
- ANIMLSCI 291C - Biotech Research – Cellular and Molecular I, 1
- ANIMLSCI 291M - Biotech Research – Animal Models, 1
- ANIMLSCI 296T - Intro to Teaching in Animal Science, 1/2
- ANIMLSCI 235 - Shelter Animal Medicine - (fall semester), 3
- ANIMLSCI 239 - Bay State Livestock Classic - (spring semester), 1
- ANIMLSCI 240 - Bay State Livestock Classic Management & Coaching - (spring semester), 2
- ANIMLSCI 242 - Artificial Insemination AI Certification (spring semester), 1
- ANIMLSCI 301 - Equine Behavior and Learning Theory - (fall semester), 3
- ANIMLSCI 315 – Clinical Animal Behavior (spring semester), 3
- ANIMLSCI 325 - Sea Turtle Preservation in Costa Rica- (spring semester), 3
- ANIMLSCI 335 - Wildlife Conservation and Veterinary Medicine in Belize - (fall semester), 3
- ANIMLSCI 345 - Exotic Animal Medicine- (spring semester), 3
- ANIMLSCI 362 - Veterinary Medical Terminology - (fall semester), 1
- ANIMLSCI 373 - Equine Diseases & Health Management - (fall semester), 3
- ANIMLSCI 391C - Biotech Research – Cellular and Molecular II, 2
- ANIMLSCI 391M - Biotech Research – AnimaI Models II, 2
- ANIMLSCI 396T - Intermediate Teaching in Animal Science, 1/2
- ANIMLSCI 398D - Service Dog Training, 3
- ANIMLSCI 398S - Equine Enterprise - (fall semester), 3
- ANIMLSCI 401 - Management of the Equine Athlete - (fall semester), 3
- ANIMLSCI 404 - Winter Traveling Dairy (winter break/spring),1
- ANIMLSCI 432 - Advanced Nutrition - (fall semester), 3
- ANIMLSCI 445A - Equine Reproduction Lab - (spring semester),1
- ANIMLSCI 454 - Dairy Herd Management - (spring semester), 4
- ANIMLSCI 491C - Biotech Research – Cellular and Molecular III, 3
- ANIMLSCI 491M - Biotech Research – AnimaI Models III, 3
- ANIMLSCI 496T - Advanced Teaching in Animal Science 1/2
(The *91 courses are biotechnology research and are arranged with individual faculty to conduct research. Students can make arrangements with any lab on campus, students complete Biotechnology Research Contract with faculty. Faculty must submit contract for registration.)
Animal Management Concentration—suggested electives
Domestic Animal Management courses recommended for students interested in a career related to farming:
- RESECON 103 - Microeconomics,- (spring semester), 3
- STOCKSCH 105 or 106 - Soils - (spring semester), 3
- STOCKSCH 201 - Equipment Operations - (spring semester), 2
- STOCKSCH 211 - Pasture Management - (fall semester), 3
- STOCKSCH 350 - Sustainable Soil & Crop Management- (fall semester), 3
- MANAGMNT 241 - New Venture Creation (Gen Ed) - (spring semester), 4
Non-domestic animal management—courses recommended for students interested in a career related to wildlife, zoo, or exotic animals:
- BIOLOGY 489 – Animal Movement (fall semester), 3
- BIOLOGY 540 - Herpetology - (spring semester), 4
- BIOLOGY 544 - Ornithology - (spring semester), 4
- BIOLOGY 550 - Animal Behavior - (spring semester), 4
- NRC 260* - Fish Conservation and Management (fall semester), 3
- NRC 261* - Wildlife Conservation - (spring semester), 3
- NRC 360 - Evolution & Conservation - (spring semester), 3
- NRC 560 - Aquatic Ecology - (fall semester), 3
- NRC 563 - Wetlands, Wildlife Ecology & Management - (spring semester), 3
- NRC 564 - Wildlife Habitat Management- (fall semester), 4
- NRC 565- Wildlife Population Dynamics and Management - (fall semester), 4
- NRC 566 - Restoration Ecology - (spring semester), 3
- NRC 570 - Ecology of Fish with lab - (fall semester), 4
- NRC 571 - Fisheries Science & Management with lab - (spring semester), 4
- NRC 573- Behavioral Ecology and Conservation - (fall semester), 3
- NRC 586 - Natural Resource Inventory of Local Lands - (spring semester), 3
*NRC 260 & NRC 261 and three more of the NRC courses listed here are required to declare a minor in Natural Resources Conservation.
Teaching—courses recommended for students interested in a career related to teaching
- ANIMLSCI 296T, 396T - Introduction to Teaching Animal Science, 1/2
- HUMANDEV 270 - Child Development (spring semester), 4
- PSYCH 350 - Developmental Psychology - (fall semester), 3
- PSYCH 355 - Adolescent Psychology (spring semester), 3
- EDUC 457 - Tutoring in Schools, 3
- EDUC 524 - Working with Middle School & High School Teachers (spring semester), 3