{"id":1702,"date":"2017-07-18T10:24:51","date_gmt":"2017-07-18T14:24:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/animal-science-new\/?page_id=1702"},"modified":"2026-03-19T12:22:59","modified_gmt":"2026-03-19T16:22:59","slug":"graduate","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/animal-science\/students\/graduate\/","title":{"rendered":"Graduate Programs"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n

Graduate students in animal science can pursue an interdisciplinary program rooted in research areas such as genetics<\/a>, nutrition<\/a> or physiology<\/a> while exploring both basic and applied scientific approaches in a variety of animal species.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn more about our flexible options for students to dual major and gain advanced training through independent research.<\/p>\n\n\n

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research interests<\/h2>\n Visit our Research Department<\/a>\n <\/div>\n
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Animal Well-being<\/h3>\n \n\n \t \t

Research in animal well-being is typically incorporated within other focus areas such as genetics or physiology. Students pursuing this emphasis have investigated everything from the effect of breeding behavior on the reproductive efficiency of swine to the impact of housing conditions on stress-related hormones in captive primates.<\/p>\n\t \t \n

Research Faculty in Animal Well-Being \n \n \n <\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/a>\n\n\n\n \n\n

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\n \"Billy\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n
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Biotechnology<\/h3>\n \n\n \t \t

Biotechnology is considered a support discipline and can be included in graduate programs in a variety of areas including physiology, nutrition, genetics\/genomics and production management.<\/p>\n\t \t \n

Research Faculty in Biotechnology \n \n \n <\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/a>\n\n\n\n \n\n

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Genetics and Genomics<\/h3>\n \n\n \t \t

Students can choose to major in Animal Science with a co-major in Genetics or Functional Genomics. Students pursuing research in genetics and genomics use a variety of animal models including beef cattle, dairy cattle, swine and mice in their thesis projects.<\/p>\n\t \t \n

Research Faculty in Genetics and Genomics \n \n \n <\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/a>\n\n\n\n \n\n

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Nutrition<\/h3>\n \n\n \t \t

Our nutrition program focuses on a range of topics, from\u00a0basic molecular nutrition approaches to studies with direct practical applications in the target species. Students can\u00a0work with a variety of animal species, including cattle, swine, horses, sheep, goats, mice, companion animals and exotic animals.<\/p>\n\t \t \n

Nutrition Research Faculty \n \n \n <\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/a>\n\n\n\n \n\n

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Physiology<\/h3>\n \n\n \t \t

The physiology group conducts activities in two major areas: reproductive physiology and lactational physiology. Student research projects range from basic molecular studies to applied research projects in a variety of animal systems.\u00a0Students use a variety of animal models including cattle, swine, mice, goats, horses, domestic cats and exotic cats in their research.<\/p>\n\t \t \n

Physiology Research Faculty \n \n \n <\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/a>\n\n\n\n \n\n

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Production Management<\/h3>\n \n\n \t \t

Students in production management investigate problems that involve applied research within their particular discipline (genetics, nutrition, physiology). Research can include\u00a0assessment of the usefulness of early pregnancy detection by real-time ultrasonography in swine, the effectiveness of specific feed additives on growth and nutrient utilization of beef steers, or the effect of grazing-based dairy cattle management on the onset of puberty in heifers.<\/p>\n\t \t \n

Production Management Research Faculty \n \n \n <\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Ph.D. in Animal Science<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A Ph.D. in animal science symbolizes a student’s ability to conduct high-level original research and scholarly work without supervision. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To earn a Ph.D., students must demonstrate comprehensive knowledge and scholarship in a specialized field of study. They are required to write a dissertation reporting the results of an original investigation, pass a series of preliminary comprehensive examinations in the field of specialization and related areas of knowledge, and successfully defend the dissertation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Ph.D. Requirements<\/h2><\/a>
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