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Admissions Information

Admissions Requirements

For all applicants:

• Statement of Purpose
• 3 Letters of Recommendation
• CV or Resume
• English Proficiency Test (for International Students)

For Traditional MS Program applicants:

Prerequisite courses:

• 3 units college-level Algebra (Calculus recommended);
• 1 year of General Biology with laborotories 
• 1 year of Organic Chemistry with laboratories

Additional courses recommended:

• Advanced courses in Animal Sciences (eg. Animal Behavior, Animal Nutrition, Meat Science)
• Anatomy/Physiology
• Physics
• Analytical Chemistry & Biochemistry.

For Race Track Industry Program applicants:

• GMAT is required

 

Standardized Tests

English language proficiency as required by the Graduate College:

https://grad.arizona.edu/admissions/requirements/international-applicants#english-proficiency

 

 

Funding Opportunities

Limited numbers of Graduate Assistantships (GTA) are available through the School of Animal and Comparative Biomedical Sciences. 

 

Admissions Deadlines

Domestic Applicants: January 5th

International Applicants: December 15th

 

International Conditional Admission

International applicants will not be considered for conditional admission by this program.

Other Information

The GRE Institution Code for The University of Arizona is 4832

Completion Requirements

Minimum Credit Units

30 

Core Coursework Requirements

Required Courses:

• 3 units of Statistics (BIOS 576a or substitute course approved by your major advisor)
• 3-6 units of Physiology (ACBS 500a/ACBS 500b/PSIO 503 or a substitute course approved by your major advisor)
• 2 units of ACBS 696a
• 6 units of ACBS 910 (Thesis)
• 4-7 units of elective courses ( Must be 500 or 600 level courses, courses selected should be in consultation with your major advisor)
• 9 units of Research or Independent Study units  (ACBS 900/599/699)

*At least 5 graded units must be from courses offered by The School of Animal and Comparative Biomedical Sciences.
**Students transferring to the University of Arizona Animal Sciences Program with graduate credits from other institutions can petition to apply up to 12 graduate credits to the major in this program. However, only graded courses are acceptable and the transfer credits must be approved by the Graduate Committee.


 

 

Elective Coursework

ACBS 500A Animal Anatomy and Physiology  3

ACBS 500B Animal Anatomy and Physiology 3

ACBS 503R Biology of Animal Parasites 3

ACBS 505 Principles of Livestock Health Management 3

ACBS 509 Environmental Physiology of Domestic Animals 3

ACBS 510 Animal Toxicology 3

ACBS 519 General Immunological Concepts 4

ACBS 520 Meat Animal Composition 3

ACBS 523 Mechanisms of Disease 4

ACBS 527R General Mycology 3

ACBS 528L Microbial Genetics Laboratory 2

ACBS 528R Microbial Genetics 3

ACBS 531 Equine Nutrition and Management 3

ACBS 532 Comparative Immunology 3

ACBS 533 Advanced Racing Laws and Enforcement 3

ACBS 541 Racing Organizational Structure and Financial Management 3

ACBS 542 Racing Business, Strategies and Global Perspectives 3

ACBS 543 Research Animal Methods 3

ACBS 545 Nutritional Physiology and Metabolic Biochemistry 3

ACBS 549 Diseases of Wildlife 3

ACBS 554 Host-Microbial Interactions 3

ACBS 556 Aquaculture 3

ACBS 557 Medical-Veterinary Entomology 3

ACBS 565 Shrimp Pathology 3

ACBS 570 Interactions of Animals, Humans, and Ecosystems 3

ACBS 571 Risk Assessment, Management, and Communication 3

ACBS 572 Advanced Dairy Herd Management 3

ACBS 581 Principles of Applied Companion Animal Behavior 3

ACBS 582 Applied Companion Animal Behavior in Practice 3

ACBS 583 Principles of Applied Primate Behavior and Captive Management 3

ACBS 584 Applied Captive Primate Behavior in Practice 3

ACBS 587 Molecular Endocrinology 3

ACBS 593 Internship 1-6

ACBS 595B Current Topics in Metabolic Disease 1

ACBS 598B Senior Capstone: Current Issues in the Animal Racing Industry 1

ACBS 599 Independent Study 1-6

ACBS 611 Comparative Virology 3

ACBS 660 Infectious Disease Epidemiology 3

ACBS 670 Molecular Aspects of Animal Growth and Development 3

ACBS 693 Internship 1-8

ACBS 696A Research Seminar 1

ACBS 699 Independent Study 1

ACBS 900 Research 1-8

 

Additional Requirements

Thesis Option
Final Examination
A candidate for the Master's degree must present a seminar on the thesis research and must pass a final oral examination administered by the student's graduate committee. The examination will cover the thesis and general topics in the field of study. The result of the examination must be reported to the Graduate College within two weeks. Any candidate who fails the final examination may, upon recommendation of the major department and approval of the Graduate Council, be granted a second examination after a lapse of at least one semester. The second examination is final. The report of successful completion of all requirements (Report on the Final Examination and the Completion of Requirements for the Master's Degree) must be made to the Graduate College at least four weeks before the date on which degrees are awarded, and student must be registered during the semester in which they graduate. (See the Graduate Calendar for deadline dates.)

Non-Thesis Option
Professional Development Project
A professional development project (minimum of 6 units credit) is required of all students in the non-thesis option. The project will be based on internship, special problem or research activities that facilitate the student's preparation for employment in agribusiness. A professional development project report must be submitted to and approved by the student's graduate committee. After making any required corrections, the candidate submits two copies to the School of Animal and Comparative Biomedical Sciences and the Graduate Committee on or before the date specified in the Graduate Calendar for the candidate's desired degree award date. (See the Graduate Calendar for deadline dates.)

Final Examination
A candidate for the Master's degree must present a seminar on their professional development project and must pass a final oral examination administered by the student's graduate committee. The examination will cover the project and general topics in the field of study. The result of the examination must be reported to the Graduate College within two weeks. Any candidate who fails the final examination may, upon recommendation of the major department and approval of the Graduate Council, be granted a second examination after a lapse of at least one semester. The second examination is final. The report of successful completion of all requirements (Report on the Final Examination and the Completion of Requirements for the Master's Degree) must be made to the Graduate College at least four weeks before the date on which degrees are awarded, and student must be registered during the semester in which they graduate. (See the Graduate Calendar for deadline dates.)

For both Thesis and Non-thesis Options:
Teaching experience is an important part of the graduate training program in the Animal Sciences . All graduate students shall participate in the teaching activities of the department in one course per year, and all students must go through the University's GAT orientation.

 

Student Handbook

Please refer to the Graduate Student Handbook for students who are pursuing this program of study.

 

Program StatisticsInformation about these numbers

Program-level Information
Application Acceptance Rate	36.36%
Avg. Time-to-degree (years)	n/a
Department-level Information
Enrollment Percent Male	8.33%
Enrollment Percent Female	91.67%
Enrollment Percent International	29.17%
Enrollment Percent URM	37.5%

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