Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Sciences - MS
Download as PDF
College
Department
Program Level
About this Degree
The ADVS department conducts a broad range of basic and applied research in the areas of animal reproduction, animal growth and nutrition, livestock and dairy management, animal health and disease, virology, toxicology, animal biotechnology, and molecular genetics. Department facilities include over 30 research laboratories on campus and at local and regional animal research facilities. There are research herds and flocks of beef and dairy cattle, swine, and sheep housed close to the university. Research in the department is funded by a multi-million dollar budget derived from support by the Utah Agricultural Experiment Station and by substantial outside contracts and grants. Cooperation with other departments and research centers of the university, and with federal collaborators, enhances the ADVS research and graduate programs. Significant in this regard are the university Center for Integrated BioSystems, the Utah State Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratories, the Laboratory Animal Research Center, the Institute for Antiviral Research, and the on-campus USDA Poisonous Plant Laboratory.
Graduate Programs Director: Dr. Lee Rickords
Location: Agricultural Science 248B
Phone: (435) 797-2195
E-mail: lee.rickords@usu.edu
Financial Assistance
Both departmental and research grant support are available to matriculated graduate students on a competitive basis.
The department funds graduate assistantships, which are available on a competitive basis to matriculated graduate students. Completion of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required to be considered for a departmental assistantship. Applications for graduate assistantships for the following academic year must be submitted by March 15. Students interested in departmental assistantships may contact the graduate programs director.
Acceptance to graduate study in the ADVS department does not constitute a guarantee of financial assistance.
Admission Requirements for this Program
Prior to applying, the potential applicant must have a qualified ADVS faculty member agree to accept them into their laboratory and be their major (supervisory) professor. Contact Dr. Lee Rickords with questions.
Applications are processed as received and are reviewed on an ongoing basis. It is highly recommended that applicants submit all materials early in the year if they will also be applying for a departmental assistantship, the separate application for which is due March 15. Accepted students may begin their program in fall, spring, or summer semester.
General Requirements
All prospective graduate students must apply through the School of Graduate Studies. Refer to the School of Graduate Studies website for admission requirements. Please note that all applicants must meet the following general admission requirements:
A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college
A 3.0 GPA as calculated by the School of Graduate Studies. An official transcript must be sent directly to the School of Graduate Studies from each college or university previously attended (except USU).
Student recommendation request forms (included in application materials) should be used to request three people to submit letters of recommendation directly to the graduate school. At least one letter of recommendation should be from a faculty member from whom the applicant has taken course work.
International Students: Please visit the School of Graduate Studies website for requirements.
Department Requirements
Applicants must secure an ADVS faculty member to be their major professor before being accepted into a graduate program. The department also strongly recommends the following:
Applicants for a graduate program in ADVS should have completed a BS undergraduate program with courses similar to the science core of the USU Animal and Dairy Science BS degree. This background includes the following courses and their prerequisites:
Applicants with deficiencies in these areas may be admitted to the graduate program subject to the completion of remedial course work specified by the department. Other preparatory courses may be specified by the student’s supervisory committee.
