Doctor of Philosophy in Animal Sciences

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Program Link:
http://www.ansci.wsu.edu/
Program Handbook:
Not available
Total Graduate Faculty in Program:
0
Graduate Students in Program:
31
Students receiving assistantships:
29
Priority deadline:

  • Fall January 10
  • Spring July 1

Campus:

  • Pullman

International Student English Proficiency Exams

  • 80 TOEFL Minimum score
  • GRE is optional

Degree Description:

Animal Sciences offers graduate work leading to the Doctor of Philosophy degree with a major in animal science. Programs are flexible and designed to meet the needs and interests of the student and, as such, specific degree requirements are determined through individual consultation with an advisor and a special committee. The department maintains herds of dairy cattle, beef cattle, and swine for research and teaching purposes.

Admission Requirements:

Students considering graduate study in the Department of Animal Sciences should major in animal science, biology, genetics, zoology, or closely related fields.

Student Learning Outcomes:

All graduates will be able to:

  1.  Thorough command of knowledge and understanding in an area of emphasis offered by the faculty in the Department of Animal Science.
  2.  An ability to apply the scientific method and critical scientific thought in the application of a hypothesis formation, and the design and execution of experiments.
  3.  Competency in collection, analyses, and reporting of data.
  4.  Apply ethical practice in data collection, analyses, and reporting and an awareness of multiple responsibilities and the impact of their professional conduct.
  5.  Competency in oral communication and scholarly writing in the form of a doctoral dissertation and peer reviewed scientific publications.
  6.  An ability to recognize and appreciate the multifaceted and dynamic relationship between science and society in a diverse world.

Student Opportunities:

Graduates from our program are employed in a wide range of careers from applied animal production to teaching and research of molecular mechanisms in domestic and companion animals, as well as humans. Graduate students acquire cutting-edge knowledge and techniques in disciplines that are vital to the improvement of quality of life for animals and humans.

Examples of ongoing fundamental research include: the use of mammalian comparative and functional genomics in the search for genes of economic significance including identification of genes involved in disease resistance as well as production traits; understanding molecular events coordinating the physiology of uterine and testis biology using the mouse and domestic ruminants as model organisms; understanding and enhancing skeletal and cardiac muscle growth and development with stem cell and gene therapy approaches; developing deterministic models to evaluate the environmental impact of dairy and beef production systems; and examination of the bovine genome to examine the genetic x nutrition interactions associated with feed efficiency in beef cattle.

Examples of important applied research include minimizing the impact of animals on the environment; altering animal nutrition to enhance meat quality; and strategies to understand and enhance animal behavior and well-being.

The department’s dairy, feedlot, beef cow-calf unit, feed mill, research laboratories, experimental animal building, and meats laboratory provide the foundation for the department’s bench-to-application approach.

Opportunities:
Industry internships
NSF IGERT Program: NSPIRE: Nitrogen Systems Policy-oriented Integrated Research and Education

Career Opportunities:

University faculty,
National agricultural laboratories,
Postdoctoral positions in prestigious laboratories,
Management, allied and agricultural industries ,
Extension and technical positions,
Teaching positions.

Career Placements:

Research scientist, Agricultural Research Service, Miles City, MT;
Research scientist, USDA Human Nutrition Lab, Grand Forks, ND;
Faculty Montana State University, Bozeman, MT;
Postdoctoral fellow, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia;
Postdoctoral fellow, EMBRAPA , Concordia, SC, Brazil;
International consulting Worldwide Genetic Resources;
Technical specialist at Elanco;
Research Scientist at Alltech Inc;
International and Biotechnology Postdoctoral fellows;
Teaching positions at 4-yr colleges and universities;
Animal behavior scientist at Nestle Purina;

Contact Information:

Min Du, PhD
VBR155
Pullman, WA
PO Box 64-7620

509-335-2744
509-335-1082