Offered at: San Luis Obispo Campus
https://animalscience.calpoly.edu/ProspectiveStudents/graduate
The MS in Agriculture program provides students with advanced knowledge and skills in their areas of interest to succeed in their future endeavors. Courses in animal husbandry date back to Cal Poly's very first classes offered in 1903. Today, the Animal Science specialization provides graduate students the opportunity to gain advanced training and specialized knowledge in animal biology, physiology, agricultural production, environmental management, nutrition, One Health principles, behavior, biotechnology, genetics, genomics, and other life sciences as applied in a variety of species, including farm animals, wildlife, laboratory animals, and companion animals. The degree prepares students to enter animal- and science-related professions and industries with an advanced knowledge base and research skills gained form the interdisciplinary, science-based curriculum.
Requirements for Admission
Students apply via Cal State Apply and must submit a transcript, a personal statement addressing motivation for pursuing a Master’s in Agriculture at Cal Poly, and two letters of recommendation. In addition, applicants who did not obtain their undergraduate degree at Cal Poly are also required to submit scores from the GRE General test. Communicating with the Graduate Program Coordinator before applying is strongly recommended.
International Students must meet all the standard eligibility criteria and demonstrate proficiency in English (English Proficiency Exam Requirements)
Prerequisites: A bachelor’s degree from a closely related field.
Minimum GPA: Must have attained a minimum grade point average of 2.75 in the last 60 semester units attempted. An applicant not meeting these academic standards, but who meets the basic university standard of a grade point average in the last 60 semester units attempted may be considered for admission as a conditionally classified graduate student.
Application due date: Applications are accepted for Fall and Spring semesters. Please see Graduate Student Dates and Deadlines for application deadlines.
Advancement to Candidacy
Six units of graduate coursework completed with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher and completion of the CAFES Graduate Committee Form.
Culminating Experience
Thesis: Along with a faculty advisor, students will work on a specific research topic, preparing a written thesis, and present it to the public as a 45-minute thesis seminar, after which the thesis committee will have the opportunity to privately ask related questions as the student defends the thesis.
Program Learning Objectives
- Demonstrate expertise in animal science.
- Develop, test or select the appropriate technology in animal science based on current conditions and future needs.
- Demonstrate effective communication skills related to animal science research.
- Formulate decisions utilizing professional ethics within their respective disciplines.
- Examine the value and role of diversity of people and ideas when developing agricultural system solutions.
- Investigate animal science problems using critical thinking and derive appropriate solutions.
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| REQUIRED COURSES | ||
| AG 5581 | Graduate Seminar | 1 |
| or FSN 5505 | Orientation to Graduate Studies | |
| AG 5599 | Thesis | 6 |
| ESCI 5501 | Research Planning | 3 |
| STAT 5110 | Introductory Statistics for Graduate Students | 3 |
| STAT 5120 | Intermediate Statistics for Graduate Students | 3 |
| Approved Electives | ||
| Select from the following: | 14 | |
| Applied Animal Behavior Science | ||
| HACCP for Meat and Poultry Operations | ||
| Meat Industry Study Tour | ||
| Systemic Animal Physiology | ||
| Individual Study in Animal Science | ||
| Comparative Animal Nutrition | ||
| Graduate Seminar in Animal Science | ||
| Molecular and Cellular Biology | ||
| Communicating Biology to Various Audiences | ||
| Principles of Stem Cell Biology | ||
| Seminar in Biology | ||
| Biomedical Imaging | ||
| Total Units | 30 | |