More Information about Graduate School
The department has approximately 45 graduate students working on Master of Science or Doctor of Philosophy degrees. An occasional student is enrolled for a Master of Professional Studies (Agriculture) degree. The graduate students are housed in Morrison Hall where they work closely with the faculty in a variety of disciplines. The program offers unusual flexibility, easily accommodating individual interests and goals. Graduate students benefit from the enormous intellectual and other resources of the University and from the lack of departmental or college barriers to study and cooperation among students and faculty with common interests.
Fields and Major Subjects. Depending on their training and disciplinary interests, department members belong to the graduate faculty of one or more of about five different graduate fields. All are members of the Field of Animal Science. A student applying to the Field of Animal Science would choose one of the following areas of concentration: animal nutrition, animal science or physiology of reproduction. Alternative application routes are available, however, many of which cross departmental lines. For example, a candidate interested in animal nutrition might apply to the Field of Nutrition with major subject in animal nutrition: while one interested in physiology might apply to the Field of Physiology with major subject in endocrinology or reproductive physiology. Other fields represented by faculty in the Department of Animal Science are Food Science and Technology and Animal Breeding.
Qualifications. In order to be considered for admission to graduate study in animal science, applicants must be graduates of recognized colleges or universities, must show promise of ability to undertake advanced study and research and must have adequate preparation in the field and fluent command of the English language. Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores are required (GRE can be waived for appicants whose native language is not English).
Financial Aid. Financial aid is available to many graduate students on a competitive basis in the form of assistantships and fellowships. Assistantships as well as the Morrison Fellowship are administered by the department and are seldom offerred to foreign students. They are granted for one-year periods but are renewable to students who are making satisfactory progress. The Graduate School administers a number of fellowships, which are listed in the Graduate School Announcement. The majority of assistantships and fellowships include both a stipend and a waiver of tuition.
Master of Science (M.S.) Degree. In this program students with baccalaureate degrees receive postgraduate training and experience in at least two disciplines and begin to develop research competence under the close supervision of a member of the faculty. For some, the M.S. degree is a terminal degree, which prepares the candidate for a position in industry, agribusiness, extension, teaching or research; for most, it is the prelude to candidacy for the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) program. Some of the study requirements of the M.S. program follow:
- Supervised by special committee of three professors selected by the candidate, at least one of whom must not be a member of the Department of Animal Science.
- Requires one major and one minor subject.
- Requires minimum of two residence units (usually one year), but most students receiving financial support need two years for this degree.
- No residence credit from another university can be transferred for this degree.
- The final examination is an oral conducted by the special committee and involves defense of the thesis.
- The candidate is expected, as part of training, to assist in teaching undergraduate courses.
Master of Professional Studies (M.P.S) Degree. A special non-thesis degree program requiring a minimum of two residence units and the satisfactory completion of 30 hours of coursework related to the professional interests of the candidate. Approval of the report of a problem-solving project is also required. Details of this program are available from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 140 Roberts Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853 U.S.A.
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Degree. This program, which emphasizes training for independent research, is aimed at development of competent scientists who have mastered one subject, have adequate knowledge of related subjects, and have demonstrated their ability to plan, undertake, complete, and interpret research. Most graduates of this program assume positions in universities, industry, or government. Some of the study requirements of the Ph.D. program follow:
- Supervised by special committee of four professors selected by the candidate, at least one of whom must not be a member of the Department of Animal Science.
- Requires one major and two minor subjects.
- Requires minimum residence of six full terms. Transfer of residence credit may be allowed, but the candidate must spend at least two of the last four terms (ordinarily the last two) in consecutive session at Cornell. Most students who begin with baccalaureate degree take five to six years to complete requirements for the Ph.D.
- A research thesis must be approved by all members of the special committee.
- Examinations vary somewhat among fields but in all cases include oral Admission to Candidacy and final (thesis) examinations.
- The candidate is expected, as part of training, to assist in teaching undergraduate courses.
Animal Science Graduate Student Association. The graduate students in the department have an organization that sponsors seminars, symposia, parties and other activities of interest to the group. This association also provides the graduate students with an organized forum for discussion of issues that affect them. Graduate students participate on some departmental committees, such as the Safety Committee and the committee that makes graduate student teaching assignments. Representatives are also invited to the monthly department staff meetings.