B.S. Degree in Animal and Veterinary Sciences

The B.S. degree in Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AVS) prepares students for admission to a college of veterinary medicine or graduate school, to teach science in secondary schools, to pursue technical sales and service work in agriculture, for careers in animal-related research, or to develop animal production enterprises such as dairy, livestock or equine farms.  About 20% of AVS graduates attend veterinary or medical school, the high rate of acceptance reflecting the quality of our program.  Students either follow the basic Animal Sciences curriculum, or declare a concentration in  Equine Sciences, Pre-Veterinary Sciences,  or Pre-veterinary Bioscience Medical Microbiology . The Pre-Veterinary Sciences concentration includes courses that are required or recommended for admission to Colleges of Veterinary Medicine in North America.

An important aspect of the AVS degree is the requirement for hands-on experience with economically important domestic species. At the University’s J.F. Witter Teaching and Research Center, AVS majors are given numerous opportunities to increase their competency with, and eventually manage, dairy cattle and standardbred horses. We consider the experiential learning at the Witter Center to be a vital part of our students’ education because it allows them to use their knowledge to solve practical problems on a working farm.

Apply to UMaine.

1. Students who complete the preveterinary concentration will be prepared for entry into colleges of veterinary medicine having gained a strong background in the basic sciences, applications to animal management, and appropriate practical experience with domestic animal species.

2. Students who complete the Animal Science degree program will be prepared for careers in animal science, biomedical science, and allied industries having gained a thorough understanding of animal biology emphasizing the interaction of nutrition, disease, anatomy, physiology, genetics, reproduction, environment, and management to maximize production and health of domestic animals.

After successful completion of the program students will be able to:

  • Students will be able to find and assess the quality of information in their subject matter.
    • Students will be able to access scientific information, summarizing key points and  identifying objectives, methods used, results, conclusions, and significance.
    • Students will be able to prepare and deliver scientific presentations to an academic audience.
    • Students will demonstrate effective report writing skills.
    • Students will be able to clean data and extract meaning from data though data analysis.
  • Students will assess and manage the health and disease of animals.
    • Students will be able to manage care, resolving situations affecting animal performance, health, and impact to the environment.
    • Students will be able to determine nutritional needs, using multiple sources of information and methods to plan appropriate and cost-effective rations.
    • Students will be able to detect various disease states and provide appropriate care.
    • Students will be able to explain reproductive physiology.
    • Students will be able to describe animal anatomy and physiology.
  • Students will be able to demonstrate technical skills necessary for animal care.
    • Students will be able to apply care techniques in animal husbandry.
    • Students will be able to use a variety of laboratory techniques to safely and accurately monitor animal health and detect abnormal conditions.