School of Food and Agriculture

Admission Requirements

-A B.Sc. degree in a life science major (e.g. Animal Sciences, Crop Sciences, Sustainable Agriculture, Zoology, Biology, among others).

-English proficiency requirements as indicated by the Graduate School.

-A minimum 300 GRE score. This can be waived by your faculty advisor.

-Required documents by UMaine graduate school (https://umaine.edu/graduate/apply/application-checklist/). In your statement of purpose, please make sure to include information regarding the AVS faculty you are interested in working with. 

-Admission application deadline: Rolling

Program Requirements

• Obtain an AVS faculty advisor before admission into the AVS program, and submit a Program of Study form with the Graduate School within the first semester of admission.
• A minimum of 30 credit hours, including credit given for the thesis, is required.
• The student must take 1 credit of responsible conduct of research (see Graduate school guidelines: https://umaine.edu/graduate/students/progress/rcr/) 
• A research thesis is required.
• The student is expected to meet with their graduate committee within their first semester. The graduate committee consists of the advisor and at least two members of UMaine graduate faculty.
• The minimum amount of credit for the thesis (AVS 699) is 6 credit hours, and in no case may it exceed 15 credit hours.
• In addition, a minimum of 12 credit hours (exclusive of thesis) of 500- and/or 600-level coursework is required.
• Students are required to present two Graduate Seminars. One of these seminars needs to be a graduate seminar course offered by SFA. The first graduate seminar to be taken needs to present the student proposed thesis research.
• Courses selected must include a minimum of nine 500/600-level credit hours in the Animal and Veterinary Sciences.
• A final examination conducted by the assigned graduate committee that consists of an oral defense of the thesis being presented
• Take at least one statistics course from the list below (or other statistics courses approved by the student graduate committee).
  • BIO 509 (Experimental Design), BIO 593 (Advanced Biometry), FSN 524 (Responsible Design, Conduct and Analysis of Research), or STS 437 (Statistical Methods in Research).

FAQ's

How does an MSc fit into my educational path?

An MS allows you to gain additional experience in animal science and professional skills and can be paired with your undergraduate degree to provide additional specialization. For example, students with a background in aquaculture, agriculture, biology, ecology, microbiology, nutrition, or other topics may obtain an MSc in Animal Science to complement their previous academic experience to better understand the connection between livestock and wild animals for disease or ecosystem management. 

An MSc can also help make you more competitive when applying to professional schools, such as veterinary and medical programs.

How does an MSc fit into my career path?

An MSc can help make you more competitive in many professions related to animal and human healthcare, the livestock industry, biotechnology, biomedical research, and other animal-related activities, especially when advanced scientific training is needed. It is particularly helpful for anyone interested in expanding their experiences related to animal-related issues requiring extensive basic and applied research training. For instance, managing animals for research or providing technical advice for livestock applications. An MS in Animal Science may also be helpful for anyone working on agriculture topics in education and political career paths. 

How long does it take to complete an MSc?

The MS requires 30 credits of coursework, and students typically take up to 9 credits per spring and fall semester and 1 – 6 credits in the summer. The MS can be completed in as little as two years but may take up to 3 years, depending on the speed and intensity of your research. The University allows students to take up to 6 years before terminating their degree. 

Do I have to write and defend a thesis?

Yes, to obtain your MSc, you must complete a written thesis and public presentation, as well as a question session with just your thesis committee. Resources for completing your thesis and formatting instructions may be found through the Graduate School, and previously completed theses can be found in the Digital Archives.

What do I have to do for the research requirement?

For the research requirement (AVS 699, Graduate Thesis/Research), you and your faculty advisor will set objectives for gaining professional experience via a graduate thesis.

Facilities

Animal Science and participating Cooperative Extension faculty maintain research labs around their core disciplines, and more information on those facilities may be obtained by contacting faculty or checking out their lab websites.

There are additional facilities on campus, including the J. Franklin Witter Teaching & Research Center, the Small Animal Research Facility, the DNA Sequencing Facility, the Microscopy Facility, the Advanced Computing Group, and more. 

There are several other research facilities in Orono and the surrounding area, including the University of Maine Cooperative Extension Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and the Aquaculture Research Institute.

Program Highlights

Guided by leading experts in their areas, you will learn advanced research techniques that will allow you to solve critical issues affecting animals. Our program features advanced equipment and facilities to study issues related to the health, nutrition, management, and reproduction of aquaculture species, livestock, and wildlife.

1) Great research resources to empower your animal science career

2) Tailored curriculum to fit your professional needs

3) Emphasis on field experience and molecular techniques applied to animal research

4) Applications are accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis

Areas of focus or concentration

Animal health, nutrition, management, reproduction, and microbiomes

Program Learning Outcomes