Animal Science

Department Code
AN S
Interdepartmental Program
No
Our program offers rigorous academic training and hands-on research opportunities in the specialized field of Meat Science. Students engage in cutting-edge research that spans from meat quality assessment to sustainable meat production practices.
slabs of meat

Research in Meat Science includes both basic and applied studies of the science of meat and meat products. The program includes research on animal physiology and fresh meat quality, pre- and post-mortem muscle physiology and biochemistry, meat processing technology encompassing use of novel ingredients and equipment as well as new preservation and packaging concepts. Microbiology and food safety are important components of both fresh meat and processed meat research programs. Meat Science has well-equipped chemistry and microbiology laboratories including a Biosafety Level 2 laboratory for work with pathogenic microorganisms in addition to extensive animal harvest, fabrication, processing and preservation facilities.

These facilities provide the capacity for research on meat quality as a result of animal genetics, nutrition and environment as well as impacts of animal transport, handling, harvest and immediate post-harvest conditions. Fresh meat quality and safety during subsequent storage and shelf life assessments are an integral part of the program. Facilities available for meat processing research provide capacity to produce virtually all types of processed meat products for study of novel ingredients, equipment and processing technologies, including such things and natural and organic processing and high hydrostatic pressure processing.


Degrees Offered:

  • Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
  • Master of Science (M.S.)

 

How long does it take to earn a degree?

  • Median time to earn the doctorate: 3.8 years (Methods)
  • Median time to earn the master’s: 2.5 years (Methods)

Learning Goals

  • Demonstrate comprehensive understanding of scholarly literature in Animal Sciences and related disciplines.
  • Form testable hypotheses and articulate research objectives that, when met, will lead to significant contributions to Animal Sciences and related disciplines.
  • Conduct qualitative and/or quantitative research via appropriate acquisition, analysis, and reporting of data and information.
  • Interpret research results appropriately, integrating them into the existing knowledge in the discipline.
  • Clearly and accurately communicate research findings using written, oral, visual, and electronic means of communication.
  • Conduct scholarship, in teams or with independence, in ways that consistently demonstrate ethical practice and professionalism.
515-294-2160

Rose Mary Ross

rmross@iastate.edu
Department of Animal Science
Graduate Coordinator, 1221 Kildee Hall
Iowa State University
Ames, IA 50011-3150

Program Homepage Program Handbook

Application Requirements

Application Deadlines:

There is no deadline for applications. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis throughout the year (upon the request of a faculty member) for either a Spring, Summer or Fall semester start.

Application Details:

This program is open to domestic and international students.

Application Instructions

Admission Requirements

Graduate College Requirements:

  • 4 year Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent)
  • Academic Records/Transcripts
  • Minimum 3.0 GPA (Program may alter requirement.)
  • Proof of English Proficiency.

Program Specific Requirements:

  • Statement of Purpose (Goals) (if not sent electronically with application): Include major program desired, species of interest, preferred faculty advisor(s), research interests
  • Resume/CV
  • Three Letters of Recommendation
  • Any prospective student can apply though we encourage students to reach out to our graduate faculty members prior to application. The application will only be fully reviewed at the request of a faculty member. Successful admission into this thesis-seeking program will require a major professor. An application fee would be due upon admittance.
  • Program Requires GRE: No
  • Program Requires GMAT: No
  • Program Will Review Without TOEFL or IELTS: No

International Requirements:

  • Financial Statement:  Application
  • English Proficiency Minimum:
    TOEFL Paper (PBT) 550
    TOEFL Internet (iBT) 80
    IELTS 6.5
    PTE 53
    Duolingo (approved through spring 2026) 115
Program Interest Area
Program Department
Does this Program Offer a Distance Option?
Yes
Program offers a Coursework Only?
Yes
Program Director
ngabler@iastate.edu
Certificate Director
rtarte@iastate.edu
Program Staff
coryjw@iastate.edu
rmross@iastate.edu
Interdepartmental Program
No
Graduate studies in the Animal Physiology Program cover a broad range of physiological systems. Students may choose to major in general Animal Physiology, or to supplement their major with a formal specialization in various areas such as: reproductive physiology, muscle biology, and animal ethology.
chemist

Graduate studies in the Animal Physiology Program cover a broad range of physiological systems. Students may choose to major in general Animal Physiology, or to supplement their major with a formal specialization in various areas such as: reproductive physiology, muscle biology, and animal ethology. Study in reproductive physiology concentrates on improving the reproductive performance of pigs, cattle, sheep, and horses. The area of muscle biology focuses on the fundamental properties of muscle proteins and their roles in developing muscles and yielding muscle products. Research conducted in the ethology program aims to provide scientific answers to farm animal behavior and welfare in conventional and alternative production systems. Areas of interest for which formal specializations do not exist, may include neuroendocrinology, immunobiology, and perinatal development.

Research in the area of Animal Physiology utilizes state-of-the-art techniques in biochemistry, molecular biology, and light and electron microscopy in laboratories housed in Kildee Hall and the Molecular Biology Building. In addition to top quality laboratories, these buildings house animal rooms, surgery facilities, and analytical support labs. The research program in Animal Physiology is supported by access to the research herds located on the Department's outlying farms.

Examples of research of note conducted by physiology faculty and graduate students includes:

  • discovery of a new mechanism by which endocrine cells release hormones
  • discovery of key cytoskeletal proteins: actin, desmin, paranemin, synemin, talin, and vinculin
  • development of a synthetic skin that is applied to the teats of dairy cattle to prevent mastitis

Degrees Offered: 

  • Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
  • Master of Science (M.S.)

Area(s) of Specialization: (may appear on ISU transcripts after graduation)

  • Ethology (M.S., Ph.D.)
  • Muscle Biology (M.S., Ph.D.)
  • Reproductive Physiology (M.S., Ph.D.)

How long does it take to earn a degree?

  • Median time to earn the doctorate: No data
  • Median time to earn the master’s: 2.7 years (Methods)
Program Degrees Offered

Learning Goals

  • Demonstrate comprehensive understanding of scholarly literature in Animal Sciences and related disciplines.
  • Form testable hypotheses and articulate research objectives that, when met, will lead to significant contributions to Animal Sciences and related disciplines.
  • Conduct qualitative and/or quantitative research via appropriate acquisition, analysis, and reporting of data and information.
  • Interpret research results appropriately, integrating them into the existing knowledge in the discipline.
  • Clearly and accurately communicate research findings using written, oral, visual, and electronic means of communication.
  • Conduct scholarship, in teams or with independence, in ways that consistently demonstrate ethical practice and professionalism.
515-294-2160

Rose Mary Ross

rmross@iastate.edu
Department of Animal Science
Graduate Coordinator, 1221 Kildee Hall
Iowa State University
Ames, IA 50011-3150

Program Homepage Program Handbook

Application Requirements

Application Deadlines:

There is no deadline for applications. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis throughout the year (upon the request of a faculty member) for either a Spring, Summer or Fall semester start.

Application Details:

This program is open to domestic and international students.

Application Instructions

Admission Requirements

Graduate College Requirements:

  • 4 year Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent)
  • Academic Records/Transcripts
  • Minimum 3.0 GPA (Program may alter requirement.)
  • Proof of English Proficiency.

Program Specific Requirements:

  • Statement of Purpose (Goals) (if not sent electronically with application): Include major program desired, species of interest, preferred faculty advisor(s), research interests
  • Resume/CV
  • Three Letters of Recommendation
  • Any prospective student can apply though we encourage students to reach out to our graduate faculty members prior to application. The application will only be fully reviewed at the request of a faculty member. Successful admission into this thesis-seeking program will require a major professor. An application fee would be due upon admittance.
  • Program Requires GRE: No
  • Program Requires GMAT: No
  • Program Will Review Without TOEFL or IELTS: No

International Requirements:

  • Financial Statement:  Application
  • English Proficiency Minimum:
    TOEFL Paper (PBT) 550
    TOEFL Internet (iBT) 80
    IELTS 6.5
    PTE 53
    Duolingo (approved through spring 2026) 115
Program Interest Area
Program Department
Does this Program Offer a Distance Option?
No
Program offers a Coursework Only?
No
Program Director
ngabler@iastate.edu
Program Staff
coryjw@iastate.edu
rmross@iastate.edu
Interdepartmental Program
No
The Department’s current Animal Breeding and Genetics group has built on this legacy of excellence and is widely recognized as one of the premier programs nationally and internationally. Recent advances in genomics and the increased utilization of genomics and other big data technologies that require advanced quantitative methods of analysis in other disciplines of the animal and biological sciences have further increased the importance of animal breeding and genetics.
formulas

Iowa State University has a proud history of nine decades of innovative animal genetics and genomics research, education and outreach, which traces back to the pioneering days of Lush and Hazel. Many of today’s animal breeders around the world can trace their academic pedigree back to Iowa State University (see pedigree link).

The Department’s current Animal Breeding and Genetics group has built on this legacy of excellence and is widely recognized as one of the premier programs nationally and internationally. Recent advances in genomics and the increased utilization of genomics and other big data technologies that require advanced quantitative methods of analysis in other disciplines of the animal and biological sciences have further increased the importance of animal breeding and genetics.


Degrees Offered: 

  • Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
  • Master of Science (M.S.)

Area(s) of Specialization: (may appear on ISU transcripts after graduation)

  • Immunogenetics (Ph.D.)
  • Molecular Genetics (Ph.D.)
  • Quantitative Genetics (Ph.D.)

How long does it take to earn a degree?

  • Median time to earn the doctorate: 3.3 years (Methods)
  • Median time to earn the master’s: 2.0 years (Methods)
Program Degrees Offered

Learning Goals

  • Demonstrate comprehensive understanding of scholarly literature in Animal Sciences and related disciplines.
  • Form testable hypotheses and articulate research objectives that, when met, will lead to significant contributions to Animal Sciences and related disciplines.
  • Conduct qualitative and/or quantitative research via appropriate acquisition, analysis, and reporting of data and information.
  • Interpret research results appropriately, integrating them into the existing knowledge in the discipline.
  • Clearly and accurately communicate research findings using written, oral, visual, and electronic means of communication.
  • Conduct scholarship, in teams or with independence, in ways that consistently demonstrate ethical practice and professionalism.
515-294-2160

Rose Mary Ross

rmross@iastate.edu
Department of Animal Science
Graduate Coordinator, 1221 Kildee Hall
Iowa State University
Ames, IA 50011-3150

Program Homepage Program Handbook

Application Requirements

Application Deadlines:

There is no deadline for applications. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis throughout the year (upon the request of a faculty member) for either a Spring, Summer or Fall semester start.

Application Details:

This program is open to domestic and international students.

Application Instructions

Admission Requirements

Graduate College Requirements:

  • 4 year Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent)
  • Academic Records/Transcripts
  • Minimum 3.0 GPA (Program may alter requirement.)
  • Proof of English Proficiency.

Program Specific Requirements:

  • Statement of Purpose (Goals) Include major program desired, species of interest, preferred faculty advisor(s), research interests
  • Resume/CV
  • Three Letters of Recommendation
  • Any prospective student can apply though we encourage students to reach out to our graduate faculty members prior to application. The application will only be fully reviewed at the request of a faculty member. Successful admission into this thesis-seeking program will require a major professor. An application fee would be due upon admittance.
  • Program Requires GRE: No
  • Program Requires GMAT: No
  • Program Will Review Without TOEFL or IELTS: No

International Requirements:

  • Financial Statement:  Application
  • English Proficiency Minimum:
    TOEFL Paper (PBT) 550
    TOEFL Internet (iBT) 80
    IELTS 6.5
    PTE 53
    Duolingo (approved through spring 2026) 115
Program Department
Does this Program Offer a Distance Option?
No
Program offers a Coursework Only?
No
Certificate Director
ngabler@iastate.edu
Program Staff
coryjw@iastate.edu
rmross@iastate.edu
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