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Department of Animal and Food Sciences

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Undergraduate ProgramGraduate ProgramCourse DescriptionsFaculty

   
CONTACT INFORMATION: 103 Animal and Food Sciences Building
Box 42141, Lubbock, TX 79409-2141
T 806.742.2805, F 806.742.0898, www.depts.ttu.edu/afs/

About the Program

This department supervises the following degree programs and certificate:

  • Bachelor of Science in Animal Science
  • Bachelor of Science in Food Science
  • Master of Science in Animal Science
  • Master of Science in Food Science
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Animal Science
  • Graduate Certificate in Equine-Assisted Mental Health
  • Undergraduate Equine Science Certificate

The department also participates in a collaborative agreement with the Department of Health, Exercise, and Sport Sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences that leads to a Ph.D. in Animal Sciences with an emphasis in exercise physiology.

The department offers minors in animal science or food science for students majoring outside the department. For more information on requirements for completing a minor, refer to “Selecting a Minor” in the introductory information about this college or contact a department advisor. Back to Top


Undergraduate Program

Animal Science Program

Students majoring in animal science for the B.S. degree may choose to focus on one of eight emphases: animal business, production, science, meat science, meat science business, equine production, equine science, and equine assisted therapy. In addition, the department also directs the preprofessional course preparation for veterinary medicine and the Equine Science Certificate Program.

For students majoring in animal science, the business option prepares them for careers in all facets of livestock production and subsidiary support services by blending animal science with business and economics courses. The production option provides the latest scientific principles for efficient livestock production, marketing, and processing. The science option provides training in advanced basic sciences to prepare students for study towards an advanced degree. The meat science and meat science business options prepare students in meat processing, science, and safety.

The equine emphasis options are designed to prepare students for careers in the equine industry. The equine science option provides training in advanced basic sciences to prepare students for study towards an advanced degree with equine emphasis. The equine production option is designed to prepare students to enter the equine industry with training in all aspects of equine management. The equine assisted therapy option is a specialized option that prepares students for a career in the field of equine therapy and handicapped rehabilitation.

Students must earn a grade of C or better in all animal science courses required for graduation. In addition, students are required to take a 3-hour internship or a 3-hour research experience to fulfill graduation requirements. All electives are subject to departmental approval.

Curriculum Tables

Food Science Program

Food science provides the basic coursework for a comprehensive background in the processing and preservation of foods. Food science graduates may be employed in areas concerned with food systems management, design and development of new food products, strategies for quality control/assurance and food safety, or research in basic constituents of food. The increasing pressure of world population growth on available food supply assures a stable, growing job market for food science students. Positions in private industry, educational institutions, and governmental agencies offer excellent potential for rapid advancement.

The food science section provides coursework suggested by the Institute of Food Technologists and emphasizes processing and quality control aspects. A pilot plant and associated chemical and microbiological laboratories allow students practical experience in development, manufacture, and analysis of food products.

Students majoring in food science for the B.S. degree may choose between two options: industry or science. All students are required to take a 3-hour internship or 3-hour research experience to fulfill graduation requirements.

Curriculum Table

Preveterinary Medicine Option

Although Texas Tech does not offer a degree in pre-veterinary medicine, students may still prepare for veterinary school by completing the minimum admission requirement of 58 credit hours. The following courses are included in the minimum admission requirement: ANSC 3301; BIOL 1402; CHEM 1307, 1107, 1308, 1108, 3305, 3105, 3306, 3106, 3311, 3314; COMS 2300; ENGL 1301, 2311 or ACOM 2302,; PSY 1300; MATH 2300; MBIO 3401; PHYS 1403, 1404; PSS 3421 or BIOL 3416. A pre-veterinary medicine advisor is available to assist students in selecting courses and degree programs.

Curriculum Table

Undergraduate Equine Science Certificate Program

The department offers an Undergraduate Equine Science Certificate to provide hands-on training and in-depth equine classes to enhance a student’s opportunity for a competitive career within the horse industry. Students may select from one of four options: science, industry, equine-assisted therapy, and a general option.

Students must complete 13 hours of the following required core curriculum and earn a minimum grade of C in each class: ANSC 3303, 4402, 2305 or 3301 and 3307, and 2304. In addition, students must take 6 credit hours in courses offered within each of the four options listed below. A maximum of 6 of the 19 credit hours may be transferred from another institution.

Science Option (Select 6 or 7 credits): ANSC 4000, 4001, 4306
Industry Option (Select 6 credits): ANSC 3204, 3304, 3310, 3312, 3313, 4000
Equine-Assisted Therapy Option (Select 6 credits): ANSC 3309, 4000, 4001, 4301, 4305
General Option: Customize curriculum from at least 6 credit hours available in the other options. ANSC 2310

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Graduate Program

The Department of Animal and Food Sciences offers flexible degree programs preparing graduates for a wide array of positions in agriculture and allied fields. Students with bachelor’s degrees in a variety of fields are welcome to study in the department.

Master's Programs

The non-thesis, 36-hour Master of Science degrees are offered with concentrations in agricultural product processing (meats or feeds), feedlot management, formula feed production, livestock production, and ranch management. An internship is required for these degrees.

Master of Science degree students may pursue studies in animal breeding (physiology or genetics), animal nutrition (ruminant or monogastric), animal science, food science, or meat science. This degree requires a thesis in addition to at least 24 semester hours of coursework and 6 thesis hours.

The master’s degree in food science emphasizes the scientific and technological aspects of food handling. Knowledge of the physical and biological sciences, economics, marketing, and engineering is applied to and coordinated with food development, processing, packaging, quality control, and distribution. Research programs involve food safety and microbiology, chemistry, and commodity products.

Consumer demands for a variety of highly nutritious and convenient foods of uniformly high quality create many and varied career opportunities in the food and allied industries. These careers include management, research and development, process supervision, quality control, procurement, distribution, sales, and merchandising.

Doctoral Program

The doctoral program in animal science requires 60 hours of graduate coursework and 12 dissertation hours, totaling 72 hours. Students may transfer in 30 hours of coursework from a M.S. degree excluding thesis and seminar hours. Candidates for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Animal Science may specialize in one of several areas of interest such as animal genetics, animal nutrition, reproductive or environmental physiology, exercise physiology, or meat science. No foreign language requirement exists, but such a requirement may be instituted at the discretion of the student’s advisory committee.

The department has a collaborative agreement with the Department of Health, Exercise, and Sport Sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences that will lead to a Ph.D. in Animal Science with an emphasis in exercise physiology. The program is designed for students with specific interests in human physiology and exercise. The curriculum includes coursework in physiology, biochemistry, neurosciences, cell function and regulation, and statistics. A preliminary examination administered by joint faculty from exercise physiology and animal science is required before the dissertation proposal.

Interested persons should contact the department graduate coordinator. Additional general degree requirements may be found in other sections of the catalog.

Students who receive stipends have special responsibilities in research and teaching. These awards include waiver of nonresident tuition.

Graduate Certificate Programs

A 15-hour Graduate Certificate in Equine-Assisted Mental Health prepares graduate students and professionals in the field of mental health to pursue professional credentials in equine-assisted psychotherapy and learn more about this creative, nonintrusive counseling method. Certificate students must have a graduate degree or currently be admitted into a graduate program in either a counseling-related field or animal science.

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Course Descriptions

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Faculty

Click here to view alphabetical listing of all TTU faculty and their academic credentials.

Michael E. Orth, Ph.D., Chairperson

Horn Professor and San Antonio Livestock Exposition Chair: M. Miller
Horn Professor and Thornton Chair: Galyean
Gordon W. Davis Regent’s Chair: Johnson
John W. and Doris Jones Assistant Professor: Rathmann
Professors: Brady, Brashears, Loneragan, McGlone, Orth, Prien, Thompson
Associate Professors: Bagley (visiting), Ballou, C. Brooks, Jackson, R. Miller, Nightingale
Assistant Professors: Rakhshandeh, Sarturi, Trojan
Research Assistant Professor: Echeverry
Instructors: T. Brooks, Garcia, Hernandez, Jennings
Adjunct Faculty: Allen, Alvarado, Arbault, Beckett, Binkley, Blodgett, Brown, Carroll, Cole, Davis, Ganjyal, Hentges, Lyte, MacDonald, McAdams, Nichols, Shome, Sutherland, Waggoner, Wheeler, Wu
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