Animal Sciences
Head of Department: Neal R. Merchen Department Office: 116 Animal Sciences Laboratory, 1207 West Gregory, Urbana, (217) 333-3462
Major in Animal Sciences
Minor in Animal Sciences
Major in Animal Sciences
For the Degree of Bachelor of Science with a Major in Animal Sciences
Students pursuing this major have four concentrations: animal business, management, and industry; companion, recreational, and laboratory animal science; food animal science; and science, biotechnology, and pre-veterinary medicine.
Animal Business, Management, and Industry Concentration
Companion, Recreational, and Laboratory Animal Science Concentration
Food Animal Science Concentration
Science, Biotechnology, and Pre-Veterinary Medicine Concentration
Animal Business, Management, and Industry Concentration
Students in the animal business, management, and industry concentration will be exposed to the business-related aspects of livestock production and related industries. Students will study the principles of economics, finance, risk and the decision-making process, as well as the scientific disciplines associated with animal production.
General Education Requirements
| Hours | Composition I and Speech |
| 4 | RHET 105 - Principles of Composition or equivalent (see college Composition I requirement) |
| 3 | CMN 101 - Public Speaking |
| Hours | Advanced Composition |
| 3-4 | Select from campus approved list. |
| Hours | Cultural Studies |
| 6 | One Western culture and one non-Western/U.S. minority culture course. |
| Hours | Foreign Language: Coursework at or above the third level is required for graduation. |
| Hours | Quantitative Reasoning I |
| 4-5 | MATH 220 - Calculus, MATH 221 - Calculus I, or MATH 234 - Calculus for Business, I |
| Hours | Quantitative Reasoning II |
| 3-4 | ACE 261 - Applied Statistical Methods or CPSC 241 - Intro to Applied Statistics or ECON 202 - Economics Statistics, I or PSYC 235 - Intro to Statistics or MATH 161 - Statistics or SOC 280 - Intro to Social Statistics or STAT 100 - Statistics |
| Hours | Natural Sciences and Technology |
| 3, 1 | CHEM 102 - General Chemistry I and CHEM 103 - General Chemistry Laboratory I |
| 3, 2 | MCB 100 - Introductory Microbiology and MCB 101 - Intro Microbiology Laboratory |
| Hours | Humanities and the Arts |
| 6 | Courses selected from campus approved list. |
| Hours | Social and Behavioral Sciences |
| 6 | Approved courses selected from at least two departments to include: |
| 3-4 | ECON 102 - Microeconomic Principles or ACE 100 - Agr Cons and Resource Econ |
| 3-4 | Social Sciences course |
| Hours | ACES Required |
| 2 | ACES 101 - Contemporary Issues in ACES |
| Hours | Animal Sciences Required |
| 3 | ACE 161 - Microcomputer Applications or CS 101 - Introduction to Computing Eng & Sci or CS 105 - Introduction to Computing Non-Tech |
| 4 | ANSC 100 - Intro to Animal Sciences |
| 1-10 | ANSC 103--Working with Farm Animals, 293--Internship Off Campus, 294--Intern On Campus Practical Exp, 295--UG Research or Thesis, 396--UG Honors Research or Thesis, or 299--Animal Mgt Field Studies |
| 1 | ANSC 298 - Undergraduate Seminar |
| 4 | ANSC 321 - Animal Nutrition |
| 4 | ANSC 331 - Biology of Reproduction |
| 4 | ANSC 340 - Plant and Animal Genetics |
| 4 | ANSC 362 - Princ of Animal Physiology |
| 4 | IB 104 - Animal Biology |
| Hours | Animal Business, Management, and Industry Concentration Required |
| 3 | ACCY 200--Fundamentals of Accounting or ACCY 201 - Accounting and Accountancy, I |
| 3-4 | One course selected from |
| | CPSC 112--Introduction to Crop Sciences, FSHN 101--Intro Food Science and Nutrition, NRES 201--Introductory Soils, or TSM 100--Technical Systems in Agr |
| 8-9 | Three courses selected from: |
| 3 | ANSC 119 - Meat Technology |
| 3 | ANSC 201 - Principles of Dairy Production |
| 3 | ANSC 206 - Horse Management |
| 3 | ANSC 209 - Meat Animal Carcass Eval |
| 3-2 | ANSC 211 - Breeding Animal Evaluation or ANSC 204 - Intro Dairy Cattle Evaluation |
| 3 | ANSC 400 - Dairy Herd Management |
| 3 | ANSC 401 - Beef Production |
| 3-4 | ANSC 402 - Sheep Production |
| 3 | ANSC 403 - Pork Production |
| 3-4 | ANSC 404 - Poultry Science |
| 3-4 | One course selected from: |
| 3 | ANSC 306 - Equine Science |
| 3 | ANSC 363 - Behavior of Domestic Animals |
| 4 | ANSC 406 - Zoo Animal Conservation Science |
| 4 | ANSC 409 - Meat Science |
| 3 | ANSC 420 - Ruminant Nutrition |
| 3 | ANSC 422 - Companion Animal Nutrition |
| 3 | ANSC 431 - Advanced Reproductive Biology |
| 2 | ANSC 437 - Advanced Reproductive Management |
| 4 | ANSC 438 - Lactation Biology |
| 3 | ANSC 444 - Applied Animal Genetics |
| 3 | ANSC 452 - Animal Growth and Development or ANSC 466 - Animal Behavior |
| 3 | ANSC 466 - Animal Behavior |
| 3 | ANSC 467 - Applied Animal Ecology |
| 12-14 | Four courses selected from the following: |
| 3 | ACE 222 - Agricultural Marketing |
| 3 | ACE 231 - Food and Agribusiness Mgt |
| 3-4 | ACE 232 - Management of Farm Enterprises |
| 2 | ACE 303 - Rural Taxation |
| 3 | ACE 340 - Agricultural Finance |
| 3 | ACE 346—Tax Policy and Financial Planning |
| 3 | ACE 403 - Agricultural Law |
| 3 | ACE 428 - Commodity Futures and Options |
| 4 | ACE 430 - Food Marketing |
| 126 | Total - additional elective courses must be completed to yield at least 126 total hours for graduation. |
Companion, Recreational, and Laboratory Animal Science Concentration
The companion, recreational, and laboratory animal science concentration is designed for students intending to pursue a career in those industries generally not associated with traditional meat animal or dairy production. Students will take courses that prepare them for careers in specialized fields of animal care, animal health and animal well-being associated with zoos, kennels, research laboratories, and the racing industry.
General Education Requirements
| Hours | Composition I and Speech |
| 4 | RHET 105 - Principles of Composition or equivalent (see college Composition I requirement) |
| 3 | CMN 101 - Principles of Effective Speaking |
| Hours | Advanced Composition |
| 3-4 | Select from campus approved list. |
| Hours | Cultural Studies |
| 6 | One Western culture and one non-Western/U.S. minority culture course. |
| Hours | Foreign Language: coursework at or above the third level is required for graduation. |
| Hours | Quantitative Reasoning I |
| 4-5 | MATH 220 - Calculus, MATH 221 - Calculus I, or MATH 234 - Calculus for Business,I |
| Hours | Quantitative Reasoning II |
| 3-4 | ACE 261--Applied Statistical Methods or CPSC 241--Intro to Applied Statistics or ECON 202 - Economics Statistics, I or MATH 161--Statistics or PSYC 235 - Intro to Statistics or SOC 280 - Introduction to Social Statistics or STAT 100 - Statistics |
| Hours | Natural Sciences and Technology |
| 3, 1 | CHEM 102 - General Chemistry I and CHEM 103 - General Chemistry Laboratory I |
| 3, 1 | CHEM 104 - General Chemistry II and CHEM 105 - General Chemistry Laboratory II |
| 3, 2 | MCB 100 - Introductory Microbiology and MCB 101 - Intro Microbiology Laboratory |
| Hours | Humanities and the Arts |
| 6 | Courses selected from campus approved list. |
| Hours | Social and Behavioral Sciences |
| 3-4 | Approved courses selected from at least two departments to include: |
| 3-4 | ECON 102--Microeconomic Principles or ACE 100 - Agr Cons and Resource Econ |
| Hours | ACES Required |
| 2 | ACES 100 - Contemporary Issues in ACES |
| Hours | Animal Sciences Required |
| 3 | Select one course from the following: |
| | ACE 161 - Microcomputers in Agriculture |
| | CS 101 - Introduction to Computing Eng & Sci |
| | CS 105 - Introduction to Computing Non-Tech |
| 4 | ANSC 100 - Intro to Animal Sciences |
| 1-4 | Choose one: |
| | ANSC 103--Working with Farm Animals, 293--Internship Off Campus, 294--Intern On Campus Practical Exp, 295--UG Research or Thesis, 396--UG Honors Research or Thesis, or 299--Animal Mgt Field Studies |
| 1 | ANSC 298 - Undergraduate Seminar |
| 4 | ANSC 321 - Animal Nutrition |
| 4 | ANSC 331 - Biology of Reproduction |
| 4 | ANSC 340 - Plant and Animal Genetics |
4
| ANSC 362 - Princ of Animal Physiology
|
| 3 | CHEM 232 - Elementary Organic Chemistry I or ANSC 350 - Cellular Metabolism in Animals
|
| 4 | IB 104 - Animal Biology |
| Hours | Companion, Recreational, and Laboratory Animal Science Concentration Required |
| 12 | Four courses selected from: |
3 | ANSC 206 - Horse Management |
3 | ANSC 207 - Companion Animal Management |
3 | ANSC 306 - Equine Science |
3 | ANSC 406 - Zoo Animal Conservation and Science |
3 | ANSC 422 - Companion Animal Nutrition |
3 | ANSC 431 - Advanced Reproduction Biology |
3 | ANSC 467 - Applied Animal Ecology |
| 6-8 | Two courses selected from: |
3 | ANSC 363 - Behavior of Domestic Animals |
4 | ANSC 409 - Meat Science |
3 | ANSC 420 - Ruminant Nutrition |
3 | ANSC 421 - Minerals and Vitamins |
2 | ANSC 437 - Advanced Reproductive Management |
4 | ANSC 438 - Lactation Biology |
3 | ANSC 444 - Applied Animal Genetics |
4 | ANSC 445 - Statistical Methods |
3-4 | ANSC 446 - Population Genetics |
3-4 | ANSC 448 - Math Modeling in Life Sciences |
3 | ANSC 450 - Comparative Immunobiology |
3 | ANSC 451 - Microbes and the Anim Industry |
3-4 | ANSC 452 - Animal Growth and Development |
3 | ANSC 466 - Animal Behavior |
3 | CPSC 265 - Genetic Engineering Lab or CPSC 261 - Biotechnology in Agriculture |
4 | MCB 408 - Immunology |
| 126 | Total - additional elective courses must be completed to yield at least 126 total Hours for graduation. |
Food Animal Science Concentration
The food animal science concentration is designed for students intending to pursue a career in animal management or one of the associated industries on completion of their undergraduate degree. It emphasizes the scientific disciplines involved in animal production and includes business courses.
General education required
| Hours | Composition I and Speech |
| 4 | RHET 105 - Principles of Composition or equivalent (see college Composition I requirement) |
| 3 | CMN 101 - Public Speaking |
| Hours | Advanced Composition |
| 3-4 | Select from campus approved list. |
| Hours | Cultural Studies |
| 6 | One Western culture and one non-Western U.S. minority culture course |
| Hours | Foreign Language: coursework at or above the third level is required for graduation. |
| Hours | Quantitative Reasoning I |
| 4-5 | MATH 220 - Calculus, MATH 221 - Calculus I, or MATH 234 - Calculus for Business, I |
| Hours | Quantitative Reasoning II |
| 3-4 | ACE 261 - Applied Statistical Methods or CPSC 241 - Intro to Applied Statistics or ECON 202 - Economics Statistics I, MATH 161--Statistics, or PSYC 235 - Introduction to Social Statistics, or STAT 100 - Statistics, or SOC 280--Intro to Social Statistics |
| Hours | Natural Sciences and Technology |
| 3, 1 | CHEM 102 - General Chemistry I and CHEM 103 - General Chemistry Laboratory I |
| 3, 1 | CHEM 104 - General Chemistry II and CHEM 105 - General Chemistry Laboratory II |
| 3, 2 | MCB 100 - Introductory Microbiology and MCB 101 - Intro Microbiology Laboratory |
| Hours | Humanities and the Arts |
| 6 | Courses selected from campus approved list |
| Hours | Social Sciences |
| 3 | Approved courses selected from at least two departments to include: |
| 3-4 | ECON 102--Microeconomic Principles or ACE 100 - Agr Cons and Resource Econ |
| Hours | ACES Required |
| 2 | ACES 100 - Contemporary Issues in ACES |
| Hours | Animal Sciences Required |
| 3 | CHEM 232 - Elementary Organic Chemistry I or ANSC 350 - Cellular Metabolism in Animals |
| 4 | IB 104 - Animal Biology |
| 3 | Select one from the following: |
| | ACE 161 - Microcomputer Applications |
| | CS 101 - Introduction to Computing Eng & Sci |
| | CS 105 - Introduction to Computing Non-Tech |
| 4 | ANSC 100 - Intro to Animal Sciences |
| 1-4 | ANSC 103--Working with Farm Animals, 293--Internship Off Campus, 294--Intern On Campus Practical Exp, 295--UG Research or Thesis, 396--UG Honors Research or Thesis, or 299--Animal Mgt Field Studies |
| 1 | ANSC 298 - Undergraduate Seminar |
| 4 | ANSC 321 - Animal Nutrition |
| 4 | ANSC 331 - Biology of Reproduction |
| 4 | ANSC 340 - Plant and Animal Genetics |
| 4 | ANSC 362 - Princ of Animal Physiology |
| 8-10 | Three courses selected from: |
3 | ANSC 119 - Meat Technology |
3 | ANSC 201 - Principles of Dairy Production |
2, 3 | ANSC 204 - Intro Dairy Cattle Evaluation or ANSC 211 - Breeding Animal Evaluation |
3 | ANSC 206 - Horse Management |
3 | ANSC 209 - Meat Animal Carcass Eval |
3 | ANSC 400 - Dairy Herd Management |
3 | ANSC 401 - Beef Production |
3 | ANSC 402 - Sheep Production |
3 | ANSC 403 - Pork Production |
3 | ANSC 404 - Poultry Science |
3-4 | ACE 222--Agricultural Marketing or ACE 232 - Management of Farm Enterprises |
3 | ACE 231 - Food and Agribusiness Mgt |
| 9-12 | Three courses selected from: |
3 | ANSC 306 - Equine Science |
3 | ANSC 363 - Behavior of Domestic Animals |
3 | ANSC 406 - Zoo Animal Conservation Science |
3 | ANSC 466 - Animal Behavior |
4 | ANSC 409 - Meat Science |
3 | ANSC 420 - Ruminant Nutrition |
3 | ANSC 421 - Minerals and Vitamins |
3 | ANSC 422 - Companion Animal Nutrition |
3 | ANSC 431 - Advanced Reproductive Biology |
3 | ANSC 437 - Adv Reproductive Management |
4 | ANSC 438 - Lactation Biology |
3 | ANSC 444 - Applied Animal Genetics |
4 | ANSC 445 - Statistical Methods |
3-4 | ANSC 446 - Population Genetics |
3-4 | ANSC 448 - Math Modeling in Life Sciences |
3 | ANSC 450 - Comparative Immunobiology |
3 | ANSC 451 - Microbes and the Anim Industry |
3-4 | ANSC 452 - Animal Growth and Development |
3 | ANSC 466 - Animal Behavior |
3 | ANSC 467 - Applied Animal Ecology |
3 | CPSC 261 - Biotechnology in Agriculture |
| 126 | Total - additional elective courses must be completed to yield at least 126 total hours for graduation. |
Science, Biotechnology, and Pre-Veterinary Medicine Concentration
The science, biotechnology, and pre-veterinary medicine concentration is specifically designed for students interested in graduate school, professional training, or technical positions after the undergraduate degree. It is intended to satisfy most entrance requirements to post-graduate programs and emphasizes basic science courses. The concentration enables a student to complete all of the pre-veterinary science requirements while working towards a B.S. degree.
General Education Requirements
| Hours | Composition I and Speech |
| 4 | RHET 105 - Principles of Composition or equivalent (see college Composition I requirement) |
| 3 | CMN 101 - Public Speaking |
| Hours | Advanced Composition |
| 3-4 | Select from campus approved list. |
| Hours | Cultural Studies |
| 6 | One Western culture and one non-Western U.S. minority culture course |
| Hours | Foreign Language: coursework at or above the third level is required for graduation. |
| Hours | Quantitative Reasoning I |
| 4-5 | MATH 220 - Calculus, MATH 221 - Calculus I, or MATH 234 - Calculus for Business, I |
| Hours | Quantitative Reasoning II |
| 3-4 | ACE 261 - Applied Statistical Methods, or CPSC 241 - Intro to Applied Statistics, or ECON 172 - Economics Statistics, I, or PSYC 235 - Intro to Statistics, or MATH 161 - Statistics, or SOC 280 - Introduction to Social Statistics, or STAT 100 - Statistics |
| Hours | Natural Sciences and Technology |
| 3, 1 | CHEM 102 - General Chemistry I and CHEM 103 - General Chemistry Laboratory I |
| 3, 1 | CHEM 104 - General Chemistry II and CHEM 105 - General Chemistry Laboratory II |
| 3, 2 | MCB 100 - Introductory Microbiology and MCB 101 - Intro Microbiology Laboratory |
| Hours | Humanities and the Arts |
| 6 | Courses selected from campus approved list |
| Hours | Social and Behavioral Sciences |
| 3-4 | Approved courses selected from at least two departments to include: |
3-4 | ECON 102 - Microeconomic Principles or ACE 100 - Agr Cons and Resource Econ |
| 3-4 | Social Sciences course |
| Hours | ACES required |
| 2 | ACES 100 - Contemporary Issues in ACES |
| Hours | Animal Sciences Required |
| 4 | IB 104 - Animal Biology |
| 3 | Select one from the following: |
| | ACE 161 - Microcomputer Applications |
| | CS 101 - Introduction to Computing Eng & Sci |
| | CS 105 - Introduction to Computing Non-Tech |
| 4 | ANSC 100 - Intro to Animal Sciences |
| 1-4 | Choose one: |
| | ANSC 103--Working with Farm Animals, 293--Internship Off Campus, 294--Intern On Campus Practical Exp, 295--UG Research or Thesis, 396--UG Honors Research or Thesis, or 299--Animal Mgt Field Studies |
| 1 | ANSC 298 - Undergraduate Seminar |
| 4 | ANSC 321 - Animal Nutrition |
| 4 | ANSC 331 - Biology of Reproduction |
| 4 | ANSC 340 - Plant and Animal Genetics |
| 4 | ANSC 362 - Principle of Animal Physiology |
| Hours | Science, Biotechnology, and Pre-Veterinary Medicine Concentration Required |
| 3, 2 | CHEM 232 - Elementary Organic Chemistry I and CHEM 233 - Elementary Organic Chemistry Lab I |
| 15-20 | Five courses selected from the following: |
3 | ANSC 306 - Equine Science |
3 | ANSC 363 - Behavior of Domestic Animals |
3 | ANSC 406 - Zoo Animal Conservation Science |
4 | ANSC 409 - Meat Science |
3 | ANSC 420 - Ruminant Nutrition |
3 | ANSC 421 - Minerals and Vitamins |
3 | ANSC 422 - Companion Animal Nutrition |
3 | ANSC 431 - Advanced Reproductive Biology |
3 | ANSC 437 - Adv Reproductive Management |
4 | ANSC 438 - Lactation Biology |
3 | ANSC 444 - Applied Animal Genetics |
4 | ANSC 445 - Statistical Methods |
3-4 | ANSC 446 - Population Genetics |
3-4 | ANSC 448 - Math Modeling in Life Sciences |
3 | ANSC 450 - Comparative Immunobiology |
3 | ANSC 451 - Microbes and the Anim Indust |
3-4 | ANSC 452 - Animal Growth and Development |
3 | ANSC 466 - Animal Behavior |
3 | ANSC 467 - Applied Animal Ecology |
3 | CPSC 265 - Genetic Engineering Lab or CPSC 261 - Biotechnology in Agriculture |
4 | MCB 408 - Immunology |
3-4 | One course selected from: |
3 | ANSC 119 - Meat Technology |
3 | ANSC 201 - Principles of Dairy Production |
3 | ANSC 206 - Horse Management |
3 | ANSC 207 - Companion Animal Biology and Care |
3 | ANSC 209 - Meat Animal Carcass Eval |
3 | ANSC 400 - Dairy Herd Management |
3 | ANSC 401 - Beef Production |
3-4 | ANSC 402 - Sheep Production |
3 | ANSC 403 - Pork Production |
3-4 | ANSC 404 - Poultry Science |
6-9 | Two additional Natural Science courses selected from the following: ANSC 350 - Cellular Metabolism in Animals, MCB 400 - Structure and Function, MCB 406 - Gene Expression, MCB 450 - Introductory Biochemistry, PHYS 101 - College Physics, Mech & Heat |
Minor in Animal Sciences
The minor in Animal Sciences is designed to provide students with a basic understanding and knowledge of a discipline subject matter area of their choice. Subject matter areas include animal production and management, nutrition, genetics, animal behavior, immunology, meat science/muscle biology, microbiology, reproductive physiology, and molecular biology. Courses in the minor cannot be completed Credit/No Credit.
| Hours | Courses Required |
| 4 | ANSC 100--Intro to Animal Sciences |
| 8 | Two courses selected from: ANSC 362--Princ of Animal Physiology, 340--Plant and Animal Genetics, 321--Animal Nutrition, 331--Biology of Reproduction |
| Hours | Courses Required |
| 8 | Any additional Animal Sciences courses with at least six hours at the 400 level1 |
| 20 | Total - Hours Required |