A herd of dairy cows eating grain in a barn.

The Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences (ASCI) offers a bachelor’s degree in Animal Science and master’s and doctoral degrees in Animal Bioscience, as a part of a Public Ivy and top research university. We provide a stimulating educational experience, through which students can explore their individual interests while developing their knowledge base and skillsets related to animal science, and to explore the world, challenge ideas, and dig in on the most pressing issues of our time while earning a world class science and liberal arts education.

The Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences is a multidisciplinary unit with education, research, and public outreach responsibilities. Our department is committed to delivering high quality undergraduate and graduate education that focuses on animals important to Vermont and the region including dairy, equine, companion, zoo, and exotic animals. Our dedicated faculty use innovative and interactive approaches in teaching and learning, along with personalized advising, to deliver a comprehensive curriculum in four areas of emphasis: Pre-veterinary and Pre-professional training; Dairy Science; Equine Science; and Zoos, Exotics, and Companion Animals. We aim to provide our students with a well-rounded education that prepares them to address the complex challenges and emerging trends in animal and veterinary sciences.

Our student body is a community of passionate learners and future professionals in the field of animal and veterinary science. Our curriculum emphasizes theoretical knowledge and practical skills, ensuring that students graduate with a strong knowledge foundation and the ability to apply their learning effectively in real-world settings. Students gain experiential opportunities through programs such as EQUUS and CREAM, course-based laboratories, research projects, and internships. Many of our students study abroad for one semester, immersing themselves in other countries and cultures while earning credit for their degree. Upon completion of their degrees, the majority of our alumni continue their education and training in veterinary school, graduate school, or assume key management or technical positions in agribusiness or industry. Others take advantage of the flexibility offered by their degree to pursue careers in professional sectors such as banking, media, health services or law.

Faculty research and graduate education are cornerstones of the department. Faculty and students engage in innovative and collaborative research in the basic, applied, and translational sciences. Areas of scholarly focus include: lactation and mammary gland biology; genetics and genomics; nutrition and metabolism; dairy cattle health and management; dairy product composition and quality; and farm biosecurity. Students that participate in research gain valuable hands-on experience while contributing to the frontiers of knowledge. The experience cements theoretical knowledge and cultivates critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and a passion for lifelong learning. The department manages farm facilities established with the combined purpose of providing locations for agricultural research, hands-on student education, and servicing agriculture in Vermont and New England.
I invite you to further explore the information in the department website to learn more about the department and its people. For additional information, please do not hesitate to contact us at ascidept@uvm.edu

Jim O. Vigoreaux, PhD
Acting Chair of Animal & Veterinary Sciences
Breazzano Family Green & Gold Professor of Biology
Joint Professor of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics
The University of Vermont
Burlington, VT 05405

 

Jim O. Vigoreaux, PhD, Acting Interim Department Chair