Online Animal Husbandry Degrees with Program Summaries

Animal husbandry is the agricultural specialty of raising and breeding livestock. Animal husbandry topics are covered within animal science degree programs and are not generally offered online. However, at the bachelor's degree level some schools allow students enrolled in campus-based programs to complete a few courses online.

Overview of an On-Campus Bachelor of Science in Animal Science

A bachelor's degree program in animal science provides valuable training for students who have an interest in animal biology, livestock production and management, veterinary medicine, biomedical research, horse management or agribusiness. The curriculum presents students with a solid understanding of biological sciences and the management of animals. Graduates from an undergraduate animal science program are prepared for advanced graduate study or a variety of employment opportunities in settings that may include horse or livestock farms, commercial dairy production and zoos.

Program Information

The curriculum for a bachelor's degree in animal science incorporates general education coursework, core requirements for the major and elective courses into one comprehensive program. Graduation requirements typically include a minimum of 128 credit hours. Within the animal science major, students can often select from a number of concentration areas, including laboratory animal science, preveterinary medicine and animal industries. Students can expect this type of on-campus degree program to require four years to complete.

Common Coursework for an On-Campus Bachelor's Degree in Animal Science

With a focus on sciences, such as biology, many of the animal science courses require lab hours or field experiences on locally run farms and school livestock facilities. Common courses made available to students online may include pet nutrition, animal nutrition or zoo nutrition.

Animal Nutrition Course

Although the nutritional needs of domestic livestock species are often emphasized in this online course, other species discussed include birds, turtles, humans, dogs and zoo animals. Students learn to determine nutritional needs based on the stage of life of the animal, such as youth, adulthood, pregnancy or lactation.

Principles of Animal Breeding Course

This course covers the genetic principles required for animal improvement. Topics discussed include population genetics, systems of mating, animal selection and heritability.

Farm Animal Anatomy and Physiology Course

Students are introduced to the basic concepts of farm animal anatomy and physiology. Focus is placed on growth, digestion and reproduction.

Career Information

A variety of career opportunities await graduates with a bachelor's degree in animal science. One option is to pursue employment as agricultural managers. Agricultural managers hire and supervise livestock workers and manage the day-to-day operations of a ranch, livestock yard, or dairy. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment of agricultural managers was projected to grow by six percent between 2008 and 2018. The BLS reported that as of 2008, full-time agricultural managers earned a median weekly wage of $775.
Many animal science majors will choose to pursue further education through graduate-level programs. A popular option among animal science graduates is to apply for veterinary school. Veterinary programs typically require an additional three to four years of study past the bachelor's degree level. Instruction covers the basic sciences, clinical practices and care delivery.