Clubs & Organizations | Internships | Field Trips | Undergrad Research | Campus Farm | Study Abroad | TAs & GSS Leaders | Ag Day
Clubs and Organizations
Internships
Students gain real-world experience and build their resumes through internships and externships that complement their classroom learning. Our students have interned at places like the National Zoo, Days End Farm Horse Rescue, National Institutes of Health, Charles River Laboratories, Inc, and major small and large animal veterinary hospitals. These valuable hands-on skill help make our graduates career-ready and help to expand their professional network. Talk to our advisor or check out our internship page for more information.
Field Trips
See animal science in action! Field trips in our courses and clubs bring you face-to-face with professionals and animals across Maryland and beyond. Students might tour a thoroughbred breeding farm, observe operations at a poultry plant on the Eastern Shore, or visit an aquaculture facility. These experiences connect coursework to real-world applications and often spark new interests or career ideas. Don’t forget your boots!
Undergraduate Research
Discover hands-on research opportunities in our department where you can work alongside faculty on cutting-edge projects, gain valuable experience, and make meaningful contributions to your field.
Get involved in discovery! Undergraduate research in Animal and Avian Sciences offers you the chance to work alongside faculty on cutting-edge projects in areas like animal nutrition, reproduction, physiology, and behavior. Whether you're assisting in the lab or collecting data in the field, research deepens your understanding and prepares you for graduate school or professional careers. Recent students have studied gut health in broilers, equine metabolic syndrome, and undergraduates even traveled to present at national conferences!
Work on the Campus Farm
Love being outside and working with animals? Join the team at the Campus Farm! Student employees help care for horses, sheep, goats, cattle, and poultry right here on campus. They are involved in feeding, cleaning, assisting with health checks, and supporting labs. It’s a great way to gain hands-on animal experience, build skills, and become part of a close-knit farm crew. No prior experience needed. We’ll train you! Reach out to our campus farm manager to inquire about openings.
Study Abroad
Study abroad is a wonderful opportunity…
Yes, you can do it as an Animal Sciences student!
Overview
As an Animal Science student, you have ample opportunities to supplement your education with study abroad programs. Studying abroad can allow you to grow both your skills in animal science and intercultural experiences. The University of Maryland’s Study Abroad Department has a variety of programs available for students to participate in.
Step 1: Start by exploring your possibilities!
Use these links to see what study abroad opportunities are available for animal science:
Step 2: Navigate your options and be aware of your requirements.
If you decide that studying abroad is something you’d like to do, we highly encourage you to first meet with the Study Abroad advising team for more information on how to best plan for your semester(s) abroad. Please then schedule time to meet with the ANSC advising team to ensure that your plan falls within the requirements of your ANSC 4-year graduation plan and benchmark requirements. Reach out to our advising team by emailing us at: ansc-undergrad-prog@umd.edu.
Step 3: Bon Voyage!
After you’ve met with each advising team, discussed all of your requirements and considerations with the Study Abroad Department, worked out an approved 4-year plan and benchmark contract with the ANSC Advising Team, it’s time to plan for your trip and explore the world!
Step 4: Welcome Home!
After your return, schedule a meeting with our advising team to let us know how your experience was and discuss any additional opportunities for you moving forward!
Things to Know
Some vet schools require all of your vet school prerequisite courses (ex. biology, chemistry, etc) be taken at a US institution. If this applies to you, plan your courses so that you have a semester where you can take general education or elective courses abroad.
If you are planning on studying abroad within your last 30 credits of your degree, you will need to file an Exception to Policy with the College.
As internships, practicums, and experiential learning opportunities are supervised by UMD faculty, you cannot earn elective credits for courses such as ANSC359, 389, or 399 while studying abroad.
There are winter, summer, and spring break programs if you don’t want to study abroad during a regular semester!
Frequently Asked Questions
If I want to Study Abroad, where do I begin?
- You can begin by looking through UMD’s Study Abroad website!
- Most of the advising for study abroad will be conducted with the Study Abroad Advising team but for any adjustments to your ANSC 4-year plan, let our Advising team know: ansc-undergrad-prog@umd.edu.
Where can I study abroad for Animal Sciences?
- Using the Explore Courses function for UMD’s Study Abroad program you can discover which universities host ANSC equivalent courses.
- Once clicking the Explore Courses link, scroll down and search by UMD Department (select ANSC) and you’ll be able to see all equivalent courses from different universities.
Do Veterinary Schools accept pre-requisites completed in a study abroad program?
- Many vet schools do not accept prerequisite courses that are taken out of the country so make sure to double check before you depart. However, there are some international programs that vet schools will accept prerequisite coursework from. For more information on the process of reporting your study abroad coursework here, consult the VMCAS Application Guide here and the VMCAS Study Abroad page here. Because rules differ significantly between programs, you should always consult the specific admissions pages for the veterinary schools you plan to apply to.
If I’m in my final 30 credits, where can I find the Exception to Policy form?
- You can find the Exception to Policy form on the Policy Exceptions page.
How early should I plan for study abroad?
- As early as possible to ensure that you can still graduate (and apply/attend vet school if applicable) on time.
When in my college career should I study abroad? How will this affect my 4-year plan?
- You should determine your best time to study abroad based on your personalized graduation plan. The effect of study abroad on a 4-year plan can vary depending on the courses selected or the program that you are traveling with. If you’re planning on completing a shorter study abroad program (for example, over winter, spring, or summer break) your travels will likely not impact your graduation plan. If you have questions regarding this please reach out to our advising team ansc-undergrad-prog@umd.edu.
How do I know which classes I can take abroad, including ANSC courses?
- You can use the Study Abroad Course Database (SACD) to see which courses you’re able to take and how it’ll transfer back. If there’s a course not yet offered at an institution you’re interested in for Study Abroad you can send in a Transfer Credit Evaluation Request.
- To find ANSC courses, at the bottom of the page select “UMD Department” as the filter and “ANSC” as the value. A table will pop up that lists the institutions, course names, languages, host course offered by the institution and amount of credits applicable to UMD. Click the down arrow under the “More” column to see more information (and the specific transfer credit) about the course and location you’re interested in.
Where can I find more information about housing, costs (including scholarships/financial aid), academics and advising through UMD’s Study Abroad?
- If you have more questions about study abroad check out UMD’s Study Abroad FAQ page where there are additional details about each of these topics. For questions unanswered on this page, reach out to the Education Abroad team at educationabroad@umd.edu or 301-314-7746 (please see their webpage for open hours).
What study abroad animal science opportunities are there for me to participate in?
- There are a variety of options! Some include the IFSA Preveterinary Medicine Study Abroad Program in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the Loop Abroad Veterinary Semester Abroad program in Thailand and more! Please use this to link see up to date study abroad animal science opportunities or this link specifically for study abroad veterinary opportunities.
How can I afford Study Abroad?
- Travel Scholarships available through the Education Abroad office. Fun fact: The Mather Family International Travel Scholarship is designed to support students traveling outside North America for the first time and was established by Dr. Ian Mather, a retired ANSC professor! You can still find him stopping by the building to help with research projects from time to time.
- Scholarships available through the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. This includes the Donald Leishear International Program Fund, and the John R. and Marjorie C. Moore International Agriculture and Natural Resources Student Travel Endowment.
Is there a way to complete a full semester abroad and stay on track with my major requirements?
- Yes, if you will be studying with an animal science focused program (like Loop Abroad) or going to a University with an animal science department or vet school, you may be able to sign up for courses that will transfer as ANSC credits. Contact the ANSC Undergraduate Office with a copy of the syllabus of the courses you’re interested in so that we can evaluate them for ANSC equivalency. Even if a course isn’t directly equivalent to one of our courses we can still consider it for management or advanced elective credit. We also have students that adjust their graduation plans so that they don’t need to take any ANSC courses the semester they are away. Instead they may take courses that satisfy Gen Ed or elective requirements. We have students that complete study abroad programs that have nothing to do with animal science, and they still have great experiences! Your ANSC courses will still be here when you return!
How do I check course equivalents for study abroad classes and what do I do if the class I want doesn’t currently have a UMD equivalent?
- You can check for previously evaluated courses on the Maryland Global transfer database. For courses that are not in the database you will have to submit a copy of the syllabus for each course to ansc-undergradprog@umd.edu where our faculty and staff will evaluate it for equivalency.
Are there study abroad programs that are a few weeks long (non-semester long programs)?
- Absolutely! There are a variety of different options when considering duration. Our College offers faculty-led study abroad programs that take place over winter break, Dr. Cardoso offers a study abroad opportunity over Spring Break, and there are many summer options available. You’ll find outside programs (such as Loop Abroad, a study abroad program specifically geared towards pre-veterinary experiences) that have already been evaluated by UMD on the Maryland Global webpages. However, there are many more opportunities available, and if you find something you’re interested in please contact us. We are happy to support your experience in any way that we can.
Still have any questions?
- Please reach out to the ANSC undergraduate department (ansc-undergrad-prog@umd.edu).
Undergraduate TAs and GSS Leaders
Students who have an interest in teaching and leadership have the opportunity to serve as undergraduate teaching assistants (UTAs) and guided study session (GSS) leaders for several of our courses.
Students who serve as UTAs and GSS leaders have the opportunity to learn these topics in greater depth while providing instructional support and guidance to the students in class. To support their growth and learning in these roles, UTAs and GSS leaders can enroll in ANSC 379 - Animal Science Undergraduate Teaching Assistant Seminar (2 credits). Alternatively, students can enroll in ANSC 399 - Special Problems in Animal Science (1 credit) with their course instructor to earn credit for their work or EDUC 388T - Special Topics in Education: Guided Experiences in College Teaching (3 credits) and EDUC 498 - Special Problems in Education (1 credit).
Show an Animal on Ag Day
Every year, the UMD Block and Bridle club hosts an “Ag Day” Livestock Show as part of the University’s Maryland Day, open to students from any major or skill level. Students can choose to show lambs, swine, dairy, and/or beef heifers from the campus farm.
Participating students will be coached in the weeks leading up to the show, and learn good showmanship skills for their desired species. They will come away with a better understanding of the care, behavior, and conformation of their animal, and can become coaches in the following years!
Information about participating in the livestock show will be sent out in the early Spring.
