Animal Science (BS)

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Program Website

Program Description

The Animal Science program offers a coordinated group of courses dealing with the principles of animal management, genetics, nutrition, physiology, and growth biology. Emphasis in subject matter is directed toward domestic animal species, dairy and beef cattle, horses, poultry, pigs, and sheep, while laboratory, companion, and exotic animal species are also included in research and teaching programs. Many science-oriented students elect a program emphasizing supportive preparation in the physical and biological sciences appropriate for graduate, veterinary, medical, or other professional study following graduation. The concentration in Dairy Management and the Dairy Management Fellows Program are popular options for students who want an integrated, industry-based program that can prepare them to manage a dairy business or enter a related career. These are examples of the flexibility within these programs that can be developed to meet a student’s career interest related to animals. This is an in-person program at the Ithaca campus.

Declaring the Major

  • There are no prerequisites for first-year students entering the program with a declared major in Animal Science. However, it is highly recommended that students applying to the program have taken advanced or college-level courses (e.g., AP, IB, or dual enrollment) in biology, chemistry, physics, and/or mathematics.​
  • Current Cornell undergraduates who wish to change their major to Animal Science must complete one of the four core courses (BIOAP 1100, ANSC 2120, ANSC 2210, or ANSC 2400) and receive a grade of C or higher in the course before declaring the major. You must first speak with your current advisor and/or program coordinator regarding switching majors. After this, contact the undergraduate program coordinator for animal science ( ANSC_Undergrad@cornell.edu) to apply for transfer into the major.
  • Modifications to the curriculum for sophomore and junior transfer students are detailed below.

Accelerated 7-Year BS/DVM Early Enrollment Pathway

Outstanding undergraduate students may be admitted for professional study in he College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) prior to completion of their undergraduate program. Established by the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) and Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM), this is an accelerated route to a veterinary degree for Cornell CALS students. Criteria for acceptance can be found directly on the College of Veterinary Medicine website.

To be eligible for the BS/DVM accelerated pathway, students must:

  1. Fulfill all University graduation requirements
  2. Satisfy all college distribution requirements
  3. Students must complete a minimum of 108 of their 120 academic credits toward the Bachelor of Science degree before the start of the senior year, and receive acceptance from the College of Veterinary Medicine. 
  4. Apply no more than 12 academic credits from the student’s first semester in the pathway toward general elective requirements needed to reach the 120 credits required for the CALS Bachelor of Science degree.
  5. Degree Conferral: Once a student reaches 120 credits and fulfills all undergraduate degree requirements, the bachelor's degree will be conferred at the next scheduled degree date.
  6. Advising Requirement: Students interested in applying must confirm their eligibility with both their faculty advisor and an advisor in the CALS Office of Student Services (140 Roberts Hall) early in their sophomore year to discuss eligibility and application requirements. Applications should be submitted during the junior year.​
    1. Note: The 12 credits from the Professional Pathway will count toward the maximum of 60 transfer credits permitted for the undergraduate degree.​
  7. Complete all Animal Science Major Requirements​​
    1. Students must complete all core coursework (30 credits). Transfer students must take BIOAP1100. 
  8. ​​Students must complete a minimum of 33 credits in Animal Science (as described above). No more than 3 credits from Special Studies courses coded as ANSC can be used toward the 33 minimum credits.
  9. Students accepted into the BS/DVM Accelerated Pathway are not required to select a concentration or meet concentration requirements.

Transfer Curriculum Modifications

The following curriculum modifications are for students who have transferred to Cornell's Animal Science program from a different institution. 

Substitutions for Statistics, Sustainability Challenges: Both sophomore and junior transfer students may substitute an equivalent transferred course for the ANSC major requirements in Statistics, Sustainability Challenges, if the course is accepted by CALS to meet the equivalent CALS Distribution Requirements. The faculty advisor verifies and approves these substitutions.

Sophomore Transfer Curriculum Modifications

Sophomore transfer students must complete a minimum of 36 total credits in Animal Science (ANSC-coded courses, as described above), select a concentration, and complete all major requirements for the Core Coursework and Concentration. 

Sophomore transfers can use courses from their previous institution that are accepted by CALS and that appear on the Cornell transcript as substitutions for major requirements. 

Exceptions and substitutions for major requirements are detailed below.

Exceptions for Core Coursework Requirements

  • ANSC 1101 and ANSC 1105: Requirement waived. However, transfer students may elect to take these courses, and the credits can be used to fulfill the 36 total credits in Animal Science.
  • Core Courses: Students may substitute an equivalent transferred course for one of the four main core courses (BIOAP 1100, ANSC 2400, ANSC 2120, or ANSC 2210). A petition must be filed for review and approval by the ANSC curriculum committee and/or instructor of the equivalent ANSC course.
  • Animal Management: Students may substitute an equivalent transferred course for the core Animal Management requirement. A petition must be filed for review and approval by the ANSC curriculum committee and/or instructor of the equivalent ANSC course.

Concentration Coursework

Transfer of credits/courses accepted by CALS can substitute for the concentration requirements from the categories below. These substitutions do not require a petition and are approved by the faculty advisor.

  • Biology Requisites (Pre-Vet) and Foundational Courses (Animal Ecology)
  • Chemistry and/or Physical Sciences
  • Biochemistry
  • Physics
  • Economics/Finance

Junior Transfer Curriculum Modifications

It is expected that junior transfers have already met major requirements for statistics, and physical science/chemistry. 

Junior transfers must complete a minimum of 26 Animal Science credits (ANSC-coded courses, as described above) and requirements for the Core Coursework. Students select a concentration and work with their faculty advisor to determine which concentration requirements can be substituted or waived based on previous coursework.

Exceptions and Substitutions for requirements are detailed below.

Core Coursework

  • ANSC 1101 and ANSC 1105: Requirement waived
  • Ethics and Animal Welfare: Requirement waived.
  • Core Courses: Students must complete three of the four required courses listed below and can waive one course without formal petition. The faculty advisor approves which course requirement is waived.
  • Fundamentals of Animal Management: Students may substitute an equivalent transferred course for the core Animal Management requirement. A petition must be filed for review and approval by the ANSC curriculum committee and/or instructor of the equivalent ANSC course.
  • Credits in Animal Science: Junior transfer students must complete a total of 26 credits in ANSC courses as described above.