Animal Physiology

An Interdisciplinary Program

College of Agriculture and

Life Sciences

Dr. Vance Watson, Dean

Dr. Terry E. Kiser, Department Head

Dr. Peter Ryan, Graduate Coordinator

4025 Wise Center

Box 9815

662-325-3802

pryan@ads.msstate.edu

The graduate program in Animal Physiology is an interdisciplinary curriculum leading to a  Master of Science in Agricultural Life Sciences and/or Doctor of Philosophy degree with course offerings from several departments including, but not exclusively, Animal and Dairy Sciences; Basic Science (College of Veterinary Medicine); Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Biological Sciences; Entomology and Plant Pathology; Poultry Science; and  Wildlife and Fisheries. The program of study is developed by the student and his/her major professor with the approval of the student’s graduate program committee. Specific courses vary depending on the needs of the student. A limited number of assistantships are available to qualified applicants.

Admission Criteria—Prerequisites for admission include a bachelor’s or master’s degree in animal, dairy or poultry science; human sciences; wildlife; fisheries or aquatic science; biological or physical science; or a doctor of medicine or veterinary medicine degree with an adequate background in chemistry. A minimum of 3.00 overall grade point average (GPA) on a 4.00 scale is required. A student who has not fully met the requirements stipulated by the University and the program for admission (i.e., students with 2.50 to 2.99 GPA) may be granted admission to the Animal Physiology program with provisional status.  The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is not required for admission, but applicants are required to attempt the GRE and a score of 1100 (verbal and quantitative) or better is desirable.  A computer-based TOEFL score of 575 or better is required of all international applicants. Letters of recommendation are required of all applicants.

Program of Study: Master of Science (M.S.)—

The Master of Science degree requires a minimum of 30 hours of graduate credit (including six hours of Research/Thesis), a research thesis, and thesis defense.  The Animal Physiology Program does not offer a non-thesis M.S. degree. The student is required to take at least two hours of Physiology Seminar (PHY 8811-41). Other course requirements may include BCH 6603 and/or BCH 6613 and ST 8114 or equivalents. Of the 24 hours (minimum number of hours) of graduate course work required, half must be taken at the 8000 level.  A minor is not required but if selected an additional nine hours of credit is required and a committee member from the minor area is required.  A graduate program of study should be submitted and approved by the student’s graduate committee and graduate coordinator by the end of the first semester of graduate study. The graduate committee should be composed of the major professor and two committee members, one of whom should be a member of the Animal Physiology graduate faculty and the other may be a minor professor.  Additional committee members may be included at the discretion of the major professor.

Program of Study: Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)—The Ph.D. in Animal Physiology requires a minimum of three academic years beyond the B.S. degree; the number of hours will  vary as determined by the student and major professor. The student is required to take at least three hours of Physiology Seminar (PHY 8811-41). Other course requirements may include BCH 6603, BCH 6613, ST 8114, and ST 8214 or equivalents. A minor is not required, but if a minor is selected an additional 12 hours of graduate credit is required and a committee member from the minor area is required. The preliminary/comprehensive examination must be attempted by the end of the fifth semester of the program. A program of study should be submitted and approved by the student’s graduate committee and graduate coordinator by the end of the first semester of graduate study. If a minor is selected, the graduate committee should be composed of at least five members including the major professor, who must be a full member of the Animal Physiology graduate faculty; at least two additional members of the Animal Physiology graduate faculty and two additional members, one of whom must be from the minor field; the other may be from outside the major area. Additional committee members may be included at the discretion of the major professor.

Academic Performance and Continued Enrollment—Continuous enrollment in the Animal Physiology Program is dependent upon satisfactory evaluation of academic performance and progress toward the completion of the respective research degrees. A student will be recommended for dismissal if he/she receives more than two grades of C or any grade below a C in courses taken for credit.

Completion Requirements—M.S. and Ph.D. candidates are required by the Animal Physiology Program to submit a written proposal of the intended research area during the first year of the graduate program, in addition to the submission of an annual progress report of research, teaching, and/or extension and service activities of the thesis or dissertation work.  For the  Ph.D. candidates, a written and oral preliminary/comprehensive examination will be administered by the student’s graduate committee in accordance with Office of Graduate Studies guidelines prior to the submission of defense of dissertation research.

Provisional Admission—A student recommended for provisional admission is required to achieve a 3.00 GPA on the first nine hours of graduate courses in order to achieve regular status.  Neither transfer hours nor unclassified graduate hours can be used to fulfill this requirement.  If a 3.00 is not attained, the provisional student may be dismissed from the program and graduate study. An overall GPA of 3.00 is required for graduation. To be eligible for the comprehensive/preliminary examination, a graduate student must maintain an overall B average in all graduate courses attempted after admission to the program. 

General Information—The Animal Physiology graduate faculty is listed below. For additional information, contact the Animal Physiology Graduate Coordinator, Box 9815 , Mississippi State University , MS 39762 or by email at pryan@ads.msstate.edu. An application for admission should be submitted directly to the Office of Graduate Studies, P. O Box G, Mississippi State, MS  39762.

Faculty                                  Title/Department

Jerald Ainsworth             Professor and Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies, College of Veterinary Medicine

Thomas G. Althen           Professor  Animal and Dairy Sciences

John A. Boyle                 Professor and Head Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Randal K. Buddington     Professor Biological Sciences

Howard Chambers          Professor Entomology

Janice E. Chambers        Professor Basic Science, College of Veterinary Medicine

Timothy N. Chamblee    Associate Professor Poultry Science

Angelica Chapa              Assistant Extension Specialist  Aimal and Dairy Sciences

John Fuquay                   Professor Emeritus Animal and Dairy Sciences

Christopher McDaniel     Associate Professor Poultry Science

Terry E. Kiser                Professor and Head Animal and Dairy Sciences

Erdogan Memili             Assistant Professor Animal and Dairy Sciences

G. Wallace Morgan        Professor and Head Poultry Science

Molly Nicodemus           Assistant Professor Animal and Dairy Sciences

E. David Peebles            Professor Poultry Science

Peter L. Ryan                 Assistant Professor and Graduate Coordinator Animal and Dairy Sciences and Pathobiology and Population Medicine

Terry R. Smith                Assistant Professor Animal and Dairy Sciences

J. Paul Thaxton               Professor  Poultry Science

Scott T. Willard              Associate Professor  Animal and Dairy Sciences

 Rhonda Vann                Assistant Animal Scientist, Brown Loam Branch Experiment Station

Animal Physiology Courses—Course prerequisites are noted in parentheses.

PHY 6114       Cellular Physiology [same as BIO 6114]. 4 hours

PHY 6335      Anatomy and Physiology of Insects (ENT 6154) [same as ENT 6335]. 5 hours

PHY 6514      Animal Physiology [same as BIO 6514]. 4 hours

PHY 6611      Practice in Physiology of Reproduction (ADS 6613 or taken concurrently) [same as ADS 6611]. 1 hour

PHY 6613      Physiology of Reproduction (BIO 1504 or VS 2014) [same as ADS 6613]. 3 hours

PHY 6623      Physiology of Lactation (VS 2013 or BIO 1504) [same as ADS 6623].3 hours

PHY 6843      Poultry Physiology [same as PO 6843]. 3 hours

PHY 8000      Research/Thesis. 6 hours

PHY 8131      Endocrine Methods [same as ADS 8131]. 1 hour

PHY 8133      Endocrine Secretions [same as ADS 8133]. 3 hours

PHY 8243      Advanced Physiology of Reproduction (ADS 6613) [same as ADS 8243]. 3 hours

PHY 8333      Advanced Toxicology (ENT 6543 or elementary biochemistry) [same as ENT 8333]. 3 hours

PHY 8433      Bone, Muscle, and Fat Deposition in Animals (BCH 6613) [same as ADS 8433]. 3 hours

PHY 8623.     Physiology of Digestion and Metabolism (CH 6523) [same as PO 8823]. 3 hours

PHY 8633      Homeostatic Regulations and Physiological Stress (PHY 8134 and BIO 6514) [same as ADS 8633].  3 hours

PHY 8811-    Animal Physiology Seminar. 1 hour 8841

PHY 8990      Special Topics in Physiology.1-9 hours

PHY 9000      Research/Dissertation. 20 hours