College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Curriculum in Poultry Science
Growth of the poultry industry has created the need for scientific, technical and business knowledge in the various fields important to successful poultry production. In few fields of science is an understanding of the basic sciences, nutrition, genetics, physiology, diseases, biotechnology, processing and marketing more rewarding than in the modern, intensive methods of poultry and food production. Students are trained in the necessary background, analytical skills, problem solving and leadership for complex production units, hatcheries, integrated feed mills, processing plants and research laboratories. Rapid industry growth provides many career opportunities for graduates. Students are given two emphasis areas in which to specialize their education toward their selected career goals. The University Core Curriculum courses and the Poultry Science Core courses are required for both emphases. Students then complete a B.S. degree in either emphasis area by completing the respective emphasis area courses. All students are strongly encouraged to get early and frequent academic counseling which is readily available.
Students completing a B.S. degree in the industry emphasis find employment with the poultry and food industries in positions such as corporate management, quality assurance, sales or technical support in live production, processing or marketing. Students in this emphasis also get positions with pharmaceutical and equipment companies, with industry trade publications and in various university and public service positions.
Students completing a B.S. degree in the technical emphasis are prepared for advanced study in biochemistry, nutrition, physiology, molecular genetics, reproduction, processing technology, microbiology or environmental science and for eventual professional employment in research, teaching or public service. This curriculum can be easily tailored to meet the veterinary medicine preprofessional requirements.
University Core Curriculum
(Both Emphases)
| Required Courses | (Th-Pr) | Cr |
|---|---|---|
| AGEC 105 Introduction to Agricultural Economics | (3-0) | 3 |
| BIOL 111 Introductory Biology I | (3-3) | 4 |
| CHEM 101 Fundamentals of Chemistry I | (3-3) | 4 |
| COMM 203 Public Speaking | (3-0) | 3 |
| ENGL 104 Composition and Rhetoric | (3-0) | 3 |
| ENGL 301 Technical Writing
1 or ENGL 210 Scientific and Technical Writing 1 |
(3-0) | 3 |
| MATH 141 Business Mathematics I | (3-0) | 3 |
| MATH 142 Business Mathematics II
1 or PHIL 240 Introduction to Logic 1 |
(3-0) | 3 |
| POLS 206 American National Government | (3-0) | 3 |
| POLS 207 State and Local Government | (3-0) | 3 |
| History electives | 6 | |
| Humanities elective | 3 | |
| Social sciences elective | 3 | |
| Visual and performing arts elective | 3 | |
| * KINE 198 Heath and Fitness Activity | (0-2) | 1 |
| * KINE 199 Required Physical Activity | (0-2) | 1 |
Poultry Science Core Courses
(Both Emphases)
| Required Courses | (Th-Pr) | Cr |
|---|---|---|
| POSC 201 General Avian Science | (3-0) | 3 |
| POSC 202 Avian Science Laboratory | (0-2) | 1 |
| POSC 209 Poultry Meat Production | (3-2) | 4 |
| POSC 281 Sophomore Seminar | (1-0) | 1 |
| POSC 308 Avian Anatomy and Physiology | (2-3) | 3 |
| POSC 326 Commercial Egg Industry | (3-0) | 3 |
| POSC 406 Poultry Processing and Products | (3-2) | 4 |
| POSC 411 Poultry Nutrition | (3-0) | 3 |
| POSC 412 Poultry Feed Formulation | (1-0) | 1 |
| POSC 414 Avian Genetics and Breeding | (2-2) | 3 |
| POSC 427 Animal Waste Management | (3-0) | 3 |
| POSC 429 Advanced Food Bacteriology | (3-2) | 4 |
| POSC 481 Poultry Science Systems | (1-2) | 2 |
Support Courses for Industry Emphasis
| Required Courses | (Th-Pr) | Cr |
|---|---|---|
| ACCT 209 Survey of Accounting Principles | (3-0) | 3 |
| AGEC 314 Marketing Agricultural Products | (3-0) | 3 |
| AGED 340 Professional Leadership Development | (3-0) | 3 |
| AGLS 101 Modern Agricultural Systems and Renewable Natural Resources | (1-0) | 1 |
| CHEM 222 Elements of Organic and Biological Chemistry | (3-0) | 3 |
| FSTC 326 Food Bacteriology | (3-0) | 3 |
| GENE 310 Principles of Heredity | (3-0) | 3 |
| STAT 301 Introduction to Biometry | (3-0) | 3 |
| VTPB 334 Poultry Diseases | (3-2) | 4 |
| Business/management elective 3 | 3 | |
| Electives 2 | 20 |
Support Courses for Technical Emphasis
| Required Courses | (Th-Pr) | Cr |
|---|---|---|
| AGED 340 Professional Leadership Development | (3-0) | 3 |
| AGLS 101 Modern Agricultural Systems and Renewable Natural Resources | (1-0) | 1 |
| BICH 303 Elements of Biological Chemistry | (3-0) | 3 |
| CHEM 102 Fundamentals of Chemistry II | (3-3) | 4 |
| CHEM 227 Organic Chemistry I | (3-0) | 3 |
| CHEM 237 Organic Chemistry Laboratory | (0-3) | 1 |
| FSTC 326 Food Bacteriology | (3-0) | 3 |
| GENE 301 Genetics | (3-3) | 4 |
| MICR 351 Fundamentals of Microbiology
1 or VTPB 405 Principles and Application of Biomedical Microbiology 1 |
4 or 5 | |
| STAT 301 Introduction to Biometry | (3-0) | 3 |
| VTPB 334 Poultry Diseases | (3-2) | 4 |
| Electives 2 | 15 | |
| total hours |
133 | |
NOTES:
- Students should choose one of the two classes listed for each category (i.e. MATH 142 or PHIL 240).
- To be utilized by students to enhance the science and/or business aspects of their undergraduate program. Students may also use elective hours to complete the 6 hour foreign language graduation requirement if they have not completed this in high school. The University Core Curriculum includes a requirement for 6 hours of international and cultural diversity courses. Refer to the University Core Curriculum section for a list of acceptable courses (see University Core Curriculum, item 6). A course satisfying another Core category or a college/department requirement or used as a free elective can be used to satisfy these requirements.
- To be selected from ACCT 210; AGEC 330, 340, 344, 448; ECON 202, 203; INFO 209; MGMT 105, 209, 211, 212, 309.
* See University Core Curriculum, item 7.