Learn the objective of the master's and PhD programs and gain additional insight to the program with frequently asked questions.

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Objective

The objective of our M.S. program is to further the student’s understanding of the technical material, and to teach the student how to conduct and report scientific experiments. The objective of our PhD program is to train the student to be a principal investigator - i.e. to understand the technical problems and questions in depth, and independently design, conduct, analyze and report an experiment to answer a good question. This is what your work will be judged against. If you do not demonstrate that you meet the objectives, you will not receive a degree. The role of your advisor and committee is to give you opportunities to learn and demonstrate these skills, and to be available to mentor you as you learn them. Your advisor doesn’t “teach” you these skills, you teach yourself. Your advisor is available to you as a resource, and numerous other resources are available to you. It is ultimately your responsibility to learn and demonstrate the necessary skills.

 

Note - graduate school is not primarily about working with animals and doing farm chores or procedures on animals or in the lab. Learning and doing these skills and activities is valuable and necessary, but they are not the main point of a graduate program.

Culture and Expectations

• Be professional
• Be positive
• Be helpful
• Be a team player
• Be tough, persistent, and don’t take everything personally
• Don’t keep score
• Look for learning opportunities

 

FAQs

You must have an advisor before you can be admitted into our program. You should contact a faculty member directly, and secure a commitment from a faculty member to be your graduate advisor, before you go through the application process.

 

Do not email the graduate coordinator asking for a position in the program in a generic way. The graduate coordinator does not select students for faculty members, nor control funding for assistantships.

 

If you apply without a commitment from a faculty member to be your advisor, your application will most like sit in “department review” status in the online system. It is possible that a faculty member will contact you from there, but unlikely. You should expect your application to remain in “department review” status until the deadline for applications has passed for that semester, and then it will be “denied."

 

1. Do I need to apply separately for assistantship consideration or does funding come automatically with admission?
   Students can be admitted with an assistantship, or without. Assistantship availability and selection are determined by the faculty advisor. You should discuss this with potential advisors prior to applying for admission.
   
   A few college or departmental academic scholarships are available for our continuing graduate students, and you can apply for those once you are admitted and part of the department. There are also external scholarships and aid available that you can apply for on your own. Do not email the graduate committee or scholarship coordinator asking for scholarships.
   
   
2. GPA, required exams and minimum exam scores? Is a GPA of 3.7 considered competitive for the program, or do I have to submit GRE scores?
   See admission requirements.
   
   An undergraduate GPA of 3.7 would be competitive for most of our graduate positions. Our current students have undergraduate GPA that range from about 3.1 to 4.0.
   
   
3. Unfortunately, I do not have any scientific publications to my name, will that affect my application?
   It is not a requirement. However, different advisors have different expectations, and different expectations for MS vs PhD students. Please discuss with potential advisors.
    
4. Can I use my unofficial transcript  for the application process?
   Yes. An official transcript in English will be required by OSU if you are accepted/admitted, but an unofficial transcript is acceptable for the application review process.
   
   
5. Is my admission into the Department of Animal and Food Sciences contingent upon contacting and securing a potential graduate advisor?
   Yes.
   
   
6. The medium of instruction used during my undergraduate studies was English Language. Do I still have to submit IELTS or TOEFL scores before my application can be considered?
   See admission requirements. Native English speakers do not need TOEFL scores.
   
   
7. What are the graduate college application deadlines?
   Fall admission: Completed application due July 1
   Spring admission: Completed application due December 1
   Summer admission: Completed application due April 1
   These are deadlines. Students are encouraged to apply as soon as a commitment is secured from a faculty member to serve as your graduate advisor.
   
   
8. In regards to the letters of recommendation, what would you like them to be? I saw 2-3 is preferred, but what kind of reference would you like? Are they academic or personal or all of the above? Does it even matter?
   We would prefer academic references – someone that could speak to your ability to be successful in our graduate program.  Of course, personal characteristics such as integrity, responsibility, and work ethic are integral to being successful in graduate school. These characteristics are in addition to academic performance, so references that can speak to all of those qualifications are ideal.
   
   
9. How many hours will I be expected to work as a graduate student in the Animal and Food Sciences Department?
   This is a multi-faceted discussion. Please see Assistantship Policies and visit with your potential advisor.