Animal Science

Degree Types

A.S., A.S.-T, C.N.

Mode of Study

Hybrid, On Campus

Program Description

The Animal Science curriculum at Merced College is designed to meet the need for trained personnel in a broad range of occupational opportunities involved with or related to the livestock industry.

As an Enrichment Program – for those individuals who desire up-to-date information concerning agricultural livestock.
Certificate of Completion Program – a program in which all course work is directly related to gaining employment.
Associate Degree Program – advanced technical skills are developed along with general education.
Transfer Program – formal education is continued at an advanced level in a four-year college or university.

Degrees/Certificates

Merced College offers the following degrees/certificates in Animal Science:

Degree Requirements & Course Descriptions

The Animal Science curriculum provides the student with a broad overview of the latest trends and innovations in the care and production of livestock.

Agriculture classes at the college are held in well-equipped classrooms and the Animal Science Agriplex. The Animal Science laboratory consists of approximately 40 acres of permanent pasture and complete facilities for raising and handling beef, sheep, and goats. This Agriplex also has a demonstration pavilion for indoor live animal instruction. Few communities offer so many excellent opportunities for the student to gain the practical, firsthand knowledge available at Merced College.

Career Opportunities

Two out of ten Animal Science graduates are involved with the production end of Animal Science. They work as self-employed farmers or ranchers in a livestock environment.

The remaining eight graduates find positions in Animal-related occupations such as meat and animal processing and marketing, livestock sales, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and banking and corporate holdings in Agriculture Management.

The Animal Science graduate can expect to find employment in some of the following areas: