The following guidelines are designed to provide the beginning graduate student and the advising professor with a basic structure from which to build the graduate program. The policies set forth have been approved by the faculty, and for this reason, any deviation from their principles must be justified to the faculty in advance.
Responsibilities:STUDENTS must be aware that they are the primary persons responsible for knowing Graduate School and Departmental rules, and for taking exams and turning-in forms on schedule. FACULTY MEMBERS must be aware that accepting a student into his/her graduate program includes 1) responsibility for ensuring that the student is provided with adequate resources to perform Thesis or Dissertation research, 2) providing adequate guidance such that the student can perform the research in a quality manner and 3) ensuring that the student is making adequate progress and meeting deadlines. It will be the responsibility of the GRADUATE COORDINATOR, with the support of the faculty and Department Head, to ensure that the students and faculty members are meeting their responsibilities.
STUDENTS must also be aware that it is the policy of the Animal Science Department that the duties and expectations of ALL graduate students are the same. All students are expected to participate in various activities relating to the teaching and research program of their major professor, and to participate in departmental, college and Experiment Station functions when appropriate. These activities are in addition to the student's own thesis or dissertation research. The MAJOR PROFESSOR is responsible for determining appropriate activities and for assessing the student's overall progress.
Minimum requirements: As stated in the Graduate Catalog, the minimum credit hours for the MS degree is 30, and at least 24 of these must be in course work (i.e., other than ANSC 8000). A minimum of one-half of the required credit hours (i.e., at least 15) must be at or above the 7000 level; 6 hours of ANSC 8000 will be counted towards this minimum.
A thesis is required.
A minor is not required, but may be taken.
Course work should be selected based on the student's career goals, however a certain minimum number of "core" courses should be included in each program. Faculty members within each discipline (Genetics, Meats, Nutrition and Physiology) should develop their own list of mandatory courses and equivalents, as well as a list of suggested courses. The final decision on course work lies with the student's Committee.
All MS students are required to take Seminar (ANSC 7093) at some time prior to their last (graduating) semester. This requirement is designed to ensure that students will be prepared for their final thesis defense seminar.
ANSC 7001 shall be taken in the first (entering) semester, if possible, or in the first possible semester thereafter. This course is partially designed to acquaint students with the structure of the department, Experiment Station and Agricultural Center, and early exposure is desirable.
Tentative Time Schedule for the MS Degree:
The MS program should require no more than two years to complete. Students beginning in August should usually be able to finish in May of the second year, although the summer semester might be needed for final completion of the thesis. Students on regular 1/2-time departmental assistantships (.5 FTE) will not be continued on departmental funds beyond 24 months.
Entering students will register for classes based on the advice of the major professor. A Thesis Committee, consisting of the major professor and at least two other faculty members, should be established in the first or second semester, but must be established prior to the onset of the student's major research thrust. This Committee must approve the student's proposed research program and all subsequent course work no later than the end of the student's second semester.
Thesis preparation should be initiated as soon in the student's program as possible, and no later than the beginning of the last (graduation) semester. Literature reviews can usually be started much earlier.
Filing dates for Requests for Final Exams are at least three weeks prior to the date of the exam. Copies of the Thesis are to be given to members of the Examining Committee and to the Department Head at least two weeks before the exam. Exams must be taken on days when LSU is in session.
Thesis defenses will be comprised of two parts: 1) A formal seminar in open forum to which all faculty, staff and students are invited, and 2) a subsequent closed exam period attended by the Examining Committee and any interested faculty members. The seminar will be basically a presentation of the student's research program and results, and will be held in an appropriate place to accommodate the public.
Final dates for turning-in Theses and Exam Reports are listed in the Graduate Catalog; these dates are generally on the Friday closest to the last day of classes, but can vary from semester to semester.
Minimum requirements: As stated in the Graduate Catalog, there is no formal course work requirement for the PhD degree. However, students are expected to take the equivalent of at least three years of full-time study beyond the Bachelor's degree. The amount and content of course work is decided upon by the student's Dissertation Committee and must be approved by the Dean of the Graduate School.
A dissertation is required.
A minor is not required but can be taken if desired by the student or required by the Dissertation committee.
There is no foreign language requirement. However, the Committee may impose this requirement. In lieu of a language requirement, the Committee may require the student to take a specified list of courses that would be designed to enhance the student's knowledge base in a field not related to the student's major or minor areas. Such areas in the past have included philosophy, writing, psychology and political science.
Qualifying exams are not required by the Department, but may be required by the Dissertation Committee. If a Qualifying Exam is to be given, the decision to do so must be made (and written notification sent to the student) prior to the start of the student's second semester; the exam must be given before the end of the second semester.
All PhD students are required to take Seminar (ANSC 7093) at least once plus at least one other seminar (either ANSC 7093 or equivalent in another department) some time prior to their last (graduating) semester. This requirement is designed to ensure that students will be prepared for their final dissertation defense seminar.
ANSC 7001 shall be taken in the first (entering) semester if possible, or in the first possible semester thereafter. This course is partially designed to acquaint students with the structure of the department, Experiment Station and Agricultural Center, and early exposure is desirable.
Tentative Time Schedule for the PhD Degree:
For students with an MS degree, the PhD program usually should require no more than three years to complete, although the department recognizes that more flexibility is needed for the PhD than for the MS program. Such students on departmental assistantships will have to justify to the Department Head continuation of funding beyond three years, and will not be continued on departmental funds beyond 42 months. Students entering without the MS should plan on an average of four years to complete the PhD, and such students on departmental assistantships will have to justify funding beyond 48 months; no student will be continued on departmental funding beyond 54 months.
Entering students will register for classes based on the advice of the major professor. An advisory committee, consisting of the major professor and at least three other faculty members, should be established in the first (for students with an MS) or second semester, but must be established prior to the onset of the student's major research thrust. This Committee must approve the student's Program of Study (blue sheets) no later than the end of the student's second semester.
Qualifying Exam (see above).
Formalized presentation of the student's proposed area of research to the advisory committee should occur between the first and second years, but no later than the end of the second year, and before extensive research has been initiated. This presentation should include a complete literature review and an outline of specific research plans. The committee must approve of the student's plans before he/she proceeds with the research.
General Exam - Students with an MS must take the General Exam no later than the end of the second year. Advisers should encourage earlier exams for students who they feel are prepared. Students entering the PhD program without an MS must take their General Exam before the end of the third year. The Request for Exams must be turned-in at least three weeks prior to the date of the exam. General exams must be taken on a date when LSU is in session.
Dissertation preparation should be initiated as soon in the student's program as possible, and no later than the beginning of the last (graduation) semester. Literature reviews can usually be started much earlier.
Filing dates for Requests for Final Exams are at least three weeks prior to the date of the exam. Copies of the Dissertation are to be given to members of the Examining Committee and to the Department Head at least two weeks before the exam. Exams must be taken on days when LSU is in session.
Doctoral defenses will be comprised of two parts: 1) A formal seminar in open forum to which all faculty, staff and students are invited, and 2) a subsequent exam period attended by the Examining Committee and any interested faculty members. The seminar will be basically a presentation of the student's research program and results, and will be held in an appropriate place to accommodate the public.
Final dates for turning-in Dissertations and Final Exam Reports are listed in the Graduate Catalog. These dates are generally close to the last day of classes, but can vary from semester to semester.
The Graduate Coordinator will provide each entering student with a Time Table of events based on his/her entering date, as well as a copy of the guidelines and policies stated herein. These should be used by the student to plan relevant activities and to coordinate his/her program with the adviser and Committees. The Graduate Coordinator will use the Time Tables to monitor each student's progress. Minor problems will be pointed out to the student and adviser; any serious problems will necessitate involvement of the Department Head.
Graduate committees will generally include all (or most) of the graduate faculty members in a given discipline within the Animal Science Department, plus other appropriate faculty from this department and any minor and(or) cooperating departments.
Graduate exams (i.e., MS Final, PhD Qualifying and General, and PhD Final) are important events that cannot be compromised. Faculty members must attend an exam in which they have agreed to participate. Under circumstances of extreme hardship, an appropriate replacement can be sent to fill-in for a committee member. Under no circumstances will any committee member leave an exam prior to the final vote. In emergencies, voting must be postponed until all committee members are present.
All forms (e.g., Program of Study, Request for Exams, etc.) must be copied to the Graduate Coordinator for record keeping purposes at the time of their submission to the Graduate School.
A minimum of 9 credit hours in Animal Science courses at or above the 4000 level.
AnSc 7061 (Research in Animal Science) cannot be included in these 9 hours.
Doctor of Philosophy:A minimum of 12 credit hours in Animal Science courses at or above the 4000 level; at least 3 of the 12 credits must be at or above the 7000 level.
A maximum of 3 credits of AnSc 7061 (Research in Animal Science) may be applied towards these minimum requirements.
Adjunct faculty are individuals whose primary employment is outside the Animal Science Department, but who make substantial contributions to the instructional and(or) research programs of the department. To be members of a graduate committee, adjunct faculty must also be full, associate, or affiliate members of the Graduate Faculty.
Master of Science:Graduate School requirements: A Thesis Committee will be composed of at least 3 members of the Graduate Faculty, at least one of whom must be a Full member from the Animal Science Department. The major professor, who must be from the major department (Animal Science), is designated as chair of committee. If the student selects a minor, one Graduate Faculty member from that department must be on the committee.
Adjunct Faculty: At least two members of the Thesis Committee must be regular faculty members from the Animal Science Department. Adjunct Faculty members may serve as major professors or committee members.
Doctor of Philosophy:Graduate School requirements: The Dissertation Committee is established as at least four members of the Graduate Faculty within the Animal Science Department; if a minor is declared, the fourth member of the committee must be from the minor department. At least two members of the committee must be Full members of the Graduate Faculty and from the Animal Science Department. The major professor, who must be from the Animal Science Department, is designated as chairman of this committee. For General and Final Exams, the Graduate Dean will add another outside member to the committee.
Adjunct Faculty: At least two members of the Dissertation Committee must be regular faculty members from the Animal Science Department. Adjunct Faculty members may serve as committee members or as major professors.
Proposed Procedure for Revalidation of Course Work taken more than 5 years prior to the Termination of the Master's Degree.
Credit for individual courses taken at LSU more than 5 years before the termination of an MS program in the Animal Science Department must be revalidated by the student's Thesis committee via an examination (written, oral or both). The results of the exam, signed by all committee members, must be reported to the Graduate School before the Request for the Final Exam can be submitted. It is the committee's responsibility to require that the student retake any course work deemed necessary (by majority vote).
Proposed Procedure for Revalidation of the General Exam taken more than 4 years prior to the Termination of the PhD Degree (for students entering a doctoral program before Fall 1988).
Students entering a doctoral program in the Animal Science Department before Fall 1988 who have not completed all degree requirements within 4 calendar years from the date of their General Exam must revalidate the General Exam via an exam to be administered by the student's Dissertation Committee. The nature of the revalidation exam can be oral, written or both. It is the committee's responsibility to identify avenues of updating the student's knowledge deemed necessary by a majority of the committee. The results of the revalidation exam, signed by all committee members, must be reported to the Graduate School prior to the taking of the Final Exam.
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