<p>I am applying to undergrad schools currently and can't decide to major in animal science or biology (or biology with a zoology intent). I was initially interesting in animal science because I thought that would give me more hands on experience with animals, but I'm really not interesting in learning about things like meat production/packaging and things of that nature. I'm a vegetarian and those things will definitely not be enjoyable for me to learn about. As an animal science major do you have to learn about these aspects? Should I major in one of the biological science instead?
I know you don't have to major in these things to get into veterinary schools, but these majors would be what I would major in even if I wasn't interested in becoming a veterinarian.</p>
<p>Try looking at the curriculum for the animal science major vs the biology major and see what the course descriptions are like. I would imagine a lot of the beginning prerequisite courses would be similar, but the animal science major would be more focused in one field. I would imagine most of the courses would be on things like general biology courses (like biochemistry, cell biology, molecular biology, etc), animal behavior, anatomy and physiology, ecology and evolution, conservation, etc. You may have to take some labs that involve dissecting or things like that. But take a look at the courses for the schools you’re applying to. Every school will have a different curriculum.</p>
<p>Hey there! I was pondering over this dilemma last year, so hopefully I can help. </p>
<p>To begin, many Animal Science programs focus on the domestic aspects of animals, and because this includes things like livestock and poultry, there will naturally be some production-based elements to the major. However, how much exposure you want is entirely up to you because you will likely be able to concentrate in certain subjects within the major, such as nutrition or agricultural science. On the other hand, Biology is very broad and encompasses everything from molecular to plant biology. If you’re looking to focus on animals within biology, you certainly can as well. If you are looking to work with wildlife, for example, then ecology and evolutionary biology could be a way to go. </p>
<p>What are you hoping to avoid in these programs? Keep in mind that both animal science and biology will require dissections, and if you’re looking at vet school as a possible option, you will have to deal with matters such as live animal terminal surgery (as a fellow animal-lover myself, it was one of myriad reasons why I took vet school off my list). So either way, you’ll be dealing with things that might be a little * too* hands-on for your liking. </p>
<p>Another question: do you want to or are you okay with taking classes such as organic chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, and physics? Many biology majors require this, so if you’re not a big fan of these classes and just want to focus on animals, then Animal Science might be a good idea. I am a Cornell GT (heading there next fall) who was originally a Bio major but switched to Animal Science, so I’ve kind of been on both sides of the spectrum, and I’m very happy with my decision! I think it ultimately depends on your interests and what you want to do eventually, but theoretically either major could work for you. </p>
<p>Feel free to PM me if you want to chat–it’s always awesome to see another person interested in Animal Science on here! Best of luck 
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