Program
Join a nationally and internationally recognized graduate program at the University of Saskatchewan, focused on applied and fundamental research that addresses real-world challenges in animal health, production, and sustainability.
Why Choose USask for Animal and Poultry Science?
- Study in a province with deep agricultural roots and strong industry connections
- Access on-campus research facilities for dairy, poultry, sheep, and animal metabolism
- Work with expert faculty and adjunct researchers in nutrition, genetics, physiology, animal welfare, and environmental sustainability
- Collaborate with government, industry, and commodity groups who support research through funding, expertise, and technology transfer
- Complete a full-time work internship with the Work-Integrated Learning Concentration
Quick facts
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Expected Length Thesis-based Course-based M.Sc. 2 years Ph.D. 4 years - Degree requirements
- Class delivery in-person
- Supervisor approval recommended before applying
- Deadlines and admission details below
Innovators in animal health, nutrition, and genetics
Driving innovation from molecular research to field-based solutions to improve livestock production, environmental sustainability, and food security. As a graduate student, you’ll contribute to research that supports producers, protects ecosystems, and enhances global food systems.
Animal and Poultry Science master's and Ph.D. research areas
The department has extensive and high quality applied and basic research activities covering a wide range of topics including:
- Animal Behaviour and Welfare: focused on poultry, exploring lighting, beak treatment, stocking density, and humane practices.
- Feed Processing: conducted at the Canadian Feed Research Centre, optimizing feed efficiency and ingredient quality through advanced processing technologies.
- Molecular Genetics: applied research in genomics, epigenetics, and marker-assisted selection to improve animal health and productivity.
- Monogastric Nutrition: focused on swine, developing feeding strategies that enhance growth, health, and sustainability.
- Ruminant Nutrition: research on dairy and beef cattle nutrition, emphasizing efficiency, food safety, and environmental impact.
- Physiology and Toxicology: multidisciplinary studies in endocrinology, reproduction, microbiology, and toxicology to address animal health challenges.
- Wildlife–Agriculture Interface: applied research to mitigate human-wildlife conflict and understand the ecological and cultural roles of wildlife.
Our university has excellent animal and feed research facilities including the Rayner Dairy Teaching and Research Facility, the Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence, and the Canadian Feed Research Centre, as well as dairy, beef, poultry, sheep, and animal metabolism units
Research supervisors
Before applying, we recommend contacting a potential supervisor whose research areas align with your interests. Share your academic background and research goals. If they are accepting students, they will instruct you to begin a formal application.
| Name | Research areas |
|---|---|
| Nonruminant Nutrition - Strategies to improve gastrointestinal health and alleviate physiological stress, Evaluation of novel feed ingredients | |
| Molecular genetics | |
| Invasive wild pigs in Canada, Land and resource management, Caribou and Wolves along the Hudson Bay coast, Wildlife-livestock interface, bovine tuberculosis, African Swine Fever | |
| Pig behaviour and welfare; Farm animal welfare; Applied ethology; Interdisciplinary research in farm animal studies | |
| Swine nutrition, physiology, and metabolism, nutrition and health, early-life nutrition, nutrient utilization | |
| Livestock transport; Animal welfare; Livestock production | |
| Ruminant nutrition, Ruminal fermentation, Sustainable beef cattle production | |
| Individual and environmental factors that influence contaminant toxicity in animals; Physiological effects of contaminant exposure in developing fish and amphibians; Development and use of new approach methods (NAMs) in chemical toxicity testing; Toxicological impacts of mycotoxins on animal health and strategies for mitigation | |
| Beef cattle nutrition; Forage and pasture management; Cost effective heifer development; Effect of maternal nutrition on fetal programming; Management of alternative calving systems; Application of commercially available genomic technology; Nutrient cycling in winter feeding systems; Nutrient management in summer and winter grazing programs; Supplementation strategies for low quality beef cow diets; Water quality for beef cattle | |
| Bioinformatics; Genomics; Microbiome | |
| Ruminant nutrition and metabolism, strategies for mitigation of fecal shedding of E. coli O157:H7 by cattle, cereal grains in beef cattle diets | |
| Ruminant nutrition and metabolism, dairy cattle nutrition, improving the efficiency of nitrogen utilization through nitrogen recycling | |
| Grain sorting; ingredient processing, by-product utilization | |
| Ruminant nutritional physiology, cattle nutrition to enhance health and productivity , gut function | |
| Management and nutrition impact on welfare and productivity of commercial poultry species | |
| Nutritional physiology and intestinal microbial ecology, functional foods and feeds, molecular microbial ecology, gnotobiology | |
| Sustainable animal production systems, nutritional physiology, developmental programming, epigenetics, molecular genetics | |
| Ruminant nutrition (dairy and beef), synchrotron applications, feed chemistry, feed processing and treatment, nutrient modeling |
Tuition and funding
Funding
Research supervisors are responsible for assisting students with obtaining funding during their program. This may come from scholarships or teaching assistantships, or may come from the supervisors own research grants. When you speak with potential supervisors about the research you would like to do, ask about funding opportunities.
All students registered in thesis-based graduate programs within departments in the College of Agriculture and Bioresources receive a minimum level of funding at the beginning of their programs. Students are also eligible to receive other funding (e.g. scholarships and employment) in addition to these levels.
The minimum funding levels are as follows:
* This is a college-level minimum duration and annual funding level. The department-specific minimum levels may be greater than these. Consult the department websites available here.
Any questions about the minimum levels of funding and durations can be directed to danielle.baron@usask.ca.
Graduate students at USask can receive funding from a variety of sources to support their graduate education.
Tuition and fees
Graduate students in a thesis or project-based program pay tuition three times a year for as long as they are enrolled in their program.
| Program | Canadian students | International students |
|---|---|---|
| Master of Science per term |
Student fees
In addition to tuition above, students also pay fees for programs like health and dental insurance, a bus pass, and other campus services. The amount you need to pay depends on if you are taking classes full time or part time, and if you are on campus or not. The table below assumes you are on campus full-time.
| Fall 2025 | Winter 2026 | Spring 2026 | Summer 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student fees | $578.45 CAD | $804.73 CAD | $36.75 CAD | $36.75 CAD |
Tuition information is accurate for the current academic year and does not include student fees. For detailed tuition and fees information, visit the official tuition website.
Doctoral students pay tuition three times a year for as long as they are enrolled in their program. Both international and domestic Ph.D. students pay the same rate.
| Program | Canadian students | International students |
|---|---|---|
| Doctor of Philosophy per term |
Student fees
In addition to tuition above, students also pay fees for programs like health and dental insurance, a bus pass, and other campus services. The amount you need to pay depends on if you are taking classes full time or part time, and if you are on campus or not. The table below assumes you are on campus full-time.
| Fall 2025 | Winter 2026 | Spring 2026 | Summer 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student fees | $578.45 CAD | $804.73 CAD | $36.75 CAD | $36.75 CAD |
Tuition information is accurate for the current academic year and does not include student fees. For detailed tuition and fees information, visit the official tuition website.
Admission requirements
- Language Proficiency Requirements: Proof of English proficiency may be required for international applicants and for applicants whose first language is not English.
- a cumulative weighted average of at least a 70% (USask grade system equivalent) in the last two years of study (i.e. 60 credit units)
- a four-year honours degree, or equivalent, from a recognized college or university in an academic discipline relevant to the proposed field of study
- Language Proficiency Requirements: Proof of English proficiency may be required for international applicants and for applicants whose first language is not English.
- Master's degree, or equivalent, from a recognized university in a relevant academic discipline
- a cumulative weighted average of at least a 70% (USask grade system equivalent) in the last two years of study (i.e. coursework required in master's program)
- Demonstrated ability for independent thought, advanced study, and research
Selection information
Admission is determined by the Admissions Committee following a detailed review of your application materials, including three references, a curriculum vitae (CV), and transcripts with particular attention to courses directly related to your proposed area of study.
Application process and deadlines
Deadlines and important dates
| Program | Start term | Application deadline |
| M.Sc. and Ph.D. | September January May |
There is no set deadline. Applications are accepted year-round. |
Submit an online application
International Students - Master’s and doctoral students applying for a study permit do not need a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL). Certificate and Postgraduate Diploma students, as well as Visiting Research students studying over six months, still need a PAL. Review federal international study permit policies before you apply.
Before beginning your online application, be sure that you have carefully reviewed all program information and admission requirements on this page.
During the application, you'll be asked for:
- Personal information such as your name, address, etc.
- Contact information of your three referees
- For your letters of recommendation, two of your referees must be academic contacts, and the third may be academic or professional
- Your complete academic history from all previous post-secondary institutions
The application takes about 30 minutes to complete. You may save your application and return to it later.
At the end of the application, you will need to pay a non-refundable application fee: $125 for domestic students and $145 for international students. Your application will not be processed until payment is received.
Application fees cannot be waived, except in limited cases for applicants from Iran.
Submit required documents
Once you've submitted your online application, you will have access to upload your required documents, and provide the contact information for your references. To do this, go to the "Supplemental Items & Documents" tab in your application.
Preliminary Statement of Marks
- Once you have submitted your application for admission and paid the application fee, you will be required to upload unofficial PDF copies of your academic transcript(s) from each post-secondary institution attended. This requirement will appear as Preliminary Statement of Marks or Additional Prelim. Statement under admission requirements on your Application Summary when you check your application status.
- The uploaded transcript can be an unofficial copy of the transcript issued by the university or college and must include a grading key/legend.
- All pages of a transcript must be uploaded as a single PDF document.
- Uploaded transcripts will be considered unofficial or preliminary. Official copies of your transcripts will be required only for applicants offered admission. This requirement will appear as Post-secondary Transcript under admission requirements on your Application Summary when you check your application status.
- Transcripts in languages other than English must be accompanied by a certified translation.
For students who are required to provide proof of English proficiency:
- Completing a relevant test with the appropriate score is required before the application deadline.
- Tests are valid for 24 months after the testing date and must be valid at the beginning of the student's first term of registration in the graduate program.
- Applicants will be required to upload a PDF copy of any required language test score. Uploaded test scores will be considered unofficial or preliminary.
- A statement/letter of intent outlining your research interests
- A curriculum vitae or resume
Contact
Department of Animal & Poultry Science
51 Campus Drive
University of Saskatchewan
Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A8
Graduate Chair
Dr. Ryan Brook
Email: ryan.brook@usask.ca
Assistant Graduate Chair
Greg Penner
Email: greg.penner@usask.ca
Graduate Administrator
Melissa Zink
Email: animal.science@usask.ca
- Department of Animal & Poultry Science
Learn more about the academic unit offering this program - Program and Course Catalogue
To view official admission and program requirements