Practical Experience & Research

The Department encourages students to pursue work outside the conventional classroom and to undertake independent academic work under the direction of a faculty member.  Projects range from 1-6 credits and are graded.  Projects vary from library research on a topic to significant hands-on laboratory research projects. These experiences may include independent studies, practica and internships. (see next section of this handbook)
NOTE: During their undergraduate career, students cannot take more than 15 credits total for combined courses numbered 298, 398, 498 and 498Y.

Internships and Practica

Internships

Internships may be conducted during a regular semester or summertime, but do not substitute for required University or Veterinary & Animal Sciences courses. Extensive experience with a variety of large and small animal species, and a summer’s work (or equivalent) with a veterinary practitioner, is desirable prior to application to veterinary school.  Students may earn up to 12 credits for internships with credits determined by the nature, scope and duration of the proposed experience.  Students register for ANIML SCI 298,during the academic year, which is graded on a mandatory pass/fail basis.  Students register through Continuing Education for the summer semester.  Students may find internship possibilities on their own; seek help from advisors, other faculty and the Career Services located at 511 Goodell Building.  Some planning and coordination is required to set up a successful internship.  The following are the minimum requirements:

Internship Requirements

  1. The student must be an Animal Science student in good academic standing. 
  2. The student must find a faculty sponsor who agrees to supervise and evaluate the internship.
  3. Prior to the internship experience, the student must develop a proposal, which is mutually satisfactory to both the student and the faculty sponsor. A contract is developed with a title and signed by both the student and the faculty sponsor.
  4. The student must demonstrate that the internship will be an academically valuable experience and will supplement or complement some part of the student’s Animal Science or Pre-Veterinary curriculum. Work experiences such as working in a veterinary clinic, at a farm, summer horse camp or zoo would not ordinarily qualify for an internship, but would be a work experience best handled as a practicum (see below). The inclusion of a research component, the development of a teaching curriculum or establishment and implementation of a farm management plan are examples that would be more appropriate for an internship.
  5. Internships of greater than 6 credits require a pre-course and a post-course, which, with the internship, will constitute a coherent program of study. No credit will be awarded until the post-course has been completed.
  6. Following the completion of the internship the student must present to the faculty sponsor a journal and summary report that can serve as a major indicator of what was learned and how the internship related to the pre- and post-courses taken.

Practica

The Veterinary & Animal Sciences Department encourages the development of practical skills working with animals in some way such as farms, veterinary clinics, research laboratories or by engaging in animal related government, banking and educational experiences with private and public agencies.  Veterinary schools favor applicants who have experience working with a veterinarian; the equine industry highly values practical farm experiences, as do dairy and livestock farms and related industries.  It is essential that students interested in research animal management gain practical experience as well.  We encourage both the student and the employer to consider a broad range of experiences rather than narrowly focused ones such as only feeding calves, or milking cows, or surgical assistant or a fixed research laboratory methodology. Practica become excellent means of developing future job contacts.

Summer Practicum (298)

A summer practicum is normally awarded 4 pass/fail credits. Maximum of 15 credits is allowed for practica. The requirements are:

  1. The student’s advisor or another faculty member acts as a sponsor. The student and faculty member agree on the experience and develop a practicum contract (available from your faculty sponsor) which both sign.
  2. The contract cannot be developed and signed prior to the semester involved. Students must register for practicum credits during pre-registration and/or early in the semester in which the practicum takes place. Summer practicum students must register for credits through Continuing and Professional Education.
  3. Normally, a 4 credit summer practicum consists of working 40 hours per week for 8-10 weeks.
  4. The student submits a final written report to the faculty sponsor. Most faculty sponsors require that a journal of activities be kept and that the final report integrates both the work and learning experiences into an overall evaluation.
  5. Students may wish to undertake some type of on-campus practicum under the guidance of a faculty member for credit. The procedures are similar to the summer off-campus practicum described above except that the student registers for ANIML SCI 498Y, which is year-long and graded on a pass/fail basis. Veterinary& Animal Sciences practica are limited to 3 credits per semester. Contract forms are available outside the office at 427T Integrated Sciences Bldg or at Practicum forms

Independent Study

Students who wish to undertake research directed by a faculty member can develop a proposal for academic credit under the Independent Study course numbers ANIML SCI 196, 296, 396, 496 and 596. The number of students that can be accommodated is limited by faculty availability. Either laboratory or library research may be emphasized, but must be agreed to in advance by the student and faculty sponsor. An Independent Study Contract must be completed with title and signed prior to initiation of the project and before registration for the course is authorized. This usually means that the contract is developed and signed either during pre-registration or during the add-drop periods. Independent study is offered on a letter-graded basis only and should not be used as the vehicle for an internship (use ANIML SCI 298) or practicum (use ANIML SCI 298,398 or 498). As a guide for determining the appropriate number of credits, the total commitment should be estimated and credits allotted at the rate of one credit for every 30-35 hours of effort. Credits may vary from 1 to 6. Normally, 1-2 credits are used for library research investigating a topic of interest in detail and 2-4 credits used for laboratory or other creative learning experience. Results of the Independent Study are shared with the faculty and other students during “Science Day” which is held on the first Reading Day at the end of the Spring semester. Independent Study Contracts are available outside 427T Integrated Science Building or at  Independent Study forms.

Some projects a student may wish to undertake could have both a practicum and independent study component to it. The student and faculty advisor might consider dividing the project and registering part as an independent study (ANIML SCI 196-596) and part as a practicum (ANIML SCI 298,398 or 498).

Selection of Independent Study Course Numbers

The following is a suggested guide for the selection of the appropriate Independent Study number:

  1. Choose ANIML SCI 196 and 296 at the freshman and sophomore levels for projects that are primarily a technical experience. As examples, they may involve learning a specific set of laboratory techniques in a research field used to address a specific research problem, or perhaps providing some teaching and leadership experience to other students in animal care and management. The care and management experience itself is normally a pass/fail practicum experience using ANIML SCI 298.
  2. Choose ANIML SCI 396 at the junior and senior levels for a research independent study that contains an introduction to methods of problem solving. There may be a significant technical component with some opportunity for independent research. Alternatively, being responsible for the teaching of an introductory lab or the development and teaching of an animal related summer camp instructional program would also be excellent projects.
  3. Choose ANIML SCI 496 at the junior and senior levels for a research project where the student is expected to become proficient at some technique and spend a significant amount of time on a problem solving activity. This activity may involve research project design and execution or other creative activity. These research projects and creative activities are at an advanced level and develop data or accomplishment that would result in an abstract or poster that could be presented at the Spring university wide research fair held in Boston.
  4. Choose ANIML SCI 596 at the advanced senior level for a project where the student would have some technical proficiency and would focus primarily on problem solving or other creative component. This work would be at the level expected in honors research, and like ANIML SCI 496 be of the caliber worthy of presentation at the State sponsored Undergraduate Research Conference held annually in Boston (coordinated on this campus by the Commonwealth Honors College).

Reporting Requirements for Independent Study

Depending on the level of the project or creative experience, the following are minimum requirements. Individual faculty may require additional reports, presentations, or exams in addition to the minimal reporting requirements. The requirements for the independent study should be clearly established when filling out the Independent Study Contract.

Minimal Reporting for Independent Study

Reports may take the form of abstracts, posters, or oral presentations.

  1. Freshmen-Seniors enrolled in ANIML SCI 196 and 296 and Sophomores-Juniors enrolled in ANIML SCI 396 submit an abstract of their project (about 500 words). The abstracts are posted during Science Day. Students are expected to attend Science Day.
  2. Seniors enrolled in ANIML SCI 396 or 496 present a poster at Science Day outlining the project and its results.
  3. Juniors – Seniors enrolled in ANIML SCI 596 give a 10-minute oral presentation to their lab that is similar to those given at scientific meetings and use visuals to present topics and data. Students may choose to report at a higher level.  Juniors enrolled in ANIML SCI 396 may choose to present a poster or give an oral presentation to their lab on Science Day.   A senior in ANIML SCI 496 may choose to give an oral presentation to their lab.
  4. Science Day is held on the first Reading Day prior to final exams in the spring semester.  Students are expected to attend.

Form of Reports for Independent Study

  1. Reports should contain the following information:
    1. The title of the project
    2. Name of the author
    3. Objective of the project
    4. Methodology used to conduct the project
    5. Major findings
    6. Conclusions, i.e. interpretation of the findings and suggestions for further research
  2. The abstracts, posters and oral presentations should be done in a professional manner similar to that found in the appropriate scientific journal or at a professional research meeting. The visuals should be of a standard that would be expected for posters and visual projections usually associated with these presentations. Students are encouraged to participate in the annual State sponsored Undergraduate Research Conference held annually in Boston (contact Commonwealth Honors College, 504 Goodell for details).

Time and Place of Independent Study Reports

  1. “Science Day” is held on the first Reading Day prior to final exams in the Spring semester.
  2. Posters and abstracts will be set-up for the day at 9:00 AM and noon on the 4th floor of Integrated Science Building.  Those who present posters need to be available to answer questions about their work between 2:00 and 4:00 PM on Science Day.  Those presenting abstracts do not need to be in attendance. Honors Thesis presentations will be presented during the morning of Science Day.

Grades for Independent Study

The sponsoring faculty member gives a letter grade for the Independent Study.