Whether your passion is dairy or livestock the innovative training of our Animal Science program will provide you with the knowledge and skills for a successful career. Classes focus on animal nutrition, herd health, reproduction, genetics, milk or meat quality, record keeping, and industry related technology.
What you will learn:
- Animal Nutrition
- Healthy and Efficient Livestock Environment
- Milk and Meat Quality
- Reproduction Techniques and Artificial Insemination
- Farm Records and Analysis
- Soils and Forage Crop Production
- Overview
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Is This Program for You?
Students entering the Agribusiness, Science & Technology - Animal Science program should:
- Have a strong attention to detail.
- Be willing to try new and innovative ideas.
- Have a good understanding of agriculture.
- Enjoy science and mathematics.
Program Basics
- Associate degree - requiring a minimum of two years to complete
- Classes are offered daytime, face to face, and on campus
- Fall or Spring Start
- Financial aid available
- Credit for prior learning may be available
- High school articulation courses accepted
Related Degrees
- Curriculum & Costs
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Cost of Attendance (COA) 25-26
Cost of Attendance (COA) is a total of all the usual expenses of being a student. The COA sets the maximum amount of financial aid a student can receive.
Category Amount Tuition and Fees $4,932 Living Expenses (Housing and Food) $10,305 Books and Supplies $1,463 Personal Expenses $3,065 Transportation $4,103 Charger Tech 360 Fee $700 Loan Fees $85 Yearly Total (Living Away from Home) $24,653 1 Semester Total (Living Away from Home) $12,327 Based on Wisconsin Residents.
Approximate school costs are for a full-time (12 credit) student over a semester span of 17 weeks.
Fees are legislated by the Wisconsin Technical College System Board.
These costs are estimates and are subject to change without notice.
- Admissions & Requirements
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Admission and Program Requirements
- Submit Application
Most programs admit students as applications are completed. For certain high-enrollment programs with limited space, applications are reviewed in order of residency and review dates. Programs currently in this category include Radiography, Electrical Power Distribution, Midwifery, Cosmetology, and Nail Technician. Learn more about our Admissions and Wait List Policy.Academic Preparedness Requirements
- Log in to your MySWTC account, go to My Profile → Document Center → All Programs to complete the following:
- Send your transcripts and scores to Southwest Tech: While not required, sending your transcripts and test scores helps us make sure your classes are the right fit. We consider any previous college credit you’ve earned, Accuplacer or ACT scores, high school GPA, or an assessment at your registration session. Submit your high school transcripts, college transcripts, and test scores by emailing admissions@swtc.edu, or mailing them to Southwest Tech, Attn: Admissions, 1800 Bronson Blvd, Fennimore, WI 53809
- Career Assessment Plan
Start your Student Success Plan by exploring your career interests, talking through your program choice, and confirming your path feels like the right fit. This step can be completed either by setting up a One-on-One Career Assessment Meeting with a recruiter or as part of your Student Success Plan Meeting with an advisor. Schedule a Student Success Plan Meeting by clicking “Make an appointment” with your program advisor. - Academic Map + Supports & Services Plan
Continue building your Student Success Plan by planning your courses, reviewing funding options, and connecting with resources. To complete this step, schedule a Student Success Plan Meeting by clicking “Make an appointment” with your program advisor.
- Submit Application
- Outcomes
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Program Outcomes
At the completion of this program, students are expected to be able to:
- Develop an agriculture business plan
- Apply relevant technology used in the livestock industry
- Develop science-based livestock care standards
- Analyze opportunities in livestock-based agriculture
- Demonstrate professionalism skills within the agricultural career areas
Related Degrees
- Career Opportunities
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Graduates obtain positions in a wide variety of specialty areas, and there is a vast amount of potential for those who have mid-management or upper-management career aspirations. The demand in this field is expected to remain high for several years in such jobs as:
- Herds Person for Livestock operations
- Reproductive Specialist
- A.I. Technician
- Feed Sales
- Milk Quality and Meat Quality Specialist
- Livestock Care Specialist
Southwest Tech's Career Connections Center offers Services to assist students looking for job placement.
- Transfers
- Prior Learning
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Credit for Prior Learning
Experience Pays! You've Been There... You've Done That... Let's See If You Can Get Credit For It!
Credit for prior learning gives you opportunities to earn credit for college-level knowledge that you have already acquired. This may be the result of work or volunteer experiences, certifications, apprenticeships, military training, extensive self-instruction, or professional development. Credit for Prior Learning affords you the opportunity to accelerate the completion of your educational goals.
For more information on Credit for Prior Learning see our Credit for Prior Learning page.
At any time, you may Request Credit for Prior Learning.
Animal Science Courses that may have Credit for Prior Learning options:
Course # Course Title Challenge Exam
(Demonstration)Challenge Exam
(Standard)CLEPCredentialPortfolio10-006-147 Meat Quality 
If Portfolio is approved, Challenge Exam will be administered. 10-006-150 Farm Animal Reproduction AI Ceritification 10-006-153 Dairy Production Management 10-006-180 Animal Science 10-006-197 Agribusiness Experiential Learning 10-103-106 Beginning Microsoft Excel Any Microsoft MOUS certification (even an old certification) will also be considered for CPL 10-801-136 English Composition 1 CLEP Test - College Composition 10-801-196 Oral/Interpersonal Communication 10-804-123 Math w Business Apps 10-809-196 Introduction to Sociology