About the Department

History of the Department of Animal Sciences goes back to the establishment of the Academy of Agriculture in 1967 and teaching Animal Husbandry to the students of this academy. In 1977 the Academy of Agriculture joined the Faculty of Agriculture of Bu-Ali Sina University. The Department of Animal Sciences was established in 1983 under the title of "Department of Animal Husbandry" by the late Dr. Mohammad Taghi Akhzar and Dr. Mohammad Mahdi Tabataba'i.

The first group of students were admitted to the associate course of Animal Studies in 1985 and until 1997 admission to this course continued under the title of Technology of Animal Products. In 1997, first B.A students started studying in the field of Animal Sciences and so far 14 out of the 18 admitted groups have graduated. In 1998, M.A course was established in the field of Animal Nutrition (in the subfields of Ruminantia and Poultry Nutrition) which was instructed by the experts of Agriculture Jihad. In 2001 first group of M.A students in the field of Animal Sciences were admitted in both subfields through entrance examination of National Organization of Educational Testing.

The first group of M.A students of Animal Sciences in the subfield of Breeding was admitted in 2006. Admission of students in the field of Poultry Farming and Breeding at the M.A level started in 2013.

In 2007 the Department of Animal Sciences successfully obtained the license for the establishment of PhD. course in Animal Nutrition and the first group of PhD. students in the field of Animal and Poultry Nutrition started their studies in 2008. In 2012, PhD. course was established for Animal Breeding and the students of this subfield started their studies.

As of 2016, the Department of Animal Studies is active in the following fields and levels with 11 faculty members (professors, associate professors and assistant professors):

1. B.A

Animal Sciences

2. M.A

Animal Sciences – Animal Breeding

Animal Sciences – Ruminantia Nutrition

Animal Sciences – Poultry Nutrition

Poultry Farming and Breeding Management

3. PhD.

Animal Nutrition – Ruminantia Nutrition and Poultry Nutrition

Genetics and Animal Breeding

Current Status

Currently the Department of Animal Sciences of Bu-Ali Sina University, with 11 faculty members and laboratory equipment including 5 specialized laboratories and an educational-research farm, admits students at the levels of B.A, M.A and PhD. Considering the high capacity of the alumni of the department, many of them are currently working in other universities and research centers and some others are teaching and doing research at post-PhD. courses in some of the well-known universities abroad.

Some of the books authored by the faculty members of the department are being used as a source of instruction in other universities of the country and the number of the articles published by the faculty members is remarkable. Contracts have been signed with other institutions and organizations outside of the University for carrying out numerous research projects, some of which are under implementation. Generally, all of the efforts of the faculty members are directed toward empowering the students and alumni of the department of Animal Sciences as much as possible.

Future Status

In light of the fact that Bu-Ali Sina University is part of the G8 Universities and admission and education of foreign students will be done in this group of universities in the near future, the Department of Animal Sciences of the university is getting prepared for the admission of foreign students as well. For this purpose, equipment and expansion of the laboratories of the department is being seriously pursued through Vice-Chancellery for Research. Also empowering the faculty members is prioritized by means of sending faculty members to well-known abroad universities for passing research courses. Obtaining the license for the establishment of M.A course in the field of Animal Physiology from the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology is another priority.

Statistics of the students and dissertations

Currently 153 students are studying in the Department of Animal Sciences, 75 of whom are at the B.A level, 55 at M.A level (Subfields of Animal Genetics and Breeding, Ruminantia Nutrition, Poultry Nutrition, and Poultry Farming and Breeding Management) and 23 students at PhD. level (Subfields of Ruminantia Nutrition, Poultry Nutrition and Animal Genetics and Breeding).