Literature Review:

Possible Professions with an Animal Science Degree When it comes to education, having a college degree is very important. Having a degree can help you find a career that you are interested in and it can also set you apart from others who are looking for that same particular job. Finding jobs with an animal science degree is difficult due to competition and lack of need. Sometime having an animal science can help but sometimes it can be unproductive. There are careers for those in the animal science field people just have to look harder. Finding the solution is important because this question has been ongoing and uncertain for me and Im sure others feel the same way. The uncertainty of this question worries many because they need some sort of guidance and structure that they can rely on when in doubt or questioning their actions when it comes to college. By William S. Lefes, this article introduced the idea of career opportunities outside the United States. Looking around the globe about international problems with agriculture, animals are a major concern because of their role as a food source. Many countries are poor and underdeveloped when it comes to technology. Organizations such as A.I.D., PASA, and UNDP all share the same belief of improving technology and way of life (Lefes 2). Animal scientists have opportunities outside the United States. For example, The next largest employer of animal scientists in international economic development work today is the United Nations (Lefes 3). The UN is helping and providing animal scientists for countries all around the world. The third world countries are experiencing troubles with animal production with milk and beef. However, signs of improvement with the product begin to show as more and more animal scientist and technicians arrive to these underprivileged nations. The article, from J.H. Meyer, was about how research was conducted to help universities to create a well-balanced curriculum for their students interested in animal science. The research consisted of surveys offered to alumni of the University of California-Davis Animal Science Department about the curriculum and careers they took after college. The basic professions referring to an animal science degree was a veterinarian, lab scientist and a business manager but according to the data, combining the number of students working that includes animals compared to students whose jobs have no affiliation with animals, most students did not pursue with a profession that was committed to animals (Meyer 4). Although the diversity of animal influenced

careers was non-existent, most of the students in the University of California-Davis Animal Science Department pursued a job that was not about animals or science. Jane Salisbury and Martin Jephcotes artcilr is about what elements such as social interactions between students and teachers, social interactions between students, economy, setting, and methods of teaching and they affect learning. The research explains how students from Wales are in vocational programs. These types of schools help refine formal skills and introduce students to real life situations by having them work on college farms, in stables and in reptile houses (Salisbury & Jephcote 3). The students understood that not everything to know is in books but it is also in experience. The students were able to learn and comprehend the daily task of someone who would be an animal care taker by working alongside and collaborating with others. A significant number of animal care students who took part in four of the focus groups and whom we knew from two years of sustained fieldwork in these settings and study programs saw themselves as specialist animal carers (Salisbury & Jephcote 6). The students from Wales were generally worried about securing jobs at zoos, wildlife park, and vet hospitals. All three articles have the one thing in common, research and animal care. However, some articles are more similar then others. The articles from Meyer and Salisbury & Martin both have main points to focus on the students and courses. Articles from William and Salisbury & Martin show an international aspect. Although these articles explain what careers are plausible for people with an animal science degree, I plan to completely fix the solution by having introductory classes that allow students to job shadow or experience what it would be like to work in a certain career, whether it be a veterinarian, animal scientist, zoo animal trainer, dog shelter manager or care taker, animal groomer, etc. This would help the students to create a general idea on what they truly want to do and they will also have experience through the class which in turn will help with internship and job applications. All articles mentioned in this literature review explain about possible careers with an animal science degree or something to that particular interest. Some of the article did not have this as their main topic but it is still researched by the authors. However, basically the research all proves that there is something out there for people like me who are trying to earn a living working with animals, it just maybe a little more difficult than expected when it comes to

searching jobs. Even if you do find a job working animals, it may be a low-salary paying profession.

Works Cited Lefes, William S. "Education and Opportunities in Animal and Dairy Science Career OpportunitiesForeign." Journal of animal science 29.2 (1969): 263-267. 9 March 2014. Meyer, J. H. "Influence of alumni careers and students' educational pathways on animal science undergraduate teaching programs." Journal of animal science 68.10 (1990): 3056-3068. 9 March 2014. Salisbury, Jane, and Martin Jephcote. "Mucking in and mucking out: Vocational learning in Animal Care." Teaching and Teacher Education 26.1 (2010): 71-81. 10 March 2014.