The Master of Science in Animal and Avian Sciences at the University of Maryland College Park is a thesis-based graduate degree program in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Students engage in advanced coursework and original research under the mentorship of faculty with expertise in fields such as cellular and molecular biology, animal nutrition and physiology, avian development, immunology, genetics, and computational biology. The program emphasizes research training and requires a substantial thesis; non-thesis options are not available. Graduate students benefit from extensive laboratory and farm facilities, teaching opportunities, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Graduates are prepared for further doctoral study, careers in academia, animal industry, biotechnology, government research, or veterinary fields.