Required Courses, 1st Year
ASCI 1 Animal Science
A scientific approach to the livestock industry encompassing aspects of animal anatomy,
physiology, nutrition, genetics, and epidemiology. Emphasis on the origin, characteristics,
adaptations, and contributions of livestock to the modern agriculture industry. Field
trips may be required.
ASCI 2 Animal Nutrition
Composition of feeds and their utilization by domestic animals, including digestive
physiology, animal assessment, feed appraisal and compiling of rations.
ASCI 51 Animal Handling & Restraint
Methods of proper handling for large and small animals, including chemical and physical
techniques of restraint. Field trip required.
AGHE 54 Veterinary Office Procedures
Veterinary medical records, client relations, medical terminology, filing of governmental
reports, legal responsibilities of registered veterinary technicians, and veterinary
medical ethics.
AGHE 64 Veterinary Pharmacology
Pharmaceuticals and biologics commonly used in the maintenance of animal health. Includes
generic terminology, abbreviations for prescriptions, labeling requirements, state
and federal laws, classification of materials, weights and measures, drug dosage flow
rates, pharmacological mathematics and the metric system, side effects, and drug interactions.
AGHE 79 Laboratory Animal Medicine & Care
Laboratory animal medicine, care, and procedures. Rules and regulations governing
laboratory animals.
AGHE 86 Anatomy & Physiology of Domestic Animals
Analyzes the body structures and systems, comparing domestic animals commonly found
in veterinary medicine. The physiology section will emphasize functions of internal
organs and body systems.
AGLI 96 Animal Sanitation & Disease Control
Prevention and control of infectious diseases affecting domestic animals including
basic disease concepts, transmission of infectious diseases, principles of sanitation,
and fundamentals of immunology.
Required Courses, 2nd Year
AGHE 60 Medical Nursing & Animal Care
Animal examination for health and disease conditions in the animal hospital, including
sanitation, administration of medicine, emergency treatment, therapeutic techniques,
dental prophylaxis, venipuncture, electrocardiology, and application of casts, splints,
and other appliances. Includes diseases both infectious and zoonotic, their causes
and effects, and immunology of animals. Formal admittance to the Registered Veterinary
Technology program required.
AGHE 61 Animal Surgical Nursing
Surgical preparation, surgical assistance, post-operative care, administering and
monitoring anesthesia, dentistry, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), sterilization,
and the maintenance of a sterile environment.
AGHE 62A Clinical Pathology
Hematology, clinical chemistries, internal parasites, immunology, serology, and vaginal
cytology of domestic animals.
AGHE 62B Clinical Pathology
Bacteriology, clinical chemistry, urinalysis, external parasites and cytology of domestic
animals.
AGHE 65 Veterinary Radiography
Concepts and skills of veterinary positioning of canine, feline, avian, reptilian
species, and livestock for radiography; processing of the radiograph; radiation safety;
technique and instrumentation; contrast radiography, dental radiology and advanced
imaging such as ultrasound, MRI, CT scan, nuclear isotopes scans. Emphasizes performance
of x-ray procedures for the veterinary practitioner.
AGHE 84B Applied Animal Health Procedures
A field study course that emphasizes practical experience in applied clinical procedures
and techniques, including treatments, preventive health care and minor surgical procedures
with school owned domestic farm animals. Experiences with animals will vary due to
seasonal changes and different husbandry practices during fall and spring.
AGHE 85 Seminar in Registered Veterinary Technology
Prepares students for national and state veterinary technician registration examinations.
Includes exposure to the types of questions encountered in registration examinations,
question analysis strategies, and review of important anatomical, physiological, and
nursing concepts.
AGHE 83A Work Experience in Veterinary Technology
This course is designed to provide Registered Veterinary Technician majors with actual
on-the-job experience at an approved work station which is related to classroom instruction.
A minimum of 75 paid clock hours or 60 non-paid clock hours per semester is required
for each one unit of credit. It is recommended that the hours per week are equally
distributed throughout the semester. Instructor approval required.
Required Electives
Choose three (3) units from the following:
ASCI 94 Animal Breeding
The science of animal breeding, including fundamentals of inheritance, reproduction,
and breeding systems for domestic animals. Artificial insemination, embryo manipulation,
and current topics in reproductive biotechnology will also be included.
ASCI 12 Exotic Animal Management
Care and management of exotic and alternative livestock species with emphasis on identification,
health maintenance, handling techniques, nutrition and reproduction. Includes analysis
of industry trends and principal marketing uses of exotic animals.
ASCI 14 Swine Production
Study of the principles and practices in the purebred and commercial pork production
industries; emphasis on the importance of breeds, breeding principles, selection,
nutrition, environmental management, health, marketing and record keeping to ensure
scientifically-based management decisions and consumer product acceptance.
ASCI 16 Horse Production & Management
Selection, utilization, and management of the light horse. Emphasis is on evaluation,
health care, and handling skills.
ASCI 17 Sheep Production
Survey of the sheep and goat industries; management of commercial, purebred and small
farm flocks; selecting, feeding, breeding, and basic care of small ruminants plus
marketing of sheep, goats and their products. Laboratory and field trips required.
ASCI 18 Horse Ranch Management
Skills and procedures used in the management of an equine business. Includes business
plans and record keeping, staff and financial management, horse care and training,
and farm design for a variety of horse operations.
ASCI 19 Horse Hoof Care
Proper horse hoof care; shoeing, trimming, and disease recognition and control.
ASCI 30 Beef Production
Purebred and commercial beef cattle production; emphasis on the importance of breeds,
breeding principles, selection, nutrition, environmental management, health, marketing,
and recordkeeping to ensure scientifically based management decisions and consumer
product acceptance as applied to beef cattle. Laboratory required. Field trips required.
ASCI 70 Pet Shop Management
Pet shop operations and the economic aspects of the pet industry. Organization and
operation of pet shops, animal care practices, and sound business management practices.
ASCI 71 Canine Management
Selection, feeding, housing, breeding and management of dogs, including commercial
aspects of the dog as a domestic pet. Laboratory work will include practical experience
in the handling and training of dogs. May include field trips.
ASCI 72 Feline Management
Care and management of cats including breed identification and characteristics, grooming,
showing, nutrition, practical care, behavior, breeding, and housing.
ASCI 73 Tropical & Coldwater Fish Management
Care and keeping of marine and freshwater aquarium fishes, plants, and invertebrates.
Guidance on setting up aquariums, choosing compatible species, feeding, health care,
breeding, and raising fish.
ASCI 74 Reptile Management
Care and maintenance of reptiles and amphibians, including snakes, lizards, turtles,
tortoises, newts, salamanders and frogs. Identification and characteristics of reptiles
commonly kept as pets. Housing, feeding, health maintenance, breeding and raising
of reptiles.
ASCI 76 Aviculture - Cage & Aviary Birds
Cage and aviary birds marketed in the wholesale and retail pet trade. Identification,
nutrition, breeding, disease prevention and control, and aviary construction. Psittacines,
soft bills, finches, game birds, poultry, and ornamental waterfowl.