The Poultry Science major at the University of Georgia provides a firm foundation in the understanding of poultry: health, production, breeding, nutrition, anatomy, processing, and diseases. Electives in agricultural business, marketing, finance, land economics, health law, government regulation, and management supplement major course work.
The Poultry Science department encourages student research, a distinctive feature of UGA's program that adds to the base of scientific knowledge, provides opportunities for graduate degree training, and provides information useful to the poultry industry in Georgia. The UGA Poultry Research Center comprises 10 research facilities, a hands-on classroom and laboratory, processing, further processing and product development, and hatchery. Students receive practical experience through egg hatching and incubation, bird vaccination, brood facility setup, and meat quality and marketing labs.
Poultry Science students will have the opportunity to pursue departmental research, undergraduate teaching, and paid student worker positions. The Poultry Science department awards around $80,000 each year in student scholarships. All Poultry Science students are eligible for these scholarships each academic year of their degree. Students will also work with a major specific advisor for each semester they attend UGA.
Graduates begin their poultry careers at farms, feed mills, hatcheries, and processing centers. Others work for equipment manufacturers and firms that supply medicines, vaccines, and sanitation supplies. Educational and agricultural extension agents work in production facilities. This major boasts 100 percent job placement because this industry is one of the top earning commodities for the state of Georgia.