Frequently Asked Questions about ABI

• What is the difference between Animal Biology and Animal Science? Is one better for pre-vet students?

• The Animal Biology (ABI) and Animal Science (ANS) undergraduate majors are in two different departments. Animal Science is its own department and Animal Biology is in the Department of Entomology and Nematology. The Animal Biology Major split from Animal Science in 2007. By 2010, the number of ABI students had tripled in size and have developed the major into what it is today.

  The main difference between the two majors is that ANS is based on agriculture and husbandry. ANS specializes in domestic and farm animals whereas ABI is research-based and does not focus on any one particular group of animals. Explore this site for more information about the ABI major and feel free to visit the Animal Science major website to learn more about their program.

  There is no one major better than the other. You can choose any major you’d like and still apply to veterinary school as long as you take the required classes in order to apply and get other required material to apply.

• What can I do with this major after I graduate?
• Whatever you like! The practicum is the perfect opportunity to explore your scientific interests and gain valuable experience that will prepare you for whichever path you choose after graduation: either the work force or a graduate/professional school program. Many of our students go on to vet school or med school, dental school, etc. We also have students who pursue graduate programs in animal behavior, environmental science, conservation biology, immunology/pathology, education/teaching, and more. Some ABI students continue on to do work for government agencies such as CA Fish and Game or US Fish and Wildlife Services. The ABI major gives you a solid background in general biology, ecology/evolution, scientific methods, and scientific writings, it's up to you to make it into what you want it to be.
  
  The Internship and Career Center website has some great resources for jobs, internships, and fellowships at all levels that you can pursue during or after your undergraduate career, check out our Student Resources page for more information.
  
  Check out our ABI Alum Spotlight to learn more about what former ABI students are up to after graduating!
• Why do I have to do a practicum?
• The practicum is an opportunity for ABI students to...
  
  Center the major around their specific interests
  Gain valuable experience in research techniques/methods and scientific writing
  Work with staff/faculty and/or graduate students at UC Davis or off-campus
  Help you prepare for post-graduate goals
  Bolster your resume and transcripts with research experience that will make you stand out
  ...and much more!
  
  See our page on the Practicum for more details.
• Does my practicum topic have to be animal-related?
• Yes. Animal Biology is first and foremost an animal major, so the practicum topic must be animal-related.
• I want to take ABI 050B Winter quarter, but it says I need to take BIS 001B and BIS 001C before registering for this class, what should I do? 
• This prerequisite information is outdated as BIS 001B and BIS 001C are no longer existing classes; therefore, they are no longer prerequisites for ABI 050B.
  
  To register, please fill out a prerequisite petition when registering for the class on Schedule Builder. Please use the petition to notify the instructor that you are an Animal Biology major. That will be all you need to do to register for the class. Instructors/the department is aware of the outdated prerequisite, so ABI students' petitions will be approved.
• I am trying to find GE classes, but am not sure what to take. Do you have any recommendations?
• You can take any GE class that you want, as long as it fulfills the requirement(s) you need. ABI peer advisors can share recommendations based on their personal experiences. Try to find something that interests you or ask your friends to see what they have taken for recommendations.
  
  If you are interested in completing a minor, this may be the opportunity to look into it and take a class in that minor to see if it’s something you may want to pursue. Try to avoid (i.e., definitely avoid) classes that give you QL, SE, and SL credit because you will already be getting that credit from core STEM classes in the ABI major (for example, chemistry, math and biology).
  
  For further questions and detailed advising information about GEs, please visit reach out to the advising office of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at caes.ucdavis.edu/students/advising. 
• I am on the waitlist for a class, and I'm not sure what to do. Should I continue to wait for the class or what are the odds that I get off the waitlist? What are my other options for this situation?
• Please note that who and how many students are enrolled from a waitlist depends on how many students drop before the last day to add a class in the quarter and/or the specific professor's waitlist policy. The decision is at the discretion of the professor.
  
  Depending on the class, many times students are able to get off the waitlist. For example, classes like chemistry and biology have a moving waitlist because oftentimes students miss their first day of lab causing that person to be dropped from the section.
  
  Option 1: Stay on the waitlist and register for a backup class. This option will give you the chance to get off the waitlist and get into the class. However, you must watch for the 10 unit drop date or 20 unit drop date since after that date you will no longer be able to get into that class. You will also then have to keep that backup class that you registered for after that date. While waiting for a spot to open up, you must also attend both the waitlisted class and your backup class to make sure you don’t get behind in the class in case you are/are not able to get off the waitlist.
  
  Option 2: Email the professor to see if they can accept you off the waitlist. If you have not gotten off the waitlist by the time instruction begins, ABI Advising recommends that you still attend the first day of class and see what the professor shares about their waitlist policy. We encourage you to discuss the waitlist policy in-person with the professor directly after class or during office hours to make yourself known to the professor.
  
  Option 3: Wait another quarter for the class and take a different class. Before you decide to make this decision, double check what quarters this class is offered by either checking on Schedule Builder by looking up the class for next quarter or checking on Oasis and typing it into your academic plan. Your academic plan will tell you if the class is offered that quarter of that specific year. If you are high on the waitlist, then you may want to explore this choice, but try all your options first.
• Can ABI Advising help me get a PTA (Petition to Add) number that will allow me to bypass a waitlist or registration restriction?
• As mentioned in the previous question, enrollment is at the discretion of the course's instructor and whatever department the course is part of. For specific enrollment policies, please reach out to the course's instructor directly. 
  
  NOTE: ABI Advising can only assist with enrollment for courses in the Department of Entomology and Nematology (subject codes ABI, ENT, and NEM). 
• I want to minor, but am not sure of the process. Can you tell me what’s the process of minoring?
• You will need to contact the department of your minor of interest for minor advising. Their advising staff can assist you in providing information on what classes you will need to take, course availability, and how the minor may fit into your graduation plan.
  
  After meeting with an advisor in your minor's department, you will declare your minor once you have registered for your last course requirement. You will need to complete and submit a Minor Declaration form on OASIS for major advisor and minor advisor approval.
  
  For detailed instructions on how to complete the OASIS Minor Declaration form, click here.
• I am looking at my academic plan and will be taking ABI 187 in the fall quarter then ABI 189 and ABI 189D after. What are these courses for and what do students do in them?
• ABI 187 is a seminar meant to prepare ABI majors for their practicum research. Throughout the class we will learn how to find a mentor, how to create a CV, how to write our proposal/practicum, what questions to ask when interviewing our potential mentors, how to prepare for an interview, etc. At the end of the quarter, we give a presentation on our topic we are researching about and how this research will be conducted.
  
  ABI 189 give you three units of credit for completing the research portion of your practicum. If you need more time to complete your practicum, you may repeat ABI 189 up to one additional time (for a maximum of two quarters of ABI 189 total).
  
  ABI 189D gives you one unit of credit for completing the written portion of your practicum, in which you will write a manuscript about your research.
  
  For more information and to learn how to register for these courses, please refer to our practicum project information page.
• I have additional questions and still want to learn more about the Animal Biology major. What other resources are available to me?
• No problem, ABI Advising is here to help! Please visit our Advising Information page to see current advising availability and resources.