Major Advising Page: Dairy and Food Animal Management
The Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences strongly supports dairy and food animal management students gaining international experience to complement their UW–Madison program and open doors to future career paths. A study abroad experience can provide a unique opportunity to gain a global perspective on dairy production, animal welfare and ethics, animal nutrition and breeding strategies, animal agricultural environmental aspects, and agri-business while building regional knowledge and developing intercultural communication skills and networks.
Whether studying dairy production in Ireland or sustainable food systems in France, students can incorporate short-term and semester-long programs that specifically match their interests and career goals. Students desiring an international experience have the ability to incorporate a study abroad program within their 4-year plan with advance preparation and scheduling. Department study abroad funding is available to provide financial assistance to students.
Course considerations
Dairy and food animal management majors are encouraged to build study abroad into their academic plan and discuss that plan with their major advisor. Depending on your academic plan and degree progress, you may be able to take a mix of major requirements and electives while abroad.
Students interested in completing dairy and food animal management requirements can select a program that offers coursework related to dairy and food animal management. This coursework may include specific dairy and food animal management courses or major elective courses such as animal welfare, genetics, biology, statistics, or agri-business courses. There are highly respected study abroad programs that offer courses with pre-approved equivalents for UW–Madison courses that meet dairy and food animal management requirements.
You are encouraged to consider other programs that meet alternative study abroad goals as well. Several animal and dairy science courses are offered once per year, so you should work closely with the dairy and food animal management advisor to ensure requirements will be met.
Completing core foundation science courses prior to study abroad is also important. Taking summer courses can help students fit in a semester-long experience without taking heavy workloads at UW–Madison. Students considering professional schools should complete prerequisite coursework at UW or seek additional guidance to address the application of coursework from professional school advisors.
The most common requirements that may be fulfilled through a study abroad program are:
- General Education requirements (e.g., Humanities, Social Sciences)
- CALS International Comparisons Requirement
- Dairy and Food Animal Management Core requirements
- Dairy and Food Animal Management Electives
Map your experience as a dairy and food animal management student
Dairy and food animal management students can include a study abroad experience any time during their program. Short-term experiences during summer and winter Intersession may fit well earlier into your curriculum, but most students planning for a semester abroad benefit from including a fall or spring abroad experience during their junior or senior year.
When selecting semester-long programs, the program you select will likely determine when the best time will be for you to go abroad. Students with very strong international interests can also consider completing a short-term experience as a freshman or sophomore, followed by a semester abroad.
Steps to get you started:
- Explore and research available programs that interest you (*see recommended programs for DFAM majors at the bottom of this page)
- Meet with the animal and dairy and food animal management advisor to review your 4-year plan, the benefits of the program, and any special considerations that come with studying abroad
- Communicate questions to the study abroad advisor assigned to the program(s)
- Generate a list of pros and cons for any programs you are strongly considering
Freshman year
During freshman year, you will focus your efforts on completing general education and college requirements as well as introductory major coursework. Explore short-term programs for winter intersession or summer terms, and research fall and spring semester programs that interest you.
Sophomore year
During sophomore year, you will continue moving forward with required dairy and food animal management courses, general education requirements, and college coursework. Students considering graduate studies should include additional core science courses to meet prerequisite needs. Winter intersession, spring break, or the summer after sophomore year are also good times to consider studying abroad. Sophomore year is a great time to identify which semester abroad program you want to pursue for junior or senior year.
Junior year
Junior year is the most popular time for dairy and food animal management production students to complete a semester abroad. By junior year, you will have completed enough coursework to allow you to take upper-level and/or specific coursework abroad that will enhance your learning abroad. Fall or spring semester may work well, depending on which program you select, but dairy and food animal management majors typically complete study abroad during the spring semester. The summer after junior year also provides an excellent opportunity to study abroad that fits in between semesters at UW–Madison. Graduate school interests and required coursework may also dictate the best time to study abroad; for some students, the spring of junior year or even senior year may be a better option.
Senior year
There is still time to study abroad during your senior year, especially for students with double majors or graduate school students. You are encouraged to study abroad during the summer before senior year or the fall semester of senior year. The senior fall semester requires careful program selection, and pre-approval of required coursework is important to ensure you meet senior capstone requirements.
Ask questions
- What study abroad programs are you aware of that have valuable programs in dairy and food animal management that may match my interests and priorities? (Hint: there is a list of suggested programs below!)
- Can I include study abroad if I want to continue on to a graduate program?
- Will I be able to study abroad and graduate in 4 years, considering my other goals?
- What are some specific curriculum details I need to consider when selecting a program?
- Are there courses in the major that are offered once a year or that I have to take at UW–Madison?
- What major courses or required courses can be taken abroad?
- How do I determine if my study abroad courses will meet major requirements?
- What programs offer coursework that fits well with my major and my personal interests?
- What are my financial aid and scholarship options for funding study abroad?
- How do I select courses for my program?
- What is the process for determining UW equivalents for courses taken abroad?
- What are class structures like abroad, and how do they differ from those at UW–Madison?
- What is the application and notification timeline for programs and scholarships?
- What skills do careers related to my major require, and how might participating in a particular program help me gain those skills?
- When would be the best time to participate in a program based on my career goals?
- How will participating in a study abroad, study away, or international internship make me stand out?
- Why do I want to study abroad?
- How will studying abroad enhance my education and personal growth?
- What are my personal goals, and where is studying abroad on my priority list? (e.g., graduating in 4 years, professional school prereq needs, double major/certificates/honors/research, etc.)
- What type of learning experience do I want? Classroom, research, internship? Short-term vs long-term, during a semester or summer term? Do I want more than one abroad experience?
- Is there a specific country, culture, or language that I want to learn about and experience?
- How will I finance my study abroad experience and what scholarships and financial aid are available?
Discover programs that are right for you
The following are programs that may be of interest to you! Durations and courses vary and may count toward electives or degree requirements. If you do not have specific requirements, there’s more flexibility in program type and location.
These opportunities are not an exhaustive list of all programs.
In this section
Featured programs
The following study abroad programs have various durations and courses that may count for electives or requirements for the dairy and food animal management major.
Belize
CELA Large Animal Veterinary Practice in the Tropics (winter or summer)
3 credits; Designed for pre-veterinary and dairy science students, this two-week program gives participants opportunities to shadow and assist veterinarians on working ranches and farms while learning about husbandry, large animal agriculture, and health issues of horses, sheep, pigs, and cattle in Belize.
Czech Republic
Czech University of Life Sciences (semester and year)
This program offers marketing and plant pathology courses that meet major requirements and other complimentary electives. Participants take classes alongside local and international students.
Greece
Perrotis College (summer)
6 credits; This six-week summer program includes a 3-credit class on the Greek Cultural Experience and the option to take an additional 3-credit class or engage in a 3-credit research or work internship:
- Research internship: Students are matched with a Perrotis faculty member based on the student’s research interests and the faculty member’s research needs. (Example of past research topic: dairy cattle reproductive physiology.)
- Work internship: Students enroll as work interns with the Dairy Farm unit, gaining practical hands-on experience.
Ireland
University College Dublin Agricultural and Life Sciences (semester and year)
This program offers a variety of classes that can fulfill major requirements. Students can also take electives on Irish culture and history. Cultural activities and day trips are included as part of the program. Participants take classes alongside local and international students.
Netherlands
Wageningen University (semester and year)
This program offers classes that can fulfill major requirements. Participants take classes alongside local students and experience life at one of the world’s top agricultural institutions.
New Zealand
- Lincoln University (semester and year)
This program includes a number of agri-business, production, and marketing classes that may fulfill major requirements or serve as valuable complimentary elective coursework. Participants take classes alongside local and international students. - Massey University (semester and year)
This program offers classes on animal welfare and a ruminant animal nutrition course which may fulfill major requirements or serve as valuable complementary elective coursework. Take classes alongside local and international students.
Related programs
The programs below may not offer courses that fulfill specific major requirements, but they may be of interest to dairy and food animal management majors.
Argentina
IFSA Preveterinary Medicine (spring)
This study abroad program is designed for pre-veterinary students to gain relevant knowledge through classroom coursework and hands-on learning through volunteering, internships, directed research, and networking. Take classes on topics like animal health management, animal genetics, and veterinary Spanish and engage in volunteer days or internships at an equine shelter, agricultural school, or veterinary college.
Australia
- University of Queensland (semester and year)
- University of Sydney (semester and year)
Costa Rica
SFS Ecological Resilience Studies (semester or summer)
France
Greece
Perrotis College (semester)
Japan
Sweden
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Exchange (semester and year)
International Internships
International internships allow you to apply your academic skills to the real world and gain valuable professional experience abroad while earning UW–Madison course credit.
As you consider your academic and professional goals for studying abroad, explore the different internship options, including UW Signature internships, internship-focused programs, part-time internships, or applying for credit for an external internship.
Check with your academic advisor to see if earning credit for your internship abroad can fulfill a major or certificate requirement.
Hear from students in your major
Explore student blogs and reflections to see how your peers have connected international experiences to their studies. Discover real stories about the skills, challenges, and professional insights gained through our programs.
Photo credit: Robin Grygleski (Netherlands)
Want more information?
Dive deeper into how courses and credits work on our programs, or connect with an advisor to find the best fit for your goals.
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