Academic Advising
Academic Advising is designed to help students reach their educational and career goals; it is a shared task between an advisor and a student. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the student to make decisions about their goals, and academic advisors can assist in this process by helping the student understand options, determine resources and, when necessary, identify alternatives.
CAFES Advising Center
Location: Bldg. 74M-A
Email: cafesadvising@calpoly.edu
CAFES Advising Website
CAFES Peer Advising Team
CAFES Peer Advisors can support you with general questions about policies, forms, registration, finding classes, minors, and course options. Virtual and in-person drop-in advising (no appointment needed) is available Monday-Thursday from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. and Fridays from 9 a.m. - noon during the academic year. Not available during academic holidays; Limited availability during finals week.
Peer Advisor Drop-In:
Not available during finals week or academic holidays
Click here to wait in line for the next available drop-in advisor either virtually or in-person. (Please do not select the "in-person" option until you physically arrive in advising building (Bldg. 74M-A).
If you can't make drop-in but still have questions, please email CafesAdvising@calpoly.edu and include: First and Last Name, EMPL ID, Major, multiple options of days and times available, and advising topic(s).
ASCI Specific Peer Advising Hours
Drop-in hours and appointments available for Spring 2025:
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ASCI Department Academic Advisor
When should I meet with a Professional Advisor?
ASCI Faculty Advisors
ASCI & DSCI Faculty provide additional advising for students especially regarding career paths, graduate school, course content, and course substitutions.
How do I find my faculty advisor?
Each student in our department is assigned a faculty advisor during their first week at Cal Poly. Change of Major students will be assigned a faculty advisor once their ICMA has been approved. If you do not remember who your faculty advisor is, please contact the Animal Science Office: animalscience@calpoly.edu.
Office of the Registrar Support
The Records Unit of the Registrar will be available Monday through Friday via a Virtual Front Desk to assist students with registration issues, leaves of absence, term and course withdrawals, and transcript inquiries. Questions for the Evaluations Unit will continue to be handled over email and their phone line.
Records Virtual Front Desk:
Monday through Friday
9 a.m. - 12 p.m., 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Email/Contact Information - Who should I Contact?
Financial Aid Advising
Financial Aid Advisors Assigned by Student's last name
Academic and Faculty Advisors are not able to answer questions about your financial aid. Please contact Financial Aid by email at financialaid@calpoly.edu or phone call to 805-756-2927 before dropping below 12 units.
Academic Resources:
ASCI Department - Tentative Course Offerings
Use this document to check when ASCI and DSCI classes are being offered:
Terms Typically Offered
Use this document to check when classes across Cal Poly are typically offered by their department. You can also see this information in the Cal Poly Catalog:
Four-Year Flow Charts & Curriculum Sheets
Cal Poly offers a wide variety of extracurricular activities for students and there are many ways you can plan your schedule. The major flow charts are meant to give you an example and guide for when to take your classes so you can graduate in 4 years. Students should develop a four-year plan with their adviser and check with their adviser each quarter to make sure that they are on track for graduation.
Please visit the Cal Poly Catalog using the link below to access a copy of your major flow chart or curriculum sheet. Also listed are direct links to your major courses as listed in the Cal Poly Catalog. Please make sure to note which catalog you are on beforehand (2022-2026, 2021-2022, 2020-2021, etc).
Curriculum Sheets & Flowcharts
Current Flow Charts and Curriculum Sheets
BS Animal Science Degree Requirements - Current Catalog
BS Animal Science Degree Requirements - Current Catalog
Previous Catalogs - Catalogs Prior to 2022-2026
Career Elective Areas
Groups of courses in specific fields
The curriculum for a bachelor's degree in Animal Science allows students to take classes that will prepare them for the career of their choice. Students have the option to take classes from nine different Career Elective Areas (CEA) to complete their curriculum. This flexibility allows Animal Science students to get the most out of their education at Cal Poly. These classes will apply to major requirements, approved electives, and free electives depending on your catalog.
Students that start Cal Poly as freshman should discuss their career interests and course choices with their faculty adviser during their second year. Transfer students should discuss course choices with their faculty adviser during their first or second quarter at Cal Poly.
Students can decide to follow one of the following Career Elective Areas or take classes from a variety of areas.
Career Elective Areas
Minor Requirements
The minor requirements are listed on the Cal Poly Registrar's website.
Minors are a great way to gain experience in different areas and expand the scope of your resume. Please note, that students are not able to declare a minor that is already within their major. For example, an Animal Science student cannot declare an Equine Science Minor.
This website includes a list of all minors at Cal Poly, their curriculum requirements, and instructions on how to declare: Minors at Cal Poly
Animal Science Department Minors:
Dairy Industries Minor
Equine Science Minor
Poultry Management Minor
Meat Science and Processing Minor
Rangeland Resources Minor
Senior Project
ASCI 477 | ASCI 478 | ASCI 479
The senior project is a required capstone course for all Cal Poly students. Students develop project ideas while consulting faculty advisers, and these ideas should generally reflect students’ interests in a particular animal-based discipline or species. Senior projects can be a research project, an in-depth literature review, an advanced enterprise management experience, or a pre-planned educational internship. Whatever the type of project, students are encouraged to choose project topics that are challenging, incorporate knowledge and skills learned in the past courses, provide opportunity for independent thought, and can be accomplished with the provided facilities, animals, equipment, materials and time.
Fulfilling the Senior Project Requirement in ASCI and DSCI
In the Animal Science Department, the Senior Project can be met through completing any one of three options-ASCI 477 or 478 or 479. Each approaches the senior project experience a little differently and, therefore, will appeal to students in different ways. Completion of any ONE of these, however, will fulfill the Senior Project requirement.
Senior Project Course Descriptions:
ASCI 477. Senior Project - Research Experience in Animal Science. 3 units
Term Typically Offered: F, W, SP
Prerequisite: Senior standing, ASCI 363 and consent of instructor. Recommended: one course in statistics.
Independent research experience in a specific area of animal science conducted under faculty supervision. Satisfies senior project requirement. Minimum 90 hours required. This course (477) typically involves work done in a research capacity within the activities and/or laboratory of the faculty member. Projects and responsibilities are variable according to the type of research being performed.
ASCI 478. Senior Project - Advanced Internship Experience in Animal Science. 3 units
Term Typically Offered: F, W, SP
Prerequisite: ASCI 363 and senior standing and approval by Faculty advisor of your choice.
Independent internship experience conducted under faculty supervision focusing on a discipline area of animal science. Completion of a project as a component of the internship. Satisfies senior project requirement. Minimum 90 hours required. Under the 478 option, students participate in an internship which includes the completion of a project approved by the faculty member and department head. This project is typically presented to the department faculty or other public forum as a condition of completion. An application is available from the ASCI Department office.
ASCI 479. Senior Project - Current Topics in Animal Science. 3 units
Term Typically Offered: F, SP
Prerequisite: Senior standing and ASCI 363.
Critical evaluation and formal presentation of current issues facing animal agriculture. Evaluation of current topics, analysis of supporting evidence and logic, and synthesis and formal presentation of the resulting perspectives on different approaches to current challenges. 3 lectures. This option is a structured course in which students complete a series of assignments, write one or more papers, deliver presentations and participate in debates relative to current topics in Animal Science.