Master of Science in Aquaculture and Aquatic Sciences Course Descriptions

FRANKFORT, Ky., -- Nathan Kring Kentucky State University aquaculture students give tours of the High Tunnels on campus that house hemp, and marine shrimp as part of a shrimp farming workshop, Friday, Sept. 14, 2018 at the Harold R. Benson Research and Demonstration Farm in FRANKFORT.

The School of Aquaculture and Aquatic Science, and the School of School of Math and Computer Science at Kentucky State University offer a Master of Science Degree in Aquaculture and Aquatic Sciences. Aquaculture is the rearing of Aquatic organisms under controlled or semi-controlled conditions.

Interest in Aquaculture has increased worldwide as fish consumption has increased concurrently with decreasing catches of wild fish. In Kentucky and the southern United States, aquaculture production focuses on raising freshwater species commercially. This program is designed to provide students with the academic foundation for further graduate studies. Each student will have a graduate committee.

Upon completion of the program, a student should have knowledge of production and reproduction of primary aquaculture species, basic physiology and nutrition of Aquatic vertebrate and invertebrate culture species, mechanics and operation of primary production methods, causes and controls of pathogenic organisms, the function and manipulation of biological and chemical cycles in ponds, basics of marketing and business aspects of aquaculture, and the design and analysis of experiments.

Courses

AQU 507: Fish Genetics

  • Credits: 3
  • Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
  • An overview of fish genetics including basic principles and methods of selective breeding in aquaculture.

AQU 508: Introduction to Geographic Information Systems

  • Credits: 3
  • Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
  • This graduate course will expose students to the concepts, software, data and analysis processes of Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Students will develop a real world, working knowledge of GIS through hands-on work with mapping software, its potential, its limitations and further trends in the mapping industry. Graduate students will develop a project that examines existing spatial data and utilizes modeling software to create a production quality, full scale mapping product.

AQU 511: Fish Diseases

  • Credits: 3
    3 hours of lecture, 1 hours of laboratory.
    • Required AQU 510: Fish Disease Lab
      Credits: 1

Prerequisite: BIO 406 or consent of instructor.

  • 3 hours of lecture, 2 hours of laboratory per week.
  • An in-depth study of clinical diagnosis of fish diseases; necropsy of diseased fish; and formulation of corrective measures for disease control.

AQU 512: Fish Morphology and Physiology

  • Credits: 4
  • Prerequisite: BIO 311 or consent of instructor.
  • 3 hours of lecture, 2 hours of laboratory per week.
  • A graduate approach to the study of fish morphology and physiology with emphasis on comparative and adaptive aspects among Osteichthyes (true bony fish).

AQU 521: Fish Nutrition

  • Credits: 3
  • Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
  • 3 hours of lecture per week.
  • A graduate approach to the study of fish nutrition including nutrient requirements, nutrient chemistry, ration formulation, and practical feeding.

AQU 522: Principles of Aquaculture

  • Credits: 3
  • Introduction to principles underlying Aquatic productivity and management with a survey of domestic and foreign cultures of fish and Aquatic vertebrates.

AQU 527: Fish Reproduction & Spawning Techniques

  • Credits: 3
  • 3 hours of lecture, 1 hours of laboratory.
  • An overview of basic biology of fish reproduction and techniques of artificial spawning for common aquaculture species.
    • Required AQU 528: Fish Reproduction & Spawning Lab
      Credits: 1

AQU 551: Survey of Production Methods

  • Credits: 3
  • Prerequisite: BIO 251 or consent of instructor.
  • 3 hours of lecture per week.
  • An in-depth study of alternative production methods including cages, net-pens, ponds, raceways, and recirculating systems with application to suitable species. (Three hours of lecture per week)

AQU 552: Aquaponics

  • Credits: 3

AQU 560: Water Quality Management

  • Credits: 3
  • Prerequisite: BIO 260 or consent of instructor.
  • 3 hours of lecture, 1 hours of laboratory per week.
  • An in-depth study of the understanding and manipulation of the biological, chemical, and physical aspects of water quality in aquaculture production.
    • Required AQU 561 Water Quality Lab
      Credits: 1

AQU 570: Recirculating Aquaculture Systems

  • Credits: 3

AQU 591: Internship: Aquaculture

  • Credits: 1-4
  • Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
  • Intensive experience involving practical on-site participation working at an aquaculture facility (university, state or private) for graduate students.

AQU 600: Research Aquaculture

  • Credits: 1-9
  • Laboratory or field research on approved thesis topic in Aquaculture or related Aquatic Science.

AQU 601: Thesis (1/3)

  • Preparation of research based thesis on approved topic.

AQU 699: Research and Thesis Completion (1-9)

  • Prerequisite: Consent of Aquaculture graduate student coordinator or major professor: This course is to permit the completion of research and thesis. Graded pass/fail.