The Postgraduate Program in Zootechnics (PPGZ) - Masters - was established in 1977 and is a pioneering in this field in Northeastern Brazil. The mission of PPGZ is to qualify teachers, researchers and professionals specialized in the area of Zootechny, with a commitment to solve problems related to Brazilian livestock, especially the Northeastern, through scientific and technological activities that aim to improve human quality of life of the countryside and the sustainability of the surrounding environment. The creation of this Graduate Program was unique in that it focused on human capacity building with a scientific view directed to Brazil production and development, but generated based on the specificities of the semiarid region that are characteristic of the Northeastern region of the country.

Currently, PPGZ is structured and has been evaluated by CAPES with grade 4 (2013-2016). as a reference was evauated by CAPES Atualmente, o Programa encontra-se consolidado, tendo sido reconhecido pela CAPES como programa de referência no nordeste brasileiro e recebendo conceito 4 na última avaliação (2013-2016). Alumni are employed as professors, researchers and/or technicians in educational institutions, research, extension and private businesses.

The Center for Agrarian Sciences of the Federal University of Paraíba also has the Integrated PhD Program in Zootechnics (PDIZ), which includes the Federal University of Ceará. PDIZ was accredited by CAPES in 1999, according to the resolution CAA/CTC/168. The Federal Rural University of Pernambuco was also part of PDIZ until 2018. More information about the PhD in Zootechnics can be found at www.ufpb.br/pos/pdiz