HAS Certificate and Degree Programs
Following are university programs that offer degrees, certificates, or specializations in subjects relating to human-animal studies. These programs do not include veterinary programs or law school programs. Veterinary programs can be found linked here while law schools can be found linked here. Please send additions or changes to margo@animalsandsociety.org.
American College of Applied Science Companion Animal Behavior
Counseling Degree Program This clinical graduate degree program for professionals is the first of its kind offered by a U.S. college or university and is designed with the working adult learner in mind. The program employs a scientist/practitioner model following the principles of applied behavior analysis and evidence based practice. It is designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the field of companion animal behavior and provides graduates with the necessary knowledge, task, and leadership skill sets to work as applied animal behaviorists servicing over 150 million companion animals and their caregivers in the U.S. alone. The curricula explores companion animal behavior including learned and heritable behavior, species-specific behavior, functional assessment and analysis of behavior problems, measurement of behavior using quantifiable methodologies, development of positive behavioral intervention plans, psychopharmacological intervention, caregiver counseling and ethical practice. Additional learner outcomes include a thorough understanding of the societal value of the human-animal bond as well as the cultural and ethical issues related to companion animal welfare while recognizing companion animals as members of the family unit. Students enrolled in this program are required to work with certain animal species associated with the curricula, e.g. dogs, cats, horses, birds, small mammals and reptiles, etc. in academic residency, field project or externship courses.
Arizona State University Graduate Certificate in Treating Animal
Abuse This professional development certificate is open to Masters or PhD level professionals in such disciplines as social work, psychology, nursing, counseling, psychiatry and other health and human service professionals and may include CEUs. This is a NOT FOR credit program. A minimum of a Master's degree is required to enter the certificate program but professionals with a bachelor's degree in health or human services can take any of the courses with CEUs available.
Bircham International University Program in Animal Assisted Therapy Program delivered by distance learning higher education up to a maximum of 15 credits. This module may be combined or completed with other online university courses from this faculty. This program provides an overview of the many ways in which animals can be used to assist therapists. Coverage includes how animals can assist specific patient populations (children, the disabled, AIDS patients, etc.), how animals can aid in specific settings (hospitals, prisons, independent practice, etc.), and how professionals can best select appropriate animals (species, breed, and individual temperament) and design an AAT program. Humans have long had a special bond with animals, initially as work animals, then as pets, and now more frequently as therapeutic companions. Animals help the sick recover more quickly and help the aged live longer and more satisfying lives. Specially trained animals are now helping stroke victims, the handicapped, and others to regain or build lost faculties. Courses in the module include human-animal support services, animal assisted therapy, the animal human bond, domestic animals, and animal behavior.
Canisius College Institute for the Study of Human-Animal Relations Canisius College affirms its strong commitment to the advancement of ethical thought as it pertains to mankind's relationship with nature and the other species with which we share the planet. The Canisius College Institute for the Study of Human-Animal Relationships (ISHAR) is at the forefront of Human-Animal Studies, engaging Canisius students and members of our community in dialogs on pressing issues. ISHAR provides administrative support for the Animal Behavior and Conservation major, and for three academic minors in Anthrozoology, Animal Behavior, and Zoo Biology. The program also provides interdisciplinary coordination among the college's Animal Behavior, Ecology, and Conservation program with our Philosophy and Religious Studies programs, an Anthrozoology Speaker Series, a bannual Anthrozoology symposia, and advocacy of animal welfare and conservation via: The Canisius Ambassadors for Conservation The Canisius Zoological Society Volunteers and Interns. As of September 2011, Canisius College now has an online graduate program (Master of Science) in Anthrozoology. In this two-year, online graduate program, students will have considerable latitude in choosing courses that engage fundamental issues in animal studies, including environmental issues, education, law and policy, ethics, religion, literature, economics, shelters, zoos and, of course, companion animals, wildlife, research animals, and food animals.
Carroll College Anthrozoology Major The Human-Animal Bond Program, and the new Anthrozoology major, explores the unique relationship between humans and animals. By increasing our knowledge about this bond and by assessing how animals enrich our lives, we can improve the quality of life for both humans and animals. Carroll College's unique experiential approach provides students with both scientific and academic rigor and the hands-on application of the knowledge gained.
Colorado State University Graduate Program in Environmental Ethics
and Animal Welfare Colorado State University typically has about twenty graduate students, with over half of them interested in environmental philosophy, animal welfare issues, and international development issues. Holmes Rolston teaches environmental ethics in the fall, typically Tuesday evenings, and usually a graduate seminar in the spring, typically one evening. Philip Cafaro joined the faculty fall 1999 and is now teaching environmental ethics, also offering graduate seminars and advising in the field. There are typically about two relevant graduate seminars each semester in philosophy, by Bernard Rollin, and others, and lots of other things elsewhere in the university. There are also some graduate students working in the more traditional areas of philosophy. If a student has no previous philosophy, there are about five general courses in the main areas of philosophy required as "remedial" work, that is, they do not count toward 30 hours needed for the master's degree.
Drury University Forum on Animal Rights This new program, funded by Bob Barker, includes courses on animal ethics, animals and the law, animals and society, and animals in literature.
Duquesne University Humane Leadership Major This major is designed specifically for individuals working in, or who want to work in, animal care and protection. It provides specific knowledge that will support career goals in animal advocacy and shelter management. Students come from a variety of professions including animal control officers, humane educators, shelter managers, veterinary technicians and animal care volunteers. The humane leadership major combines a foundation in nonprofit management with a grounding in the history, philosophies, and issues related to animals. The program provides targeted, specific knowledge that will support career goals in shelter management, animal control, or animal advocacy. Already have your bachelor's degree? Take six humane leadership major courses as a post-baccalaureate certificate.
Eastern Kentucky University Animal Studies Major The Animal Studies program at EKU includes faculty and courses in a variety of disciplines including biology, anthropology, sociology, law, agriculture, and psychology. This unique interdisciplinary approach will help you to fully explore the complexities of animals' lives, human-animal relationships, ethical and moral concerns about animals, representations of animals and humans, and the significance of animals in human evolution, history, culture, and civilization.
Humane Society University Animals Studies Program Humane Society University (HSU) is a private, nonprofit institution offering a variety of graduate, undergraduate, and non-credit professional development programs in human-animal studies. Based in Washington, D.C., HSU is the first higher education institution in the country licensed to provide Bachelor of Science degrees and graduate certificates exclusively dedicated to human-animal studies. Interdisciplinary coursework focuses on human-animal interactions, animal behavior, and the role of animals in society in both U.S. and global contexts. Coursework is taught in online, hybrid, and traditional classroom formats.
Humane Society University School of Professional Development In addition, the School of Professional Development offers non-credit online courses, professional certificate programs, and onsite workshops in animal care, shelter management, humane education, and advocacy throughout the United States.
Institute for Humane Education The Institute for Humane Education offers several graduate degree and certificate programs in humane education -- the only programs of their kind in North America. These distance-learning programs are offered through a partnership with the highly respected and accredited graduate school of Valparaiso University. The programs include a Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Humane Education; a Master of Arts (M.A.) in Humane Education; an M.Ed. in Instructional Leadership, with a Concentration in Humane Education; an M.A. in Liberal Studies, with a Concentration in Humane Education; and, a credit-bearing Graduate Certificate in Humane Education (which can be either stand-alone or added to an existing degree). IHE's graduate programs provide in-depth training in comprehensive humane education, helping educators of all types gain the skills, knowledge and strategies to teach about the interconnected issues of animal protection, human rights, environmental preservation, and media, culture & consumerism.
John F. Kennedy University Certificate in Ecotherapy The Ecotherapy Certificate will offer training in evidence-supported approaches for transforming the human relationship to nature in the service of healing and well-being. These deep approaches, fashioned for both personal- and community-level work, include horticultural therapy, animal-assisted therapy, time stress management, managing "eco-anxiety," and critically analyzing the media's role in the debate about mass-produced food. The certificate program, which can be completed in one year, offers students the opportunity to learn theory and information online and practice by participating in two three-day intensive meetings in person. Lees-McRae College offers a degree program in Wildlife rehabilitation, with two concentrations in the biology degree under Wildlife Studies. Students attend Lees-McRae College and major in Biology with a concentration in either wildlife biology or wildlife rehabilitation. The wildlife biology program is a naturalist major, while the wildlife rehabilitation program is a unique, hands on, experientially based program where students work with injured and orphaned wildlife, including working with non-releasable wildlife ambassadors in education, through the Blue Ridge Wildlife Institute. Madonna University will begin to offer (January 2012) an undergraduate certificate of Completion in Animal Cruelty Investigation. Madonna University's Animal Cruelty certificate program familiarizes students with the ethical treatment of animals while providing them with the basic skills necessary for investigating and reporting the mistreatment of animals.
Michigan State University Animal Studies Program Animal Studies at MSU is an umbrella program focused on the interdisciplinary study of the relationship between humans and other animals. The program includes a doctoral and master's graduate specialization, cutting-edge research, a monthly seminar series on the MSU campus, and a registered student organization that connects academic initiatives with the local community. The Graduate Specialization in Animal Studies: Social Science and Humanities Perspectives, which is administered by the Department of Sociology, provides graduate students with basic knowledge of relationships between humans and other animals and how they are linked together in a fragile biosphere. The graduate specialization is available as an elective for students who are enrolled in master's or doctoral degree programs at Michigan State University. With the approval of the department and college that administers the student's degree program, the courses that are used to satisfy the specialization may also be used to satisfy the requirements for a master's or doctoral degree
New York University Animal Studies Initiative NYU's Animal Studies Initiative promotes and supports research and teaching in the emerging area of Animal Studies. It does so by administering an undergraduate minor in Animal Studies, supporting research and teaching, and sponsoring public events and workshops. The Initiative draws on NYU's strengths in the Faculty of Arts and Science , as well as the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development , and the Tisch School of the Arts. For questions about the Animal Studies minor, email animal.studies@nyu.edu.
Notre Dame De Namur Animals in Human Society Concentration The Sociology: Animals in Human Society major offers students the opportunity to study Sociology while focusing on the unique social relationship humans share with other species. This major is designed for those students who enjoy interaction with people and, at the same time, find interest in the world of animals. Students explore our bond with animals on the interpersonal, institutional, and global levels. The centerpiece of Sociology: Animals in Human Society is its two-semester internship during which students work directly with animals at an on-site location of their choice. Some of the several organizations with which students might intern are the Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA, National Center for Equine Facilitated Therapy, the Oakland Zoo, San Francisco Zoo, Coyote Point Wildlife Museum, Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, Homeless Cat Network, World Wildlife Fund, Humane Education Network, In Defense of Animals, Vet-SOS, the San Francisco SPCA, Pets Are Wonderful Support (PAWS), Palo Alto Humane Society (PAHS), and the Delta Society.
Oakland University Animal Assisted Therapy Degree Program The Oakland University Online Animal Assisted Therapy Certificate Program consists of five 8-week consecutive courses (that run September to June) to help professionals incorporate AAT into their work, make volunteers more credible or assist entrepreneurs in establishing a non-profit. Focusing on the differences between Animal Assisted Activities and Animal Assisted Therapy, students will learn how to set up a program to achieve desired outcomes within the population with which they work.This asynchronous online program allows students the flexibility to complete assignments at their convenience. A final capstone project includes the development of a practical proposal or business plan. The courses include an overview of AAT, psychology and research, working with special populations, working with animals and the capstone project.
Ohio State University Human and Animal Interactions Cluster The Human and Animal Interactions GEC Cluster was created to give you an opportunity to explore the roles animals play in society and the impact of human and animal relationships while providing a forum to share your view with others in an accepting environment where discussion is encouraged and desired. The GEC Cluster is a series of three innovative courses that utilize multiple disciplines and techniques to allow you to learn and understand the impact of human and animal interactions in a well-rounded manner. Taken together, these courses will allow you to study this topic on a deeper level while possibly satisfying some of your GEC requirements. You'll learn about human and animal interactions, how globalization affects animal species, how geography and culture impact the roles animals play in society, the domestication process and much more. You'll get to take field trips and may even get to go on a study abroad trip to Europe to witness these things first hand. Oranim College Animal Assisted Therapy Program The program is meant to train professionals (with at least a B.A.) for Animal-Assisted Psychotherapy in various special needs populations (e.g. those in mental health settings, group homes for at-risk children and youth, hostels, schools, senior homes, etc.). It is intended for: - college graduates (preference given to graduates with an academic background in areas related to therapy and/education), and those with a personality appropriate for conducting therapy. Prescott College's pioneering Equine Assisted Mental Health (EAMH) program blends a passion for interaction with horses and other equines with the skills of counseling and psychology. Graduates in this rapidly evolving field are prepared to pursue licensure or certification in their home state as a psychotherapist or in counseling and psychology. Faculty assist students with the design of their self-directed, 75 semester-credit hour program. In addition to the core requirements for professional licensure, the EAMH curriculum explores the theoretical understanding, ethical issues, facilitation skills, and relational equine skills crucial for professionals in this area of counseling.
Ruskin College Animals and Humans Module
This is a compulsory module that is taken at level 5 or 6 (second of
third year) as part of a BA degree in History with Social Sciences
at Ruskin College, Oxford. It aims to question the way
in which human history is taken as a given and seeks to explore the
historical and cultural position of animals in society both as a way
of understanding but also challenging set ideas of human history. It
draws on trans - disciplinary ideas from Animal Studies as well as
those from Cultural History. Students achieve a critical
understanding of the way that the past has been constructed as
simply a human past; understand the limits of knowledge in the
development of historical and cultural meanings which acknowledge
the role of non human animals in human pasts and critically analyse
information which might be obtained through re-visiting pasts
through the lens of animals. Indicative topics include: -The possibility of the past without animals: Writing in an
absence -Were animals actually changing in C19th Britain or were these merely human perceptions and how can we tell? -Difficulties of animal history: the nature of representation. Can we get beyond this or not? -What might animal history look like? Is the incorporation of animals within human history the only way forward? Rutgers Online Certificate in Animals, Community and Law The online certificate in Animals, Community and the Law is offered in conjunction with the Rutgers Graduate School of Public Affairs and Administration and is recognized as an area of specialization (concentration) in the School's Masters of Public Administration. This graduate certificate program consists of three online courses and a practicum and is designed and taught by Lawyers In Defense of Animals, Inc. (LIDA) trustees. Online certificate courses consist of a blend of case studies, applicable laws, and engaging instruction about the role of animals in the community. Courses include rights, conflicts, public policy, safety, control, and litigation. Periodic conference calls enhance your connection to the instructors and other students. It is also available as a certificate only program for non matriculating students.
Southampton University MSc Degree in Human-Animal Interactions Southampton University, starting in September 2011, is offering a new MSc in Human Animal Interactions. Graduates from a range of specialities including psychology, social science, humanities, zoology, human and veterinary medicine and nursing are eligible to apply. The course starts with a common foundation in anthrozoology and research methods and then has two pathways; Animals and Human Health, and Global Perspectives in Human Animal Interactions, plus the opportunity to pursue a particular area of interest through one elective module. After passing the taught modules students progress to undertaking a dissertation. The course will equip students for success if they plan to continue higher education in teaching or research, or pursue a path in a related health, charitable, public sector or commercial organisation. Thompson River University Animal Welfare Certificate Program (Canada) This is a program of studies for animal care givers who are interested in upgrading their work skills and for individuals interested in a career in Animal Welfare. The Animal Welfare Certificate Program has been jointly developed by Thompson Rivers University (TRU), and the BC Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (BC SPCA). Tri-County Community College Animal Assisted Interactions Concentration The Human Services Technology/Animal Assisted Interactions concentration prepares individuals for entry-level positions in service organizations providing animal interactions. The curriculum prepares students to incorporate specially selected animals in goal-directed interactions to improve human physical, social, emotional, and/or cognitive functioning. Course work includes a history of the field of animal interventions, relevant scientific evidence regarding the benefits of interactions, theoretical models, application of animal interventions and current trends. Students gain skills in measurement methodology and in animal handling and management. Graduates should qualify for employment in mental health, youth services, social services, rehabilitation, correction, elder, and educational agencies. Upon completion of the degree, students may be eligible for certification through national or international organizations. Tufts Master of Science in Animals and Public Policy The Center for Animals and Public Policy (CAPP) advances research, policy analysis, education and service pertaining to the important roles animals play in society, and explores the ethical implications of the human-animal relationship. The Center offers the Masters of Science in Animals and Public Policy (MAPP) program and is also home to the Ethics and Values curriculum within the DVM program. The work done at the Center revolves around three areas of focus: Animals in the Community, Animals in Research, and Animals in the Environment. University of British Columbia Graduate Program in Animal Welfare (Canada) Our program offers a Ph.D. or M.Sc. in Animal Science specializing in Animal Welfare. Students joining our program usually have a background in a relevant area of science such as animal behaviour, animal science, veterinary medicine, or, very occasionally, a different background but an interest in completing a science-based graduate degree. Students generally do a thesis in our core research area - animal welfare in relation to the housing and management of animals. Currently the majority of research relates to the welfare of cattle, lab animals, and companion animals. Students interested in welfare topics where we do not have sufficient expertise (for example, the welfare of zoo animals, marine mammals and other free-living wildlife, or improved management of captive primates) may be accepted on the condition that they secure appropriate co-supervision from outside the program.
University of Denver Animal-Assisted Social Work Certificate This MSW certificate program is the first of its kind in the nation. It explores the therapeutic use of animals in many types of social work practice, a new and exciting aspect of the field. By earning this certificate, you'll learn how to create, implement and evaluate AASW programs in which an animal becomes a teacher, therapist, facilitator and companion. You'll learn how to choose the most appropriate animals for particular therapies, and how to care for the animals in accordance with nationally recognized standards. You'll also understand how to identify, assess and intervene in "link" violence--the frequent connection between animal-abuse and violence toward people.
University of Redlands Human-Animal Studies Minor Human-Animal Studies (HAST) is a rapidly growing interdisciplinary field devoted to examining and critically evaluating the relationships between humans and nonhuman animals, be these relationships historical or contemporary, factual or fictional, real or symbolic, beneficial or detrimental. In exploring these relationships, we acquire a greater understanding of the ways in which animals figure in our lives and we in theirs. As our understanding of ecology and the fundamental interconnectedness of all living beings continues to grow, the importance of studying human-animal interactions becomes ever more evident. All students with an interest in the interactions between humans and animals are encouraged to consider a Human-Animal Studies minor. This minor will have an especially practical use for students pursuing careers related to wild or domesticated animals, such as animals in laboratory science, zoos, shelters, refuges, wildlife rehabilitation centers, and veterinary medicine.
University of North Texas Animal Assisted Therapy Program The Center for Animal Assisted Therapy (CAAT) promotes human and animal welfare through the partnership of people and pets. The mission of the Center for Animal Assisted Therapy (CAAT) at the University of North Texas is to train professionals and volunteers to work with their pets to: 1) facilitate the development of students in Kindergarten through 12th grade with pet-assisted educational programs; and 2) enhance the emotional well-being of persons of all ages through positive human-animal interactions. The CAAT has three primary focus areas: 1) training, 2) research and 3) community services.
University of Wales Trinity Saint David Masters in Anthrozoology
(Wales, UK) The MA in Anthrozoology will be of interest to anyone who would like to investigate the many and varied ways in which humans perceive, engage, compete and co-exist with non-human animals in a range of cultural contexts. It will be especially relevant in terms of CPD for individuals who are involved with the care of non-human animals in a professional capacity (e.g. vets, veterinary nurses/technicians, animal trainers, dog wardens, zoo keepers, conservationists, charity workers etc.), as well as for students who have completed social science undergraduate degrees or who have a science background and would like to expand their research interests into the social sciences. The Anthrozoology MA will be available either residentially in Lampeter or by way of blended (distance) learning. The Institute for Humane Education offers a graduate program in
humane education through a partnership with the highly respected and
accredited graduate school of
Valparaiso University. They are the only graduate programs in
humane education in the United States and Canada. Our graduate
programs include both degree and certificate programs and are
offered in an online format, which allows students from the United
States and abroad to complete the program remotely, with the
exception of a one-week residency (required for two of the programs)
held at IHE's campus in Surry, Maine.
There
are five programs offered: a Master of Education (M.Ed.) in
Humane Education (33 credits); a Master of Arts (M.A.) in Humane
Education (33 credits); a concentration in Humane Education for the
M.Ed. in Instructional Leadership (15 credits); a concentration in
Humane Education for the M.A. in Liberal Studies degree (15
credits); and a credit-bearing Graduate Certificate in Humane
Education (either stand-alone or added to an existing degree) (15
credits). Animal Studies is an emerging field that builds on scholarship in the humanities, social sciences, and sciences to investigate past and present relations between human and non-human animals, the representation of those relations, their ethical implications and their social, political, and ecological effects in and on the world. Wesleyan Animal Studies fosters scholarship on human-animal relations from a range of disciplinary and interdisciplinary perspectives. Beginning in the summer of 2011 Wesleyan Animal Studies, in partnership with the Animals and Society Institute, will host The Human-Animal Studies Fellowship Program at the College of the Environment.
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