Bachelor in Animal Behavior

Have you ever wondered what makes positive reinforcement such an effective tool for training anything from betta fish to dogs to killer whales? Or why African lions are the only members of the cat family to live in strong social groups? Or how a canary’s brain can increase in size every spring when it begins singing to attract a mate? Carroll University’s Animal Behavior Program is one of the few undergraduate programs of its kind in the nation. You’ll explore how animals think, learn, perceive their surroundings, and process information, and how they adapt their behaviors to the environment in which they live.

Why Study Animal Behavior? Put Your Compassion to Work

Earning your degree in animal behavior prepares you for a variety of careers, such as a wildlife biologist, researcher, zookeeper, animal trainer, wildlife rehabilitator, or laboratory manager. It can also be a launching point for your master’s or doctoral degree or a professional program such as veterinary sciences. You may dream of enriching the lives of animals in a zoo setting, helping people with disabilities through animal-assisted therapy, protecting endangered species, or ensuring the health and welfare of companion animals surrendered to shelters and rescue organizations. This degree can help those dreams come true.

In addition to the major, Carroll offers a minor in animal behavior that complements many areas of study:

• Animal Behavior Minor

A Foundation in Science—a Focus on Real-World Experience

Carroll University’s animal behavior major introduces you to the scientific methods with which people study the behavior of animals–from how the brain and nervous system to influence behavior, to how animals learn new behaviors and solve problems, to why particular types of behavior evolve in the wild.

All animal behavior students are required to develop valuable hands-on skills by completing an internship at locations such as the Racine Zoo, the Wildlife in Need Center, or the behavior services department of the Humane Society. Students also participate in research both within and outside of class. Some of our students design their own research projects and even publish their work in professional journals. These experiences give students a real advantage in choosing a career or applying to graduate school.

Your studies are not restricted to Carroll’s classrooms. You’ll have opportunities to study at our 75-acre outdoor classroom and laboratory, the Greene Field Station, and Prairie Springs Environmental Education Center. Classes sometimes meet at the Humane Animal Welfare Society to give students hands-on experience in animal training. Carroll’s long-standing partnership with the Milwaukee County Zoo sets our program apart by giving you access to a nationally-recognized research training site just minutes from campus. Our senior-level classes design and carry out research projects there, selecting from more than 2,000 mammals, birds, fish, amphibians, and reptiles to observe.

Highlights

• A Foundation in Science—a Focus on Real World Experience.
• Learn from experts in the field. Our program puts you directly in contact with professionals who work with animals for their careers in a variety of settings.
• Master methods of animal training. Students learn how laboratory experiments have uncovered basic principles that allow trainers to predict and control behavior. Then, students put principles-into-practice training live animals in classroom and shelter settings.
• Explore the wild. Our 20+ year partnership with the Milwaukee County Zoo gives students access to research opportunities to observe animals from around the world. Other off-campus course settings include the Humane Animal Welfare Society and Osprey Wilds (formerly the Audubon Center of the North Woods).

CU in 60: Carroll's Animal Behavior Program

• Demonstrate a fundamental understanding of scientific approaches to Animal Behavior (theoretical, experimental, comparative, correlational);
• Articulate and apply core concepts across the breadth of Animal Behavior:
  • Neuroanatomy and Physiology
  • Learning Theory
  • Animal Welfare
  • Evolutionary Processes
• Communicate their understanding of Animal Behavior, supporting their communication with peer-reviewed evidence;
• Work collaboratively with others and demonstrate effective professional skills.

Animal behavior graduates are in steady demand and your degree will prepare you for a variety of careers that allow you to work with animals. From animal trainers who work with police or drug enforcement dogs to researchers who investigate the social behavior of African lions—there is a wide range of options open to you. Careers in animal behavior include:

• Trainers who specialize in teaching dogs to sniff invasive or endangered species for conservation efforts;
• Commissary keepers in zoo settings who prepare diets for animals from around the world;
• Occupational therapists who integrate animals into therapeutic practice;
• Wildlife managers who protect threatened species and their habitats;
• Individuals who own doggie daycare businesses.

Recent Alumni Placements

• Medi-Dogs – Service animal training and medical alert
• Animal care director, Oaken Acres Wildlife Sanctuary
• Veterinary student, Royal Veterinary College of London
• Research technician, Medical College of Wisconsin
• Assistant manager, Camp Bow Wow
• Ph.D. student, University of Toronto, Department of Cell and Systems Biology
• Naturalist, Audubon Center of the North Woods

Core Courses

• ANB 101 - The Science of Animal Behavior 4 Hour(s)
• ANB 101L - The Science of Animal Behavior Laboratory 0 Hour(s)
• BIO 120 - General Biology I 4 Hour(s)
• BIO 120L - General Biology I Laboratory 0 Hour(s)
• BIO 417 - Behavioral Ecology 4 Hour(s)
• BIO 417L - Behavioral Ecology Laboratory 0 Hour(s)
• PSY 101 - Introductory Psychology 4 Hour(s)
• PSY 240 - Biopsychology 4 Hour(s)
• PSY 314 - Learning and Animal Behavior 4 Hour(s)
• PSY 401 - Behavioral Neuroscience 4 Hour(s)
• PSY 414 - Research Methods in Behavior Analysis 2 Hour(s)
• ANB 380 - Internship in Animal Behavior 2 - 4 Hour(s)

Required Support Courses (4 Credits)

ENG 199 - Reading and Writing in the Sciences 4 Hour(s)

Bachelor of Science Requirements

Note: Animal Behavior students are required to take CMP112 and CMP114.

The requirements for a Bachelor of Science degree are:

• CMP 112 - Computational Thinking I 4 Hour(s)
• CMP 114 - Computational Thinking II - Statistical Analysis Emphasis 4 Hour(s) or
• MAT 140 - Calculus and Its Applications 4 Hour(s) or higher
• CSC 110 - Problem-Solving through Programming 4 Hour(s) or higher

Note: Each major may have specific course sequencing requirements. For specific requirements, see “Required Support Courses” within each major

Internships

Recent internship placements for Animal Behavior majors include:

• Nashville Zoo (two recently – big cats and avian)
• Vida Veterinary Program (Costa Rica)
• Field Projects International (Panama)
• Common Tides (US Virgin Islands)
• HAWS – Humane Animal Welfare Society
• WINC – Wildlife in Need Center
• Department of Natural Resources
• Marineland Dolphin Adventure in Florida
• Wildlife Safari in Oregon
• Willow Creek Therapeutic Riding Program in Wisconsin
• Cincinnati Zoo
• Health Heelers Animal Assisted Therapy program (WI)
• Wisconsin Humane Society

Program Differentiators

Carroll University’s Animal Behavior program is one of the few undergraduate programs of its kind in the nation.

• One of fourteen programs in the country (many additional programs with agricultural focus/animal science, fewer with behavior/domestic animal/zoo focus)
• Learn from experts in the field. Our program puts you directly in contact with professionals who work with animals for their careers in a variety of settings;
• Master methods of animal training. Students learn how laboratory experiments have uncovered basic principles that allow trainers to predict and control behavior. Then, students put principles-into-practice training live animals in classroom and shelter settings;
• Explore the wild. Our 20+ year partnership with the Milwaukee County Zoo gives students access to research opportunities to observe animals from around the world. Other off-campus course settings include the Humane Animal Welfare Society and Osprey Wilds (formerly the Audubon Center of the North Woods).

The compact nature of the major makes it easy for students to double major in areas such as Biology, Psychology, Business Administration, Education Studies, Environmental Science, Photography, Art, or Theater.

• Students also typically complete one or more minors – in addition to the fields in which they double-major, minors in areas such as Natural Resource Management, Sociology of Sustainability, or Environmental Education are common.

Specifications

Required hands-on research component

• IACUC – Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee
  • Committee of faculty, vets, and the public to approve research using vertebrates
  • Allows us to do more undergrad research (canine research will be popular)
• ANB101 – train a betta fish
• PSY414 – rat training – live or simulator
• BIO417 – Behavioral Ecology – MKE County Zoo

ANB240 – Animal Welfare (SP, eventually every semester)

• New requirement starting FA22
• Students learn about where food comes from and environmental impacts
• Basic needs of animals
• Makes us competitive with other programs – this is a commonly required course
• Many jobs are including/require welfare as part of the listing/duties

Canine Management sequence

• ANB250/255 (max of 8 students)
• Students apply for the program and are now able to do 250 without having to also complete 255
• ANB250 – work weekly with animals at HAWS and staff/faculty dogs
  • Real world case studies, develop behavior management plans

Courses in the works

• Ocean Connections, MKE County Zoo (slated for SP23)
  • Training with marine animals
  • Students may also need/want to take ANB250

ANB370 – Animal Assisted Interventions

• Led by an instructor with a therapy dog training company, with 20+ yrs. of experience
• How to train dogs, how dogs are chosen, impact the human-animal bond
• How to use AAI in real-world/digestible format

ANB270 – Human-Animal Bond

• How to effectively work with animals
• Ethics of working with animals
• Building relationships in animal-related fields
• General for all ANB students

ANB302 – Winter Ecology (flyer attached) J-Term course (10-12 days)

• Wildlife observation and tracking, human factors impacting wildlife

Student Organizations

• Carroll Students for Animal Welfare
• Pio Puppies – supports students raising service dog puppies on-campus
• Pre-Vet – supports students interested in animal health