Certificate Program (15 credits)
Do you dream of a career training wildlife or domestic animals? Do you want to develop the skills to work with nearly any species in any setting? If so, our Certificate Program in Animal Training and Enrichment is for you! Our program takes a comprehensive approach to behavioral management, allowing you to:
- Use fundamental & advanced training techniques
- Solve common behavioral problems
- Build training plans that really work
- Place behaviors on cue
- Prevent the development of fears & phobias
- Understand animal cognition & emotions
- Interpret animal body language & vocalizations
- Create effective enrichment
- Desensitize animals to new stimuli
- Eliminate aggression or other undesirable behaviors
- And much, much more!
The Animal Training & Enrichment certificate requires the completion of five online courses (15 academic credits) and a field requirement consisting of 40 hours of hands-on experience as an employee, intern or volunteer at an approved institution of your choice. The required courses for this certificate program are:
- ABI 126 Animal Minds & Emotions
- ABI 222 Animal Enrichment
- ABI 233 Animal Training
- ABI 331 Animal Behavior: An Evolutionary Approach
You will also select one elective from the following:
- ABI 232 The Human Animal Bond
- ABI 238 Therapy Dog Training
- ABI 251 Behavior & Training of Marine Mammals
- ABI 271 Canine Behavior & Enrichment
- ABI 272 Feline Behavior & Enrichment
- ABI 281 Avian Training
Upon graduation, students may begin using the designation CATEP, Certified Animal Training and Enrichment Professional. Many of our graduates start their own businesses after obtaining their certificate, working as independent animal trainers or behavioral consultants. Other graduates find work in zoos and aquariums, entertainment, shelters, kennels, veterinary practices, sanctuaries and other animal-related industries. The field of animal care and service workers, which includes animal trainers, is expected to grow at 15% over the next decade.* Opportunities in training have never been greater!
Our program in Animal Training & Enrichment is unlike any other distance education program. Students at the Animal Behavior Institute participate in a highly interactive online classroom, engaging in regular dialog with their professors and student colleagues. Students receive feedback each week, working on collaborative projects while training their own animals. This allows them to achieve a deeper level of understanding than they would develop on their own. This collaboration, coupled with the mentoring each student receives from their instructors, ensures that they receive a very personal education.
Tuition is $1,320 per course; the total tuition for the certificate program is $6,600 (textbooks are purchased separately). Tuition assistance is available via interest-free financing. If you have questions on the program, or need help getting started, please contact us at (866) 755-0448 or via email at [email protected].
*U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2014-15 Edition.
Learn more about Careers in Animal Training and Enrichment.
Discounted insurance is available to all ABI students and alumni