Certificate Program (15 credits)
Do you want to improve the welfare of the animals in your care? Do you want to develop the skills to use animal training, behavioral enrichment and environment management with confidence? If so, our Certificate Program in Laboratory Animal Behavior is for you! Our program takes a comprehensive approach to behavioral management, allowing you to:
- Reduce stereotypical and self-injurious behavior
- Prevent the development of fears and phobias
- Create effective enrichment toys and devices
- Eliminate aggression towards conspecifics or people
- Quickly desensitize animals to new equipment or stimuli
- Train animals to cooperate with procedures
- Safely house animals in groups
- And much, much more!
The Laboratory Animal Behavior 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 222 Animal Enrichment
- ABI 233 Animal Training
You will also select 3 electives from the following:
- ABI 271 Canine Behavior & Enrichment
- ABI 272 Feline Behavior & Enrichment
- ABI 291 Carnivore Behavior & Enrichment
- ABI 375 Behavior of Rabbits & Rodents
- ABI 378 Primate Behavior & Enrichment
Upon graduation, students may begin using the designation CLABP, Certified Laboratory Animal Behavior Professional. Many of our graduates work in laboratory animal science as technicians, facility managers, researchers, coordinators, veterinarians & veterinary techs, behaviorists and enrichment specialists. The outlook for professionals in laboratory animal science is excellent. The field of animal care and service workers, which includes laboratory animal technicians, is expected to grow at 15% over the next decade.* And salaries will continue to be significantly higher in the laboratory animal field relative to the average for all animal care workers. Opportunities in laboratory animal science and behavior have never been greater!
Our program in Laboratory Animal Behavior 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 Laboratory Animal Behavior.