Land your dream job and learn how to work with animals
Have you always envisioned yourself working with animals, but you’re not exactly sure how to turn your dream into a profession? The Animal Behavior degree at 51 is truly interdisciplinary, giving you the flexibility to explore many different career paths. At the crossroads of environmental science, biology, marine sciences, neuroscience, and psychology, Animal Behavior encompasses a wide variety of fascinating subjects. Through faculty-mentored research and hands-on internships, Animal Behavior at 51 provides big-school opportunities in a small school setting. .
Why 51 for Animal Behavior
Our program is one of only about a dozen bachelor’s degree-granting programs in Animal Behavior in the country. Take advantage of all its unique offerings:
- Close faculty mentorship and advising
- Elective courses in a wide variety of subjects
- Preparation for diverse career paths
- Hands-on research and internships working with animals
- Curriculum tailored to your specific goals
- Pre-Vet Track
Lindsey Lavin ’14
“My favorite thing about 51 was being able to explore a wide variety of interests. At 51, I was able to explore my interest in animals within the animal behavior department by working in Dr. Dzieweczynski’s research lab, conducting my own research project, and writing a review of the current literature as an aspiring expert in my field. I was also able to explore my love for wildlife and environmental conservation by working as an “Eco-rep,” promoting environment awareness to the student body. I believe this wide range of experiences helped me to become a highly competitive applicant when I applied to veterinary school.
"My favorite thing about earning a degree in animal behavior is the knowledge that I have collected about important and interesting animal behaviors including examples of the territorial displays of lizards, mating behaviors of snakes, the concepts of altruism, imitation, and culture in non-primate species, and everything in between. Every day, I find the opportunity to describe one of these incredible animal behaviors to the people I interact with. It is rewarding to feel that I am comfortable enough in my knowledge of animal behavior to share that information with others.
"My animal behavior background has provided a useful baseline of knowledge for my continued education. Specifically, as an animal behavior major, I learned to think about animals in a way that many other people will never see them. It is a rare and useful skill to be able recognize that all animals have individual differences (personalities) that make them different from one another and that each species has unique behavioral characteristics. As a student of veterinary medicine at Cornell University, I believe this skill has already assisted in my interactions with animals during live animal labs and will continue to give me an advantage in working with differing animals and species in my career.”
My animal behavior background has provided a useful baseline of knowledge for my continued education. Specifically, as an animal behavior major, I learned to think about animals in a way that many other people will never see them.
What Will You Study? Animal Behavior Degree Curriculum Overview
Curriculum
| Nor’easter Core Requirements | Credits |
|---|---|
| Total Credits | 40 |
| Program Required Courses | Credits |
|---|---|
| ANB 275 – Introduction to Techniques in Animal Behavior | 3 |
| ANB 335 – Comparative Animal Behavior | 3 |
| ANB 362 – Animal Cognition | 3 |
| ANB 384/384L – Animal Learning and Behavior w/Lab | 4 |
| ANB 425 – Advanced Methods in Animal Behavior | 3 |
| ANB 495 – Animal Behavior Internship/Research | 3–12 |
| BIO 105/105L – Biology I: Ecology/Evolution w/Lab or MAR 105/105L – Eco/Evo of Marine Organisms w/Lab | 4 |
| BIO 106/106L – Biology II: Cellular/Molecular w/Lab or MAR 106/106L – Cell/Molec Bio/Marine Orgs w/Lab | 4 |
| BIO 322 – Comparative Animal Physiology or BIO 245 – General Principles of Anatomy, Physiology & Pathophysiology | 4 |
| CHE 110/110L – General Chemistry I with Lab or CHE 150/150L – University General Chem I w/Lab | 4 |
| CHE 111/111L – General Chemistry II with Lab or CHE 151/151L – University General Chem II w/Lab | 4 |
| MAT 180 – Precalculus | 3 – Fulfills Quantitative Reasoning Core |
| PSY 105 – Introduction to Psychology | 3 – Fulfills Human Health Core |
| PSY 225 – Psychology Statistics | 3 |
| PSY 250 – Lifespan Development in Context | 3 – Fulfills Human Experience - Open Core |
| PSY 285 – Research Methods | 3 |
| PSY 365 – Biological Bases of Behavior | 3 |
| Animal Behavior Electives* (below) | 6–13 |
| Organismal topic** (below) | 3–4 |
| Total Credits | 66–83 |
| Open Elective Courses (as needed to reach 120 credits) | Variable |
| Minimum Total Required Credits | 120 |
|---|
Please note: While some courses can fulfill both core and program requirements, the credits earned do not count twice towards the minimum total required credits for the degree.
*Three (3) Animal Behavior electives are required if the Animal Behavior internship is 3–4 credits. If the internship is five (5) or more credits, then only two (2) electives are required. Other courses may be applied as electives with the approval of the School of Social and Behavior Sciences director or assistant academic director.
**Organismal topics courses must be 200-level or higher and include a hands-on component.
Program-Specific Electives
| Animal Behavior Elective Options | Credits |
|---|---|
| ANB 278 – Captive Animal Management | 3 |
| ANB 371 – Conservation Behavior | 3 |
| ANB 372 – Foraging Behavior | 3 |
| BIO 232 – Microbiology | 3 |
| BIO 235 – Winter Natural History | 3 |
| BIO 333 – Evolution | 3 |
| BIO 345 – General Prin Anat/Phys/Pathophys | 5 |
| BIO 350 – Ecology | 4 |
| BIO 422/422L – Coral Biology w/Lab | 4 |
| BIO 459/459L – Conserv and Ecol Caribbean Isl w/Lab | 4 |
| ENV 208 – Climate Change | 3 |
| ENV 250 – Environ Policy Compare Perspect | 3 |
| ENV 318 – Advanced Methods in Avian Ecology | 4 |
| ENV 319 – Practicum in Field Ecology Squirrels | 1 |
| ENV 356 – Terrestrial Wildlife and Ecology | 4 |
| MAR 250 – Marine Biology | 4 |
| MAR 252 – Nat His Marine Mammals | 3 |
| MAR 376 – Bio of Sharks, Skates, Rays | 3 |
| MAR 428 – Marine Conservation | 3 |
| MAR 436/436L – Natural History of Iceland w/Lab | 4 |
| PHY 110/110L – General Physics I w/Lab | 4 |
| PHY 111/111L – General Physics II w/Lab | 4 |
| PSY 205 – Abnormal Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 226 – Motivation & Emotion | 3 |
| PSY 245 – Evolutionary Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 305 – Special Topics (with program approval) | 3 |
| PSY 316 – Psychology of Consciousness | 3 |
| PSY 325 – Psychology of Aging | 3 |
| PSY 364 – Soc & Emot Dev in Childhood | 3 |
| PSY 370 – Drugs, Society, Behavior | 3 |
| PSY 383 – Memory & Cognition | 3 |
| PSY 406 – Special Topics in Animal Behavior | 3 |
| Organismal Topic Options | Credits |
|---|---|
| ANB 372 – Foraging Behavior | 3 |
| BIO 222 – Finfish/Shellfish Culture Tech | 4 |
| BIO 223 – Health Nutrition Feeding of Cultured Organisms | 4 |
| BIO 235 – Winter Natural History | 3 |
| BIO 257/257L – Costa Rica: Tropical Forest and Global Change w/Lab | 4 |
| BIO 305/305L – Mammalogy w/Lab | 4 |
| BIO 319 – Ornithology | 4 |
| BIO 330 – Comp Vert Anatomy | 4 |
| ENV 318 – Adv Research Methods Avian Ecol | 4 |
| ENV 356 – Terrestrial Wildlife Eco/Cons | 4 |
| MAR 436/436L – Natural History of Iceland w/ Lab | 4 |
| PSY 406 – Spec Topics Animal Behavior | 3 |
Students in this major can participate in the pre-health graduate school preparation tracks.
To learn more about the program visit the Catalog.
For more information, contact Zach Olson, Ph.D. at (207) 602-2766 or zolson@une.edu
Career Paths for Animal Behavior Majors
Through your coursework, research, and internship experiences, you will be on track to enjoy a successful career in animal behavior.
There are many fascinating professional fields open to Animal Behavior majors, including:
- Veterinary Medicine
- Animal Behavior Research
- Animal Training
- Animal Caregiving in Zoos and Aquariums
- Animal Assisted Therapy
- Wildlife Conservation
- Animal Rehabilitation
Our graduates have landed jobs at prestigious sites, such as:
- Georgia Aquarium
- Mystic Aquarium
- San Diego Zoo
- Columbus Zoo
- NEADS World Class Service Dogs
Career Advising for B.S. in Animal Behavior Students
Whether you have a specific career goal in mind or a vague idea of the field that interests you, Career Advising is here to help you plan your next step.
Explore our Animal Behavior Facilities
As a student in our Animal Behavior program, you benefit from 51’s extraordinary resources.
Teaching Classrooms
We have dedicated teaching classrooms that allow you the opportunity to work closely with faculty and peers in hands-on activities.
Psychology Labs
In these spaces, you will have the opportunity to work on a variety of projects involving Psychology faculty members. Projects have included memory processes underlying reading comprehension, how explicit and implicit self and relationship processes influence how people navigate the ups and downs of daily life.
Neuroscience Labs
Our faculty members with expertise in the neurosciences have labs dedicated to their research into topics concerning learning and memory, cognition and development, psychopharmacology, and drug addiction and pain.
Animal Behavior Labs
In these labs, you have chances to work with faculty on a variety of research projects, such as ones investigating conservation genetics, wildlife conservation, and how pharmaceuticals, endocrine-disrupting chemicals, and other pollutants affect the behavior of the fish.
Centers for Excellence
These university-wide centers are designed to promote interdisciplinary research and provide opportunities for collaborative research and scholarship programs that are competitive for interdisciplinary, multi-investigator, and multi-institutional awards. The centers also expand student research opportunities, bringing together students, faculty, and partner institutions in pursuit of cooperative goals.
The Center for Excellence in the Neurosciences sponsors research opportunities for Neuroscience majors.
The Center organizes a Neuroscience Summer Scholars Program, supporting Neuroscience majors with their summer research projects.
Summer scholars attend the summer seminar series, which brings in researchers from around the world, and present their experimental results at a research fair held at the conclusion of the summer.
The Center for Excellence in Aging and Health promotes innovative, interprofessional research and programming to extend healthspan, enhance well-being, celebrate personal legacies, and disseminate professional best practices for the benefit of aging adults wherever they call home.
Psychology faculty are active parts of the center and students working with these faculty have the opportunity to explore issues of aging.
Center of Biomedical Research Excellence for the Study of Pain and Sensory Function, dedicated to understanding the neurobiology of pain and the development of novel therapies.
Experiential Learning in the Bachelor’s Degree in Animal Behavior Program
Internships for Animal Behavior Majors
Our graduates have benefitted from a wide array of enriching internships at sites, including
- Center for Wildlife
- Saco River Wildlife Center
- NEADS World Class Service Dogs
- LaDawn Therapeutic Riding Center
- New England Aquarium
- Mystic Aquarium
- Veterinary Clinics and Hospitals
- Smithsonian Institute
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
For more information, contact Zach Olson, Ph.D. at (207) 602-2766 or zolson@une.edu.
watch 51 Students work hands-on with Animals
Research Opportunities for Animal Behavior Majors
As an Animal Behavior major at 51, you complete at least one research project as part of our Research Methods course, though many choose to become more deeply involved in research in one of our faculty-lead laboratories.
You get the opportunity to fully participate in research including developing new ideas and materials, running participants, and analyzing and disseminating the results of research at conferences, and through publications in peer-reviewed journals.
Several of our faculty members have research laboratories that offer undergraduate research experiences throughout the academic year. Additionally, 51 provides an opportunity for you to apply for research funding through the SURE program to work with a faculty member on research during the summer.
If you are interested in doing research, please contact the faculty to discuss your interests.
Faculty in our Animal Behavior program are currently performing research in the following areas:
- Brian Greco, abnormal behavior, motivation, and welfare
- Zach Olson, Ph.D., behavioral ecology and wildlife conservation
- Margaret Stanton, comparative social behavior, maternal behavior, and offspring development
- Mike Burman, Ph.D., negative emotionality and pain
- Glenn Stevenson, Ph.D., drug development and opioid pharmacology
- Trish Long, Ph.D., interpersonal violence, anxiety,
- Linda Morrison, Ph.D., issues in social, global awareness issues, bystander behavior
- Jennifer Stiegler-Balfour, Ph.D., memory processes underlying reading comprehension
- Julie Peterson, Ph.D., how explicit and implicit self and relationship processes influence daily life
Researching Northern Bog Lemmings
Animal Behavior Clubs and Organizations
As a student in our Animal Behavior program, you have the opportunity to participate in different student organizations specifically geared toward people with a passion similar to your own.
The Animal Behavior Club is open to all members who want to get involved with animals, learn about animals, and get the community pumped about animals.
If you are a 51 student and would like to become a member of the Animal Behavior Club, please emailzolson@une.edu.
Faculty Advisor
The Animal Welfare Judging Team participates in the bi-annual . Through team participation, students learn to apply animal welfare theories and develop skills in public speaking and argumentative logic.
Faculty Advisor
This student organization works with the neuroscience department to promote neuroscience as a major and promotes opportunities for you to know more about the neuroscience field. It also helps connect you with undergrad research opportunities.
If you are a 51 student and would like to become a member of the Psychology Club, contact mrice4@une.edu.
Faculty Advisor
The Pre-vet Club is for anyone who has an interest in animals, including those with hopes of applying to vet school in the future. The club serves those who would like guidance in the vet school application process, as well as those who just want to learn more about animals. We volunteer, get guest speakers, hold workshops, and more.
Faculty Advisor
The mission of the Psychology Club is to create a community of students who share a common interest in the discipline of psychology and its broad application while also providing students with connections to Psychology faculty and opportunities for social engagement.
We welcome Psychology majors and minors as well as anyone else who has an interest in Psychology. We hold regular club meetings and put on campus-wide events that engage members of the larger academic community at 51 in activities that involve psychology.
Past events have included:
- NAMI: Five Stories of Hope and Resiliency
- Relay For Life: We make a team and fundraise annually
- Annual faculty student socials
- Brain Fair
- Out of the Darkness Walk
- Save the Waves
More events are added every year.
How to Join
If you are a 51 student and would like to become a member of the Psychology Club, please contact Kana Colarossi at kcolarossi@une.edu. You are welcome to come to a meeting prior to joining, — you do not have to be a member to attend.
Faculty Advisor
Founded in 1929, PSI CHI is a member of the Association of College Honor Societies and an affiliate of both the American Psychological Association (APA) and the American Psychological Society (APS).
With the stated mission of encouraging, stimulating, and maintaining excellence in scholarship in the science of psychology, PSI CHI has grown to become one of the largest and most successful honor societies in the world with more than 1,100 chapters and 537,000 members. 51's chapter was formed in 2010.
For more information, visit the official or contact the 51 chapter's faculty advisor, Dr. Jennifer Stiegler-Balfour at jstiegler@une.edu.
Become a Member
To be eligible for membership in PSI CHI, you must:
- Be a major or minor in 51's Department of Psychology
- Be at least a second-semester sophomore
- Have completed 9 semeste