Educational Programs

PURDUE UNIVERSITY INTERDISCIPLINARY UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM IN ANIMAL WELFARE AND SOCIETAL CONCERNS

PURDUE UNIVERSITY INTERDISCIPLINARY UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM IN ANIMAL WELFARE AND SOCIETAL CONCERNS

This certificate program is designed to develop the student’s interdisciplinary understanding and knowledge of the issues surrounding the roles of animals in society. This program is designed to:

  • educate students about the social, ethical, biological, behavioral, and economics of animal care and use;
  • provide students with a scientific and philosophical basis of animal care and use;
  • train students to resolve conflicts concerning the humane use of animals and become leaders in policy development and implementation; and
  • stimulate research to improve human and animal well being.

The certificate is available to students of any major. The following is required for completion of the certificate:

(16-18 credit hours):

Prerequisite:  one semester of biology - the following courses are recommended:

BIOL 121 and 122 (Ecology, Diversity, and Behavior) or

BIOL 286 and 287 (Introduction to Ecology) or their equivalents

Requirements:

  1. Conduct a Research Project related to human-animal interactions.  ANSC 491, VPB 490, ANSC 595 (2-3 hrs.).  Students should note that there is a GPA requirement associated with these courses.
  2. Seminar in Animal Welfare & Human Interaction – VPB 480 (2 hrs.)
  3. Animal Welfare (ANSC 404) or Recent Advances in Animal Welfare (ANSC 595B) (2-3 hrs.)
  4. Animal Management (3 hrs.) Laboratory Animal Science – VMA 365
    • Horse Management - ANSC 440
    • Beef Management - ANSC 441
    • Sheep Management – ANSC 442
    • Swine Management – ANSC 443
    • Dairy Management – ANSC 444
    • Poultry Management – ANSC 445
    • Companion Animal Management – ANSC 495
    • Wildlife Habitat Management - FNR 351
    • Ecological Systems of Amphibians, Reptiles, & Birds - FNR 251
  5. Animal Behavior (4 hours)
    • Animal Behavior, ANSC 303                 
    • Applied Small Animal Behavior - VCS 418
    • Introduction to Ethology - PSY 494/BIOL 493
    • Behavior of Domestic Animals – VCS 504
    • Evolution of Behavior – BIOL 592
    • Ethology – PSY 593/BIOL 593
    • Behavior, Genetics & Evolution - PSY 331
    • Primate Ecology – ANTH 536
    • Brain & Behavior, PSY 220
  6. Societal Concerns (3 hours) – about animals & use of animals
    • Ethics and Animals - PHIL 280
    • Ethical Issues in Animal Research  - ANSC 595
    • Environmental Ethics - PHIL 290
    • Animal Issues & the Media - VPB 595
    • Biomedical Ethics – PHIL 270              
    • Contemporary Issues in Animal Sciences - ANSC 481
    • Ethical Issues In Biomedicine - VPB 618
    • Care & Use of Laboratory Animals – VPB 540
    • Animal-related courses in AGEC, ANTH, FNR, ENGL, SOC

Purdue University's "Center for Human-Animal Bond" and "Center for Food Animal Well Being" jointly offer the Animal-Assisted Therapy Certificate
01/29/2002

This certificate program is designed to develop the student's interdisciplinary understanding and knowledge of the many ways animals are used to benefit and interact with humans. Those interested in becoming a CHA or NARHA certified therapeutic horseback riding instructor must be proficient riders and have their CPR (all ages) and First Aid Certification (available through the American Red Cross). Although not a requirement of this certificate, we encourage anyone interested in operating an assisted therapy program obtain accounting, marketing, personnel and business management skills. Students are directed to the Delta Society (website), North American Riding for the Handicapped Assoc. (NARHA), CHA, HAS, for industry standards. The following are required for completion of the certificate (previous academic coursework and experiences will be credited):

Requirements:

  1. Therapeutic Horse Program or Animal-Assisted Therapy Extension course/workshop
  2. Research/Internship Project in Animal-Assisted Therapy in which the student is directly involved with a program using animals. ANSC 493, VPB 490 (2-3 credits)
  3. Animal Welfare (ANSC 404) or Recent Advances in Animal Welfare (ANSC 595B) (2-3 hrs.)
  4. Animal Management (3 hrs.) 
    • Horse Management - ANSC 440
    • Companion Animal Management – ANSC 495
  5. Animal Behavior (3 hours)
    • Animal Behavior, ANSC 303                 
    • Applied Small Animal Behavior - VCS 418
    • Introduction to Ethology - PSY 494/BIOL 493
    • Behavior of Domestic Animals – VCS 504
    • Evolution of Behavior – BIOL 592
    • Ethology – PSY 593/BIOL 593
    • Behavior, Genetics & Evolution - PSY 331
    • Primate Ecology – ANTH 536
  6. Education Methods (3 hours)
    • Introduction to Special Education, EDPS 260
    • Psycho-Educational, Medical and Physical Aspects of Indus. With Disabilities, EDPS 363
    • Learning, Attention and Social Aspects of Ind. With Emotional Disabilities, EDPS 365
    • Foundations of Learning Disabilities, EDPS 367
  7. Participant Characteristics (3 hours)
    • Foundations of Athletic Training, PE 205
    • Applied Anatomy & Kinesiology, PE 261
    • Child Psychology, PSY 235
    • Therapeutic Exercise, PE 304
    • Abnormal Psychology, PSY 350       
    • Introduction to Communicative Disorders, AUS 115
    • Intro. to Developmental Speech & Language Disorders, AUS 349
    • American Sign Language, ASL 101-201
Animal Welfare & Social Concerns Certificate  and
Animal-assisted Therapy Certificate

Certificate Completion Process:

Contacts:  Eligibility and intent to complete the certificate must be initiated by contacting:

Dr. Alan Beck, Professor of Animal Ecology,
Department of Veterinary Pathobiology,
111 Veterinary Pathology Building (VPTH),
765-494-0854, email: abeck@purdue.edu

Dr. Ed Pajor, Asst. Professor of Animal Sciences, Department of Animal Sciences,
207 POUL Bldg.,
765-496-6665, email: pajor@purdue.edu

Eligibility: any Purdue or non-Purdue student is eligible. Purdue students may apply the certificate-required classes to their degree program.   Part-time students are invited to take the required classes and the certificate will be awarded upon their completion. 

Aplicable Credit: each certificate requires 16-18 hours of course work including the research project.  Candidates with previous academic coursework or experiences should present their transcripts, diplomas, and certifications to the Center representatives to determine equivalency  of certificate requirements.

Research Projects: Projects must be arranged with any faculty member, but must be directly related to the use of animals and the relationships with humans.  Most departments require that their research projects be approved and meet departmental requirements before the beginning of the semester in which the credit is earned.  After visiting with a prospective research project faculty supervisor, be sure that the Center representative approves the project.   Credits, responsibilities, and grades for the research project are the responsibility of  the supervising faculty and their department.

Fees and Awarding of the Certificate:  Upon completion of all of the requirements for the respective certificate and the paying of the $100 certificate fee, the certificate will be presented and its achievement noted on the student’s diploma is they are in a degree program at Purdue University.