Graduate Studies in Animal Behavior
Graduate study in animal behavior is intended primarily for those who hope to later earn a Ph.D. or wish to amplify their expertise in animal-related careers, such as laboratory research, field research or conservation biology. The program is administered by the departments of biology and psychology.
Admission Requirements
No specific undergraduate major is required, but successful candidates will demonstrate work in biology and/or psychology.
Required undergraduate work includes core biology courses and statistics. Recommended courses include animal behavior-related biology and/or psychology courses and courses in research methods.
The required minimum GPA in major is 3.0.
Program Description
The program requires two years of full-time work (including one summer) and consists of in-residence coursework in biology and psychology while also conducting continuing research.
A minimum of eight courses approved by the adviser (two of which can be research hours) and the satisfactory completion of a research thesis are required.
Research programs for this degree do not involve human-animal interactions or animal training (applied animal behavior).
Facilities and Resources
Our facilities include well-equipped laboratory space for research entailing work with insects, laboratory rodents and bats; indoor and outdoor enclosures for four species of primates; and surgical and histological equipment.
The program also is equipped to incorporate the use of physiological and genetic tools for the study of behavior.