Press Release

 

ASPCA Animal Behavior Center Announces Specialized Masters Program For Careers In Animal Behavior

 

Program to be Offered at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

August 27, 2007

ASPCA Media Contact

NEW YORK, August 28, 2007—The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) today proudly announced that it will provide adjunct support for a new specialized Masters program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, beginning in Fall 2007. The Master of Science in Biology degree program will offer a specialization in Applied Animal Behavior. This interdisciplinary, interdepartmental program will be administered through the university’s Masters in Biology Program.

“Our involvement in the new Masters program for Applied Animal Behavior at the University of Illinois is yet another example of how the ASPCA is leading the charge on improving the human-animal bond,” said ASPCA President & CEO Ed Sayres. “We are hopeful that this program will enable future animal behaviorists to help strengthen and improve relationships between people and their pets.”

“We are extremely excited about working with the University of Illinois for the new specialized Masters program,” said Pamela Reid, Ph.D., vice president of the ASPCA’s Animal Behavior Center. “As part of the oldest animal welfare organization in the country, we look forward to bringing all our expert knowledge to the program and helping to mould some of the brightest future animal behaviorists of the world.”

The program is designed to provide graduate training for careers in applied animal behavior, including academia; companion animal behavior consulting; shelter behavior; training and enrichment for animal shelters, zoo, laboratory and livestock animals; and commercial pet care industries.

The curriculum is tailored to meet the course requirements of the Animal Behavior Society for certification as Associate Applied Animal Behaviorists. All students are required to develop strong quantitative and experimental skills. Participation in research is mandatory and each student will complete a research project. This is an in-residence two-year program. All students must meet the entrance requirements for the Masters in Biology Program. In addition, successful applicants will provide evidence of animal-related experience, such as sheltering, training, and animal exhibiting.

For more information about the new specialized Masters program at the University of Illinois, please contact the ASPCA’s Animal Behavior Center at 1-888-226-4435 or via email at animalbehaviorcenter@aspca.org.

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Founded in 1866, the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) is the first humane organization established in the Americas and serves as the nation’s leading voice for animal welfare. One million supporters strong, the ASPCA’s mission is to provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States. As a 501 [c] [3] not-for-profit corporation, the ASPCA is a national leader in the areas of anti-cruelty, community outreach and animal health services. The ASPCA, which is headquartered in New York City, offers a wide range of programs, including a mobile clinic outreach initiative, its own humane law enforcement team, and a groundbreaking veterinary forensics team and mobile animal CSI unit. For more information, please visit www.aspca.org.

 

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