What Courses Are in the Program?

General Education Core: 34 creditsEnvironmental Professional Core: 14 creditsElective Courses: 42 creditsProgram Core: 30 creditsANIM 103: Animal Training CareANIM 205: Animal NutritionANIM 301: Animal Husbandry and GeneticsANIM 302: Animal Comparative AnatomyANIM 304: Animal Comparative PhysiologyANIM 305: Animal Health and DiseaseANIM 307: Designing Captive Animal EnvironmentsANIM 401: Animal Care Technical SkillsBIOL 203: Ecological Principles: Applications to Conservation and WildlifeBIOL 301: Animal Behavior: The Evolution, Ecology, and Social Behavior of AnimalsFor course requirements and a better look into your program, view our full course catalog. Then apply online for free to get started.

Animal Health and Behavior

Q: What Does the Bachelor's in Animal Health and Behavior Prepare You For?

The Bachelor&#8217;s in Animal Health and Behavior degree prepares students for careers at zoos and aquariums, in the veterinary fields, as animal welfare officers, and for a future focused on the care and well-being of wild and captive animals around the world. This degree provides students with the essential knowledge and professional skills to succeed in settings such as veterinary medicine degree programs, companion and wild animal care facilities, wildlife rehabilitation, and preserves.

A woman sitting on the floor playing with a cat.

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Advance Animal Welfare

The Animal Health and Behavior bachelor’s degree offers skills-based learning in animal behavior, evolution, welfare, and sustainable care practices, ensuring you’re equipped to understand how animals interact with their environments and to advance ethical care, rehabilitation, and conservation efforts.

Career Outlook: Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists in the U.S.

19.5 K

Number of jobs in 2025*

4 %

Est. job growth through 2035*

$ 77 K

Median annual salary in 2025*

*Source: O*Net/U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Unity Environmental University cannot guarantee employment. Salary data represents averaged earnings for the occupations listed and includes workers at all levels of education and experience.

Career Outcomes

What Can I Do With a Bachelor’s Degree in Animal Health and Behavior?

Animal Behaviorist / Behavior Consultant

Analyze animal behavior patterns and provide training solutions.

Wildlife Biologist

Study animal populations, physiology, behavior, and health.

Animal Welfare Investigator

Enforce animal protection laws and investigate cruelty and neglect.

Zookeeper

Manage the daily health and behavioral needs of captive wildlife.

Animal Trainer

Conduct behavioral analysis and create training programs.

Research Animal Technician

Care for animals in research settings and support scientific studies.

“What makes my experience at Unity special is that I now have a clear sense of purpose and certainty about my career path.”

Lauren M.
Bachelor of Science in Animal Health and Behavior

View Full Testimonial

Lauren M.
Bachelor of Science in Animal Health and Behavior

After cycling through a series of unsatisfying jobs, Lauren began to recognize a consistent thread: a deep interest in animals, especially birds and reptiles. As she put it, “I realized that, despite a series of unsatisfying jobs, my true interest lay in studying animals, particularly birds and reptiles.” That realization led her to pursue a degree in Animal Health & Behavior, which felt like the right way to align her career with what had always drawn her in.

Choosing the right program mattered just as much. “In my area, there were limited options for schools offering the specific degree I wanted,” she explained. With a full-time work schedule, flexibility was essential, and Unity’s online format became the solution that made it all possible.

Through that experience, something shifted. Lauren now has a clear sense of direction and commitment to her goals. “What makes my experience at Unity special is that I now have a clear sense of purpose and certainty about my career path,” she said, reflecting a renewed focus on making the most of her education.

Are you ready to discover what YOU can do? Explore the opportunities at Unity Distance Education and take the first step toward achieving your dreams.

Start Your Journey Today

Choose Your Experience

How Would You Like to Get Started?

Apply On Your Own

Explore at Your Pace
Find the Right Program
Apply Free in Minutes!

Start My Program

Ask Una Questions

No Calls, No Pressure
Get Instant Answers
Ask Una to Apply For You

Find My Answers

Speak With Our Team

You Pick the Time
You Select the Topic(s)
We’ll Come Prepared

Schedule a Call

Unity’s online programs are trusted by over 10,000 students across all 50 states.

FAQ

Learn More About the Bachelor’s in Animal Health and Behavior

Animal Health and Behavior is a critical field focused on the physical well-being and behavioral patterns of animals. Combining veterinary care, animal psychology, and behavior analysis, this field aims to ensure animals are healthy and exhibit natural behaviors, improving their quality of life. Professionals in Animal Health and Behavior study disease prevention, treatment, and the environmental impacts on animal behavior. They also explore the complex interactions between animals, humans, and other animals.

This field is essential in various settings such as zoos, farms, animal shelters, and laboratories. Experts work to enhance animal care and welfare through innovative practices and research. Key areas include understanding animal nutrition, preventive healthcare, behavioral training, and enrichment programs. By focusing on both physical health and behavior, professionals help animals live healthier, more fulfilling lives.

The Bachelor’s in Animal Health and Behavior degree prepares students for careers at zoos and aquariums, in the veterinary fields, as animal welfare officers, and for a future focused on the care and well-being of wild and captive animals around the world. This degree provides students with the essential knowledge and professional skills to succeed in settings such as veterinary medicine degree programs, companion and wild animal care facilities, wildlife rehabilitation, and preserves.

Your online education should be affordable and manageable. Thanks to our promise to keep tuition flat through 2030, you won’t be burdened with unexpected increases or fees.

Our team of distance education concierges will work with you through the admissions process to help you plan and pay for your degree. Learn more about the costs here.

Our comprehensive 120-credit program can be tailored to fit your schedule and goals! Completion time is flexible, determined by the number of credits you choose to take each term (8 terms/year) and less time with transfer credits. Without transfer credits, you can anticipate the following completion times:

24 credits/year: Complete in just 5 years
30 credits/year: Achieve your degree in 4 years
48 credits/year: Fast-track your education in only 2.6 years

General Education Core: 34 credits
Environmental Professional Core: 14 credits
Elective Courses: 42 credits
Program Core: 30 credits

ANIM 103: Animal Training Care
ANIM 205: Animal Nutrition
ANIM 301: Animal Husbandry and Genetics
ANIM 302: Animal Comparative Anatomy
ANIM 304: Animal Comparative Physiology
ANIM 305: Animal Health and Disease
ANIM 307: Designing Captive Animal Environments
ANIM 401: Animal Care Technical Skills
BIOL 203: Ecological Principles: Applications to Conservation and Wildlife
BIOL 301: Animal Behavior: The Evolution, Ecology, and Social Behavior of Animals

For course requirements and a better look into your program, view our full course catalog. Then apply online for free to get started.

WHAT YOU WILL STUDY

Animal Health & Behavior Course Examples

Animal Husbandry and Genetics

Explore the principles of genetic and breeding productivity, inheritance patterns and genetic drift, as well as the basics of quantitative and molecular genetics.

Lifeguard dog, rescue demonstration with the dogs in the pool.

Animal Training Care

Study the concepts around how animals learn and how to best care for animals based on individual and species-specific needs.

Animal Comparative Physiology

Investigate how environmental challenges to homeostasis dictate the physiological strategies and responses of animals, including consequences to their health and well-being.

Learn from Leaders

Learn from Leaders

Ph.D. in General Teaching Psychology from Walden University.

Dr. Gina Caldwell
Global Expert in Animal Training, Behavior, and Welfare

Learn More About Dr. Caldwell

Dr. Gina Caldwell
Global Expert in Animal Training, Behavior, and Welfare

Dr. Gina Fisher Caldwell earned her Ph.D. in General Teaching Psychology from Walden University. She has dedicated her career and education to animal training, behavior, and welfare. As an associate curator at Georgia Aquarium, she collaborated with senior leadership to develop, institute, lead and facilitate the highest animal standards and welfare goals. She has over twenty-five years of experience in the behavioral science and zoological field working with a variety of species while specializing in otter care. She received an M.A. in Psychology with a Specialization in Animal Behavior & Conservation from Hunter College. Her master’s thesis was on the effects of different levels of environmental enrichment on sea otter behavior. Dr. Caldwell has been a professional canine behaviorist since 2010. She has a strong interest in therapy dog training and advocating for your dog. She conducted her dissertation on the motivators that influence canine handlers to volunteer in animal-assisted activities. She serves as a subject matter expert on the Pet Partners Human-Animal Bond Advisory Board Member. In this role, she creates curriculum and coursework speaking to the importance of the human-animal bond, animal behavior, and welfare.

Learn from Leaders

M.A. in Biology, B.B.A. in Management

Jennifer Riddle
Global Expert in Veterinary Medicine and Equine Science

Learn More About Professor Riddle

Jennifer Riddle
Global Expert in Veterinary Medicine and Equine Science

Jennifer Riddle received her A.A.S. in Equine Management from Midway College and A.A.S. in Veterinary Technology from Columbus State Community College. She finalized her education by earning a B.B.A. in Management from Morehead State University and holds an M.A. in Biology from Miami University’s Advanced Inquiry Program. As a Licensed Veterinary Medical Technician for over 20 years, she was able to utilize her medical and management skills in a large and small animal clinic working on species from cats to buffalo and continues to assist in aftercare equine injuries today. Her M.A. work centered around Environmental Conservation and Sustainability with an emphasis on Equine Green Spaces. Some of her most valued accomplishments include presenting at the National Association of Equine Affiliated Academics and as a keynote speaker at the World Community Conference for a collaborative effort in an educational program to increase student knowledge of biodiversity.

Coupling her medical, animal, and conservation education, she has taught at a post-secondary level in person and online for over 10 years, bringing her passion for conservation and sustainability to the forefront in an inquiry-based teaching style. She continues to teach Animal Behavior and Conservation at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens for the Advanced Inquiry Program and understands the necessity of creating an in-person atmosphere for a distance educational program. Outside of the classroom, she spends her time with her family on their working ranch.

Learn from Leaders

MS in Animal Sciences

Katie Gingerich
Global Expert in Dairy Cattle Behavior and Welfare

Learn More About Katie Gingerich

Katie Gingerich
Global Expert in Dairy Cattle Behavior and Welfare

Katie Gingerich is an adjunct faculty member at Unity Environmental University and a PhD Candidate at the University of Florida. She earned her Bachelor of Science (2018) and Master of Science (2020) in Animal Sciences from the University of Florida, with a specialization in dairy cattle behavior and welfare.

Katie’s research focuses on social behavior, personality, and disease detection in group-housed dairy calves, drawing on a background in dairy cattle management, health monitoring, behavioral observation, data analysis, scientific design and ethics, and psychology. Early in her career, she has already presented her work in multiple countries and collaborated with some of the most well-respected dairy scientists in the United States. A second-generation educator, Katie aims to make course content engaging through storytelling and to help students build strong study habits. She enjoys mentoring undergraduate research assistants and helping them reach their goals.

Why Unity Distance Education?

Learning Flexibility

Balance life, work, and education by studying when and where you want.

Transfer-Friendly

Accepting up to 90 transfer credits to graduate sooner and save money.

Multiple Start Dates

Up to 8 terms each year let you take breaks without affecting financial aid.

Real Career Outcomes

Ranked in the top 1% of universities nationwide by the Social Mobility Index.

High Educational Value

Nationally recognized educational quality at an affordable price.

Personalized Guidance

Dedicated to turning career and academic aspirations into tangible achievements.

Inspiring Faculty

Connect with experts who share your passion for working in the animal industry.

Sustainability Core

Focused on sustainable practices for an environmentally aware future.

Animal Health and Behavior
Bachelor of Science