Animal Health and Behavior
Bachelor of Science
Next start date is July 17. Applying is easy and free!
Build a Foundation in
Animal Health & Behavior
Do you love animals and want to turn your passion into a career? With an Animal Health and Behavior degree, you will learn how animals think, behave, and evolve, and learn what animals need for rehabilitation, care, and health.
Program Overview
The B.S. in Animal Health and Behavior from Unity College 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 in settings such as veterinary medicine degree programs, companion and wild animal care facilities, wildlife rehabilitation, and preserves.
Program Features
+ One-on-one academic and professional advising as our world-class faculty and trained staff strive to make your professional and academic goals a reality.
+ Unity College is an accredited institution by New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE).
+ Experiential Online. Experiential programs are delivered 100% online with fieldwork designed with the working professional in mind.
+ Study when and where you want and finish your degree while still working full-time.
+ Make professional connections with leaders in your field.
+ Get job placement assistance. Browse our online job board and use free tools through our career services.
+ Multiple start dates. Begin your program on your time. Choose from eight year-round start dates.
+ Pursue a concentration in environmental GIS, renewable energy, sustainable business, wildlife ecology, or emergency disaster management.
+ Transfer friendly! We will accept up to 90 credits.
Experiential and Immersive Coursework
Animal Ethogram
In the Animal Ethogram assignment, students are asked to pick an animal they can observe, and make a list of their behaviors. If students don’t have an animal in their local environment that they feel comfortable observing, they have a list of different live streams from the Zoo to the Smithsonian, where they can choose an animal to observe. Taking the assignment further, students develop investigative questions that they will analyze through their observations.
Training & Care Handbook
Students are challenged to create a handbook that demonstrates proper techniques for both training & care of animals for a made-up organization. This project allows the students to practice their knowledge of the coursework they’ve learned throughout the term, as well as asking them to present best practices in the field.
Observation Lab Practical
Professors provide videos of themselves and other experts demonstrating different training techniques. The students are asked to study the interactions and identify what is going on during the training. Being able to observe and accurately assess the training practices will provide valuable knowledge for the students before attempting these practices on their own.
Student Story
Internship at the Plumpton Park Zoo
Brooke interned at the Plumpton Park Zoo in Maryland working with exotic animals.
“The best part of the internships is being able to do them when it is convenient for me. I make my school schedule around when I am able to intern which is awesome. This way I can devote my time to working with the animals when it is needed for the facility,” Brooke explains.
Experts in the Field
At Unity College, our Faculty is comprised of a wide range of environmental science experts who in addition to teaching, conduct their own research and various fieldwork.
Dr. Kristyn Vitale
Assistant Professor in Animal Health and Behavior
Dr. Kristyn Vitale received a Ph.D. in Animal Science with a focus in Experimental Psychology from Oregon State University and a Master’s in Environmental Science from Miami University. She holds a B.S. in Zoology and a B.A. in Social Geography from Kent State University.
Dr. Vitale studies the impact of human interaction on animal behavior and cognition to find ways to strengthen human-animal relationships and improve animal welfare. One example of her current animal research is the study of the effects of different foster care programs and the effects it has on domestic animals. She is also working on cross-cultural research; how the human-cat relationship varies from the USA to Japan.
In addition to animal behavior research, Dr. Vitale also has experience training cats, dogs, and pigs. Her experience with animal training & continued research in the field of animal behavior is valuable to her students as she provides continuous current data and best practices for working in the field.
Dana Kennedy
INSTRUCTOR OF ANIMAL HEALTH AND BEHAVIOR
Dana Kennedy received her B.S. in Zoology from Michigan State University and holds a M.A. in Zoology from Miami University’s Global Field Program. She worked as a zookeeper at the North Carolina Zoo for seven years where she excelled at animal training and visitor education. Her M.A. work centered around a zookeeper’s role in conservation education in relation to human-wildlife conflict. Some of her most memorable training moments included team training white rhinos for voluntary artificial insemination, training baboons for ultrasounds and voluntary blood draws, and helping a bear overcome both weight issues and stereotypic behaviors through training and diet changes.
Through her work as a graduate student she realized that her true passion lies in education. She began transitioning to the education field shortly after she graduated, teaching classes for the Global Field Program that centered around conservation, education, and community. As a graduate from an online program, she understands the needs of students learning remotely and strives to take the distance out of distance education. Outside of teaching, she focuses much of her time on her two young daughters and enjoys hiking and traveling.
Small Class Sizes
At Unity College, we believe our students are not just a number. The value of small class size intimacy is just as important to us in our distance education program as it is in traditional classroom settings. We give the benefit of creating tight-knit communities where networking can flourish. By keeping our class sizes small, our faculty can dedicate their time to providing all one-on-one guidance when needed by a student.
Degree Requirements and Courses
The animal health and behavior degree requires 120 credits. You may transfer in up to 90 credits from outside institutions. For more requirements, browse our degree checklist. View our full course catalog for a better look into your program. Then apply online for free to get started.
Frequently Asked Questions
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How much does it cost?
Your online education should be affordable and manageable. 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.
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How fast can I finish?
It depends on whether you have credits earned from other institutions, whether you plan on taking one or two classes per term, and if you take a term off. Our distance education concierges and academic advisors are here to help you plan and stick to your educational goals. Talk to us today!
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How many credits can I transfer?
Apply online (it’s free!) and a distance education concierge will reach out to create an individualized plan for transferring your credits. You may also want to try estimating your transfer credits using Transferology.
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What courses will I be taking?
For course requirements, browse our Animal Health and Behavior checklist or view our full course catalog for a better look into your program. Then apply online for free to get started.
- Do you have more information I can download?
What students are saying
“I enjoyed this class and I feel all of the activities we did led me to a better understanding of the behaviors in all different animals.”
“I found every activity to be helpful. I intend to use much of the information that I learned in the future and towards my career.”
“This course challenged me through every week. I liked the buildup to the final project and how the majority of materials we read helped us in each section.”
“The discussion boards were very interesting. This is my first time doing an online course, so I found the discussions to be helpful in learning the material for the week, and they kept me interested and invested in the course.”
“The discussion posts and interaction with peers really contributes to the class, and the Prof was very involved in the discussions making sure we were thinking deeper into the subjects.”
Career Outlook
Earn your degree.
Unlock new opportunities.
Veterinary technologist and technician jobs in the U.S., 2018.
Median zoologist pay, 2018.
Estimated U.S. job growth for veterinary technologists and technicians through 2028.
Veterinary technologist and technician jobs in the U.S., 2018.
Median zoologist pay, 2018.
Estimated U.S. job growth for veterinary technologists and technicians through 2028.
*Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Unity College cannot guarantee employment. Salary data represents averaged earnings for the occupations listed and includes workers at all levels of education and experience.
Faculty Profiles
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Last Updated on May 17, 2023
