Program Overview

Animals and Society - Certificate

The animals and society certificate is an interdisciplinary program that critically examines the relationships between humans and nonhuman animals. The program emphasizes scholarship from the social sciences and humanities, with elective options in the natural sciences.

Overview

This certificate is designed for students in the social sciences and humanities who wish to pursue careers or interests related to wild or domesticated animals, without becoming biologists, zoologists, or veterinarians. Potential career options include:

• Development, management, policy work, research, outreach, marketing, lobbying, or other work in animal protection or environmental organizations
• Administrative, fundraising, marketing, or outreach jobs at animal shelters
• Humane or environmental education
• Jobs with government agencies, such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Fisheries and Wildlife Service, or others
• Animal-assisted therapy (with a master's degree in social work)
• Wildlife rehabilitation
• Humane law enforcement

Requirements

The animals and society certificate requires 18 credits through three main areas:

1. Core Courses: Students must take Animals and Society (SOCY 4017) and two of the classes listed, which examine research in relevant areas of human–animal studies.
2. Electives: Students must take either two or three classes (depending on whether they will complete an internship) from the list of those offered in the College of Arts and Sciences, providing essential perspectives on human–animal interactions and relationships.
3. Internship (or third elective course): In either the second semester of the junior year or the senior year, students may opt to take a semester-long, 3-credit internship. Alternatively, students may enroll in an additional 3-credit course.

Required Courses and Credits

• Core Courses:
  • SOCY 4017: Animals and Society (3 credits)
  • Select two of the following:
    • ANTH 3010: The Human Animal
    • PHIL 4120: Philosophy and Animals
    • FREN 4700: Encountering Animals: Contemporary Discourse and the Dialog of Species
    • ENVS 4100: Special Topics in Environmental Studies (Dogs, Wolves, and Human Evolution)
    • ENVS 4135: Dogs, Wolves, and Humans
    • ENVS 3007: Animal Ethics and Policy
• Electives:
  • Select at least 6 credits of elective course work; labs may result in 7 credits.
  • ANTH 3000: Primate Behavior
  • ANTH 4110: Human Evolutionary Biology
  • EBIO 2040: Principles of Ecology
  • EBIO 3040: Conservation Biology
  • EBIO 3240: Animal Behavior
  • HIST 4117: Colorado History
  • HIST 4326: Epidemic Disease in US History
  • HIST 4416: Environmental History of North America
  • MCDB 1030:
  • MCDB 1041:
  • SOCY 4117: Food and Society
• Internship:
  • 3 credits

Total Credit Hours

• 18 credits

Internship

Students can choose from several animal welfare-related Boulder County internship sites. Students can also locate their own internship sites, with the director's approval. Students taking internships must work a minimum of 40 hours for each hour of academic credit. For 3 credits, this means 90 hours on site (i.e., 6 hours per week), 10 hours of classroom time, and 20 hours of reading and writing assignments.

In collaboration with the program director and site supervisors, students will outline tasks and responsibilities that support their learning goals. Consequently, students who achieve their learning goals acquire experience and a set of transferable skills that prepare them for professional positions or further academic study.