Animal Behavior Studies
About Animal Behavior Studies
Our Program and Courses
By the time you graduate, you will be able to demonstrate:
- A knowledge of the biological and social basis for basic animal behavior.
- A complex understanding of how animals and their environments coexist and rely on one another.
- The ability to understand, perform, and report on the results of experiments and research.
- An eye for identifying areas of research that would benefit from additional support or data, and follow through with collecting that data.
- Critical and analytical thinking and the ability to communicate observations and discoveries through the printed and spoken word.
- The ability to collaborate effectively in a manner that translates to the professional arena.
Learning Outside the Classroom
Your ideas may start in the classroom, but they won’t be contained there. Discover how Animal Behavior Studies at F&M goes beyond reading textbooks and listening to lectures and empowers you to connect the things you care about to meaningful real-world experiences.
Research & Internship Opportunities
Practice positive-reinforcement training concepts. Develop skills in husbandry and
caretaking. Create, implement and evaluate noninvasive enrichment programs. Whether
through our on-campus vivarium, an internship, or an independent or faculty-led research project, you’ll find incredible opportunities to convert theory into practice and gain a
deeper understanding and appreciation of the challenges of scientifically exploring
the behaviors and minds of animals. Your original research projects may lead to the
presentation of your results at national and international professional conferences
or even your co-authorship in journal publications.
Explore real-world learning at F&M
Off-Campus Study
Dive into marine biology and marine conservation in Italy. Study animal nutrition
and the health management of animal populations in Buenos Aires. Immerse yourself
in Kenya’s world-famous national parks and reserves while studying the world’s tallest
terrestrial animal. Off-campus study experiences aren’t simply time away from campus;
they’re meaningfully woven into your entire academic journey. You will work with your
academic adviser and your off-campus study adviser for a full year to craft an experience
that complements your F&M degree and goals.
Explore off-campus study at F&M
Honors in Animal Behavior Studies
Completing research or an independent study could also lead you to earn honors in Animal Behavior Studies. To be considered for honors, you must first complete an advanced research project and be sponsored by a professor. Once these steps are complete, you will present your research findings to faculty and students.
Our Facilities
The Barshinger Life Sciences & Philosophy Building
The Barshinger Life Sciences & Philosophy Building (LSP) gives you access to state-of-the-art
resources for studying animal behavior, including access to the teaching and research
laboratories in animal behavior, behavioral ecology and comparative psychology.
Vivarium
F&M’s Vivarium is a non-invasive behavioral facility that houses a variety of rodents,
reptiles, birds, fish, invertebrates, and nonhuman primates that supports student-focused
learning and scientific research. Students from a wide diversity of backgrounds work
with faculty and Vivarium staff to gain hands-on experience within the fields of positive
reinforcement training, welfare and enrichment, best-practice animal caretaking, and
behavioral observations and research. Our nonhuman primate research centers on behavior
and cognition. We are one of the only institutions in the United States offering direct
access of onsite, nonhuman primates to undergraduate students through an established
program built around primate training, enrichment, behavioral research, and animal
caretaking. In fact, we have an Animal Husbandry & Primate Training Certificate that includes formal academic training designed to develop students’ abilities to
professionally train and care for animals. Over 150 students per year work in the
F&M Vivarium for course credit, as paid researchers, student employees, or as volunteers
throughout the academic year and summer.Success Beyond F&M
You, too, will graduate with all the skills you need to succeed after college, whether your next step is graduate school, vet school, or a career working directly with animals. The intellectual and experiential activities that make up the work of animal behavior — including experimental research, data gathering, collaborating with others, and critical thought — help you develop useful and productive skills valuable for any post-college plan.
Graduate School
Many graduates of our animal behavior program go on to pursue advanced degrees in a variety of disciplines, including veterinary medicine, animal science and animal biosciences. They attended top institutions such as:
- Carnegie Mellon University
- Cornell University
- Columbia University
- Long Island University College of Veterinary Medicine
- Rutgers University
- Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine
Career Paths
Animal Behavior Studies graduates are prepared to embark on a vast array of careers working directly with animals and engaging in research. They hold positions such as:
- Animal Caretaker
- Animal Husbandry Technician
- Medical Assistant
- Naturalist/Behavioral Ecologist
- Primate Research Assistant
- Research Scientist
- Science Writer
- Veterinarian
- Veterinarian Surgical Assistant
- Zookeeper
Center for Career and Professional Development
F&M’s Center for Career and Professional Development offers targeted, expert guidance
while you discover your professional calling and develop the skills you need to succeed.
Our career guidance is structured through “career communities” – dynamic groups aligned
with specific industries that transform your aspirations into clear options, meaningful
opportunities, and a network of support. Among these, our health and STEM career communities
offer tailored support for those interested in veterinary medicine and sciences.
Learn more
Student Spotlight
Mia Feola ’27 Unleashes Her Potential
Mia Feola ’27 has always felt a calling to work with animals. This summer, she took a vital and illuminating step toward transforming that ambition into a fulfilling career. Feola, an animal behavior studies major, interned at the Penn Vet Working Dog Center (PVWDC), an organization dedicated to training working dogs to assist humans in various capacities.“The most fascinating aspect of my internship is how much hands-on activity is offered to me on a daily basis,” she said. “Some days I hide inside barrels for dogs to find me on the rubble pile, while other days I observe the dogs doing fitness exercises and obedience training.”
Feola said she’s excited to continue exploring the field of working dogs as a potential career.
“Interning for the PVWDC has opened doors for me to explore the world of working dogs and explore this new sector in dog training that I never thought of before,” she said.
Read More »
Alumni Spotlight
“The coursework for my animal behavior major absolutely transformed the way I think about animals, animal welfare, and conservation.”
Sara Dollen ’23 knew she wanted to work with animals, and originally intended to pursue a doctorate in veterinary medicine. Once she began taking courses in animal behavior, however, she discovered her passion for animal enrichment.“The coursework for my animal behavior major absolutely transformed the way I think about animals, animal welfare, and conservation,” she said.
Today, Dollen works as an animal care technician at City Wildlife, a wildlife rehabilitation center in Washington, D.C. She said she uses the skills she gained from working as the enrichment team leader in F&M's vivarium, including how to effectively design, implement, and continually improve enrichment that keeps animals in captivity happy and healthy.
“My greatest post-graduation accomplishment so far, made possible by my time in F&M's vivarium, has been designing an enrichment system for the wildlife center that has had wonderful reception by humans and wildlife patients alike!” Dollen said.
Read More »
Alumni Spotlight
“Pursuing the animal husbandry and primate training certificate was a no-brainer.”
F&M’s certificate programs are supplemental educational pathways you can pursue in addition to your major and minor. There are several certificates available at F&M, including Animal Husbandry & Primate Training.Shoshana Frank ’24, an animal behavior major, said, “Pursuing the animal husbandry and primate training certificate was a no-brainer.”
Frank said having the opportunity to take courses that supported the work she did in the F&M vivarium was the perfect way to incorporate theory and practice.
“The certificate program provides students with an experiential component that builds on the foundational knowledge we gain from our classes,” she said.
Read More »
Related Fields of Study
Animal Husbandry & Primate Training (Certificate)
Certificates are supplemental educational pathways you can pursue at F&M. Each certificate explores new and innovative fields of study through the lens of two or more fields of study. The Animal Husbandry & Primate Training certificate develops your abilities to care for animals professionally as well as to reflect on your experiences as an element of humans’ relationships with the natural world.
Biology
The biological sciences expand and advance frontiers of knowledge about all forms of life. From molecules to ecosystems, from oceans to deserts, from the distant past to present day, biology gives you insights into other species, ourselves, and our world.
Psychology
Embark on a journey of the mind and learn all about why we do the things we do. From non-human animal behavior to language development and neurological impairment, your time spent studying psychology at F&M will unlock a whole new world of understanding of how the brain works.
Explore Animal Behavior Studies at F&M
July 31, 2025
Mia Feola ’27 Unleashes Her Potential
Mia Feola ’27 has always felt a calling to work with animals. This summer, she interned at the Penn Vet Working Dog Center (PVWDC), an organization dedicated to training working dogs. “Interning for the PVWDC has opened doors for me to explore the world of working dogs and explore this new sector in dog training that I never thought of before,” Feola said.
August 8, 2024
Success Beyond F&M: A Graduate’s Path to a Career in Animal Behavior
After graduating from F&M with a degree in animal behavior, Gabie Nealon-Shapiro ’23 completed an internship with The Wildcat Sanctuary (TWS). “I am certain F&M was the perfect choice for me to begin to become an animal behaviorist,” she said.
June 20, 2024
Success Beyond F&M: Animal Behavior Major Leads ’23 Grad to Enriching Career
Franklin & Marshall’s distinctive animal behavior program helped Sara Dollen ’23 land a job doing what she loves just weeks after graduating. “I chose F&M in part for the unique animal behavior degree that I felt would prepare me well for any animal-related work,” Dollen said.