Looking For A Career With Animals? Animal Studies Is A Blossoming Field

Consider a career as a zookeeper: image via ehow.comWith the increased advocacy for humane laws for farm animals and domestic pets, has also come more advocacy groups, shelters, and rescue and shelter personnel, many who have started their own businesses, particularly no-kill shelters.  To provide these extra services, there needs to be access to new education in these fields... and some universities in the U.S., like the Humane Society University (HSU), are starting undergraduate and graduate degree programs.

At the Humane Society University in Washington, D.C., Bachelor of Science degrees are offered in Animal Policy and Advocacy, Animal Studies, and Humane Leadership.  The spectrum of undergraduate coursework spans almost 50 subjects from Animals and Public Policy to Understanding the Human-Animal Bond, to Sociology of Animal Abuse, Compassion Fatigue, Finance for Managers and Humane Leadership. 

At the graduate level, one can specialize in Animal Policy and Advocacy, Animal Studies, and Humane Leadership with dozens more advanced courses, such as Global Animal Issues, Animal Protection and the Environment,  Animal Assisted Interventions for Youth-At-Risk, and Field Placement courses.

Explore a career with animals. You never know where it will take you!: image via ehow.comHSU also offers Continuing Education courses, and several online courses, but degrees are not just pursuits of the young.  The University's students are currently adults practicing in other fields who want to start a second career, or want to figure out a way to combine their talents with their love for animals.  For students outside the Washington, DC area, some courses can be taken remotely via speaker phone or webcam.

The Humane Society is the largest animal rights activist organization and is, itself, a great resource for University students and people in animal activist fields.  It also offers a jobs center online, where you can post your resume and learn about job opportunities throughout the country.

sources:  Human Society University,  Humane Society of the United States, The Washington Post