Pet psychology is an interdisciplinary field that studies animal cognition and learning, as well as how animals and humans interact.
A career in pet psychology offers many rewarding possibilities. You could work clinically, as a trainer for house pets or as an academic research scientist. Depending on your professional ambitions, you may choose to pursue either undergraduate or graduate levels of education.
To become an animal psychologist, you need a bachelor’s or master’s degree in biology, zoology, psychology or related field. Additionally, certification in this area can enhance your abilities and boost job prospects.
In this career, you collaborate with animals and their people to help them address behavior and communication issues such as anxiety or aggression. Your duties may include working closely with a veterinarian or studying how medications affect an animal’s natural behaviors.
You could also work in academia, teaching students about animal behavior or conducting research to understand the similarities and differences between animal and human behaviour. By doing so, you can make a lasting impact on both our global environment as well as that of pets themselves.
Some colleges still offer bachelor’s degrees in animal psychology, though this is less common than it used to be. You may need to relocate in order to attend a college with an animal psychology program.
As with any interdisciplinary field, earning a degree in this area necessitates strong academic performance and practical experience. To do so, students should complete internships at veterinary clinics or other pet-related organizations as well as taking courses in animal science, psychology, and chemistry at the undergraduate level.
After earning your bachelor’s degree, you can pursue a master’s or doctoral degree in animal psychology to further specialize your studies and progress your career. Depending on which program you select, this could take anywhere from two to four years to complete depending on its length.
Most master’s and doctoral programs require a range of coursework, which could include biology, psychology, or research methods courses. Furthermore, students should gain practical experience through an internship or work placement with an animal behavioral specialist.
When selecting a graduate program, take into account both your career objectives and personal interests. You might find a master’s program that allows for specialization in animal behavior through supervised internships, or alternatively opt for comparative psychology and gain an overall insight into how different species behave compared to one another.
Earning a certificate in animal psychology can supplement your educational requirements and give you additional training to help you land a job as an animal behavior specialist or researcher. Certification is offered through organizations such as the American Psychological Association (APA), American Board of Applied Animal Behavior (ACAAB), and Association for Pet Behavior & Training (APBT).
When selecting a graduate program, keep your career objectives in mind when selecting which courses to take and when it will take to finish. Finishing the program on time can give you an edge over other graduates by providing evidence of efficiency.
