Overview
The Animals and Society certificate builds on a rapidly growing interdisciplinary field devoted to the critical examination and evaluation of the relationships between humans and nonhuman animals, whether historical or contemporary, factual, fictional, or symbolic, beneficial or detrimental. The program requirements emphasize scholarship from the social sciences and humanities, but include elective options in the natural sciences. The interdisciplinary approach helps students explore the complexities of animals’ lives, human-animal relationships, ethical and moral concerns about animals, representations of animals and humans, and the significance of animals in human evolution, history, and civilization.
This certificate has an especially practical use for students in the social sciences and humanities who would like to pursue careers or interests related to wild or domesticated animals, but do not wish to become biologists, zoologists, or veterinarians. Examples of 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 United States 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.
Students might also consider pursuing graduate degrees in Human-Animal Studies, Anthrozoology, or related fields.The certificate is open only to degree-seeking undergraduate students enrolled at the University of Colorado.Ìý
For more information, or to apply to the certificate in Animals and Society, contact Professor Leslie Irvine at leslie.irvine@colorado.edu
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