专业详情

It has been a long time coming.  After more than five years in development, a faculty-driven, thoughtful and careful planning process has yielded an on-line Master’s of Science in Animal Welfare and Behavior.

This MSc offering reflects Penn Vet’s critical mass of faculty that have a unique expertise in animal welfare and behavior.  Our successful launch of a Graduate Certificate program in this area last fall provides further evidence for the timeliness of continuing educational opportunities for working professionals in animal welfare and behavior.

The Master of Science in Animal Welfare and Behavior is designed as an online program with an option for on-site research. It can be completed as a full-time program in a two-year period or as a part-time program over a longer period. Please see below for details of the curriculum.

All students enrolled in the MSc in Animal Welfare & Behavior complete core requirements. In addition, all MSc students are required to complete a capstone project, which must involve the generation of independent and original intellectual content. 

We offer two curricular options, which are related to the type of capstone research project you choose. 

  • Option I:  Requires original research and data collection in the field or laboratory.
  • Option II: Requires original analysis of current literature.

In each case, students choose or are able to customize a track:

  • One Welfare – Generalist track
  • American College of Animal Welfare track – For veterinarians preparing to meet requirements for American College of Animal Welfare

Available Elective Courses and Electives in Development:

  • Regulations and Animal Welfare
  • Evolution of Animal Welfare
  • Contemporary Issues in Animal Welfare
  • Applied Small Animal Behavior: Dog and Cat
  • Role of the Veterinarian and Veterinary Profession in Animal Welfare
  • Emergency Preparedness and Response: A One Welfare Perspective
  • Animal Welfare in the Shelter and Community

Tracks in Development:

  • Species Specific tracks 
  • Farm Animal Welfare
  • Shelter Animal Welfare
  • Companion Animal Welfare