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 housing a diverse range of species—including
rodents, reptiles, birds, fish, and nonhuman primates—that supports student-focused
learning and scientific research. We are one of the only institutions in the United
States offering undergraduate students direct access to onsite nonhuman primates through
an established program built around training, enrichment, and animal caretaking. Each
year, more than 150 F&M students 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. We also
offer an Animal Husbandry & Primate Training Certificate, which includes formal academic training designed to develop students’ abilities
to professionally train and care for animals.Success Beyond F&M
The impact of an F&M education is reflected strongly in our graduates’ outcomes. Within six months after graduation, 92% of the Class of 2025 were either employed or furthering their education. This is higher than the national average, which is typically in the mid-80% range.
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
F&M students An Bach, Sarah Chapla, and Thao Nguyen created this film as part of the
Motion Picture Production I course during the Fall 2023 semester.F&M Vivarium
“The vivarium is this beautiful gem in the crown that is F&M.”
“There are very few facilities that offer undergraduate students that kind of hands-on, experiential learning right from the moment they step on campus. The facility and our programming, which supports up to 80 students a semester, wouldn't exist without the commitment of our incredible students.”
— Lillian Basom ’08, Director of Operations, College Vivarium
“The Vivarium has been the highlight of my time at F&M.”
“I’ve worked in the Vivarium since my sophomore year, and it has been the highlight
of my time at F&M. Having the opportunity to take courses that support the work I
do in the Vivarium was the perfect way to incorporate theory and practice. I’ve always
known that I wanted to pursue a career in some animal-related field, and when I figured
out that animal welfare was what I was most passionate about, it became even more
important to me to understand the rationale behind the way animal-care decisions are
made in captive settings like zoos and laboratories. Animal training plays an increasing
role in how we work with animals in captivity because it makes the job easier for
keepers, researchers, and veterinarians, while supporting animal welfare by decreasing
stress. Training is a super important skill to have if you’re going into animal care,
and taking a class that has a classroom component and a hands-on component is an amazing
way to learn how to train.”
— Shoshana Frank '25
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. 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. 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.Student Spotlight
Mia Feola ’27 Unleashes Her Potential
“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.”
“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 »Related Fields of Study
Animal Husbandry & Primate Training (Certificate)
Biology
Psychology
Explore Animal Behavior Studies at F&M
February 20, 2026
Work on the Wild Side with Lillian Basom '08, F&M Vivarium Director
Lillian Basom ’08 loved Franklin & Marshall’s vivarium so much that she never left. In fact, she has been the director of operations since 2011. The research facility houses a variety of rodents, reptiles, birds, fish, invertebrates and capuchin monkeys.
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.