Sneak Peek
Self Paced 20-hour course to help you understand more about animal behaviour.
Decode animal behaviours: study what's going on in the animal brain.
What's the difference between a domesticated cat and a feral cat? Can animals feel joy and sadness? How do baboons show anger?
Learn how to decode animal behaviours with this short course. .
There are general, broad factors at play though in any animal species. Getting to know those factors is the basis for dealing with those animals more appropriately, whether in the wild or captivity.
Covering everything from instincts and ritualised behaviours through to domestication, Animal Behaviour and Psychology provides a solid foundation in the workings of how animals think. Excellent for anyone owning a pet, working on a farm, in a zoo, a wildlife refuge, in animal control, in vet care, and more.
Our 20 hour courses are self paced and will help you understand a topic in a short amount of time. You can work through the course when you like- test yourself with mini-tests along the way. There are extra case studies or research you can undertake if you would really like to get into the topic. Once you have completed the lessons and self assessment tasks, there is a final exam undertaken online- you can then download your personalised certificate.
Course Content- What do you learn?
This course has eight lessons. Each lesson has a corresponding online self-assessment test.
Lesson 1: Introduction to Animal Behaviour
- Interpreting Animal Behaviour
- Descriptions of Animal Behaviour
- Factors that Influence Behaviour
- Additional Reading (Goats, Cats, Dogs)
Lesson 2: Animal Perception and Cognition
- Introduction
- Perception
- Sight
- Hearing
- Smell
- Taste
- Touch
- Dexterity
- Cognition
- Additional Reading (Animal Perception, Types of Stimuli)
Lesson 3: Innate or Native Behaviours
- Innate Behaviours
- Instincts
- Fixed Action Patterns
- Innate Releasing Mechanisms
- Ritualised Behaviours
- Maturation
- Feeding Behaviour
- Other Eating and Drinking Adaptations
- Orientation
- Locomotion
- Biological Rhythms
- Sexual Behaviour
- Reproduction
- Additional Reading (Feeding Cats, Dog and Cat Obesity, Sexual Behaviour, What Animals Eat)
Lesson 4: How Animals Learn
- What is the Point of Learning?
- Types of Animal Learning
- Environment and Learning
- How Instincts and Learnt Behaviour are Related
- Animal Attachments
- Animal Parenting
- Additional Reading (Why Animals Learn, Equine Behaviour, Conditioning)
Lesson 5: Specific Types of Animal Behaviour
- Mating
- Social Behaviour
- Dominance
- Territoriality
- Aggression
- Additional Reading (Social Behaviours, Horse Temperament, Aggression in Dogs)
Lesson 6 How Animals Communicate
- Introduction
- What is Communication?
- Types of Animal Communication
- Do Animals Understand Human Language?
- How Animals Communicate
- Additional Reading (Communication in Dogs, Understanding Cat Behaviour)
Lesson 7 Animal Mentality
- Animal Intelligence
- Animal Emotion
- Animal Psychopathology
- Additional Reading (Dog Depression, Bird Behaviour Problems, Five Ways to Ensure a Happy Pet)
Lesson 8 Managing Animal Behaviour
- Our Need to Manage Animal Behaviour
- Why Do We Domesticate Animals?
- Canines - Managing their Behaviour
- Felines - Domestic and Wild Cats
- Equines - Training Horses
- Cattle
- Training Wild Animals in Captive Environments
- Additional Reading (Equine Therapy and Rehabilitation, Dog Problems)
How does this course work?
You can enrol at any time.
Once you have paid for the course, you will be able to start straight away.
Study when and where you like. Work through at your own pace.
You can download your study-guide to your smart phone, tablet or laptop to read offline.
There are automated self-assessment tests you can complete at the end of each lesson. You can attempt these as many times as you wish and each time, upon completion, you can see your results. You will need internet access to complete the self assessment tests.
At the end of the course, you are presented with a large assessment which can be attempted online, anywhere, anytime. If you achieve a 60% pass in the exam; you immediately receive a downloadable certificate of completion with your name on it. If you do not achieve a 60% pass rate, you can contact us to re-sit your exam. ( email- admin@acs.edu.au )
Contact us at anytime if you have any issues with the course. admin@acs.edu.au