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Studies & Degrees in Animal Psychology

Animal psychology is the study of how animals behave, learn and perceive their surroundings, and of what goes wrong when an animal's behaviour becomes a problem. Universities rarely use the name. The same ground is covered by animal behaviour, ethology, comparative psychology and, on the practical side, applied or clinical animal behaviour. The Animal Behavior Society in the United States describes the applied field as covering the behaviour of companion animals, of farm, zoo and laboratory animals, and of wild animals where the study has a practical use.

Students learn the biology behind behaviour (evolution, genetics, physiology and the nervous system), learning theory, animal cognition and welfare science, together with research methods: observing animals systematically, designing experiments and analysing data. Clinical courses add the assessment and treatment of behaviour problems in pets, such as aggression, house-soiling and fear.

Qualifications and levels

There is no single degree route. People in this field, according to the Animal Behavior Society, come from psychology, biology, zoology, veterinary medicine or animal sciences.

  • Bachelor's degree. Usually in zoology, biology, psychology or animal behaviour. The UK National Careers Service lists zoology, animal ecology and behaviour, conservation and marine biology among the degrees that lead to work as a zoologist.
  • Master's degree and PhD. A postgraduate qualification may be needed for some jobs, particularly in research. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) notes that zoologists and wildlife biologists typically need a PhD to lead research projects.
  • Clinical certification. In the United Kingdom, CCAB Certification runs an independent accreditation scheme for clinical animal behaviourists. The first stage is academic and leads to pre-certification; the second assesses clinical skills. The most direct route is a course validated by the scheme. Its current list names the MSc Clinical Animal Behaviour of the University of Lincoln and of the University of Edinburgh, the BSc (Hons) Animal Behaviour and Welfare (Clinical) of Harper Adams University and the BSc (Hons) Veterinary Nursing and Companion Animal Behaviour of the University of Bristol. In the United States, the Animal Behavior Society offers a certification programme for applied animal behaviour professionals.
  • Short and vocational courses. Courses in dog training or pet behaviour are widely sold, often online. The title "animal psychologist" is not a protected one in the sources consulted for this page, so ask every school what recognition its qualification has and which professional register, if any, accepts it.

Where to study it

SpainExchange lists two active schools under animal psychology, one in the United States and one in Bermuda. Neither currently advertises a programme with that name, so check the course list before you apply.

  • The ASU Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS), in Ferry Reach, is a marine science institute. Its courses for university students are summer courses and fall and spring semester programmes in marine biology, taught in English, with field and laboratory work in a subtropical marine environment. They suit a student interested in the behaviour of marine animals as part of a wider biology degree.
  • Breyer State University, a distance-learning institution with an address in Los Angeles, states on its website that it now offers programmes in business and grief counselling only and that its old programmes have been discontinued.

The validated courses and certification schemes named above are in the United Kingdom and the United States and work in English.

Careers

Graduates work in research, in zoos and aquariums, in conservation, in animal welfare organisations and shelters, on farms and in laboratories, or as private consultants. In the UK, a clinical animal behaviourist works on veterinary referral with owners whose animals show unwanted or dangerous behaviour, and the Animal Behaviour and Training Council keeps a national register of assessed practitioners.

Official statistics do not count animal psychologists as a separate occupation. For the nearest groups in the United States, the BLS recorded 19,500 jobs for zoologists and wildlife biologists in 2025 and projects growth of 4 percent from 2025 to 2035. For animal care and service workers, a group that includes animal trainers and usually requires a high school diploma and on-the-job learning, it projects growth of 11 percent over the same period.

Frequently asked questions

Is animal psychology a degree?

Rarely under that name. Look for degrees in animal behaviour, zoology, psychology or biology, and for postgraduate courses in clinical or applied animal behaviour.

Do I need to be a vet to work with animal behaviour problems?

No, but clinical behaviourists in the UK work on referral from a veterinary surgeon, and some are vets themselves.

Which qualification do I need for research on animal behaviour?

A bachelor's degree is the usual starting point. A master's degree or PhD may be needed for research jobs, and the BLS notes that a PhD is typical for leading research projects.

Are online animal psychology courses recognised?

It varies. Ask the school what recognition the qualification has. In the UK, CCAB Certification publishes the list of courses it has validated.