Program Overview

Have you ever wondered what makes positive reinforcement such an effective tool for training anything from betta fish to dogs to killer whales? Or why African lions are the only members of the cat family to live in strong social groups? Or how a canary’s brain can increase in size every spring when it begins singing to attract a mate? Carroll University’s Animal Behavior Program is one of the few undergraduate programs of its kind in the nation. You’ll explore how animals think, learn, perceive their surroundings and process information, and how they adapt their behaviors to the environment in which they live.

Carroll University’s animal behavior major introduces you to the scientific methods with which people study the behavior of animals–from how the brain and nervous system influence behavior, to how animals learn new behaviors and solve problems, to why particular types of behavior evolve in the wild.

All animal behavior students are required to develop valuable hands-on skills by completing an internship at locations such as the Racine Zoo, the Wildlife in Need Center, or the behavior services department of the Humane Society. Students also participate in research both within and outside of class. Some of our students design their own research projects and even publish their work in professional journals. These experiences give students a real advantage in choosing a career or applying to graduate school.

Your studies are not restricted to Carroll’s classrooms. You’ll have opportunities to study at our 75-acre outdoor classroom and laboratory, the Greene Field Station and Prairie Springs Environmental Education Center. Classes sometimes meet at the Humane Animal Welfare Society to give students hands-on experience in animal training. Carroll’s long-standing partnership with the Milwaukee County Zoo sets our program apart by giving you access to a nationally-recognized research training site just minutes from campus. Our senior-level classes design and carry out research projects there, selecting from more than 2,000 mammals, birds, fish, amphibians and reptiles to observe.