Certificate Program (15 credits)

Are you preparing for a career as a zoo keeper or aquarist?  Do you want to learn how to manage, breed, and care for wildlife? Our program will give you the skills you need for success in the exciting field of zoo and aquarium science.

What is Zoo and Aquarium Science?

Zoo and Aquarium Science includes all the disciplines needed to properly manage and care for wild animals in captivity, both native wildlife and exotics. Professionals need a good working knowledge of proper nutrition, behavior, record keeping, management and conservation. Keepers and curators may be generalists, caring for all animals in the facility or at larger institutions they may specialize. Specialists can focus on particular animal groups, such as carnivores or marine mammals. Alternatively, they may focus on a particular area of husbandry, such as nutrition or animal behavior. Keepers share a passion for their animals and commitment to their care.

Your ABI Education

Our curriculum includes conservation, husbandry, nutrition, disease, behavior, training and public education. This comprehensive approach makes the program an ideal introduction to the field or an excellent complement to more traditional academic programs, where coverage is usually limited to domestic species. Upon graduation, you may being using the designation CZASP, Certified Zoo and Aquarium Science Professional.

Program Requirements

The certificate program in Zoo and Aquarium Science requires satisfactory completion of 15 credit hours, including four required courses and one elective. Click here to see a complete list of courses for this program.

The Animal Behavior Institute is proud to be an institutional member of the American Association of Zoo Keepers. We support their mission of fostering professional education among zoo keepers and ultimately global conservation and stewardship.

Learn more about Careers in Zoo and Aquarium Science.