Free Online Animal Behavior and Animal Studies Courses
These myriad courses are available for animal lovers. Whether you'd like to study their behaviors, relationships with humans, or their extreme survival adaptations, you will certainly find something in this list to pique your interest.
Tufts University
This veterinary course centers on the role of veterinarians in human-animal relationships. It was started in the 1980s by an anthropologist and veterinarian, Dr. Elizabeth Lawrence, and remains in her memory of her contributions to the study of human-animal relationships. Readings will coincide with lectures. Quizzes, papers, and journal reflections will be inclusive in this course. Grading is based on completion of course requirements. Class discussions and student participation are paramount.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
This course presents the history of interactions between people and animals. Core themes include moral obligations and the use of animals. Students will responsible for required readings each week, in addition to a written response. At the end of the semester, students will be required to write a research paper. Grading is based on these elements, including oral and class participation.
Open University
Open University offers a vast amount of course topics in animal behavior and animal studies. Interested students can read through the course directly on the website or they can download the entire course as an eBook. Topics range from polar biology to hibernation, including specific animals like predators, meat eaters, insect hunters, and more.
- Animals at the Extremes: Polar Biology
- Studying Mammals: A Winning Design
- Animals at the Extremes: The Desert Environment
- Animals at the Extremes: Hibernation and Torpor
- Studying Mammals: The Opportunists
- Studying Mammals: Meat Eaters
- Studying Mammals: Plant Predators
- Studying Mammals: Chiselers
- Studying Mammals: The Insect Hunters
- Studying Mammals: Life in the Trees
- Studying Mammals: The Social Climbers
- Studying Mammals: Return to the Water
- Studying Mammals: Food for Thought
Free Online Animal Behavior and Animal Studies Courses At a Glance
| Course & School | Program Level | Format | Assignments | Quizzes & Exams | Downloadable |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Human-Animal Relationships course from Tufts University | Graduate | Class discussions/participation | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| People and Other Animals course from MIT | Undergraduate/graduate | Text | Yes | No | Yes |
| Animals at the Extremes: Polar Biology course from Open University | Undergraduate | Text | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Studying Mammals: A Winning Design course from Open University | Undergraduate | Text | Yes | No | Yes |
| Animals at the Extremes: The Desert Environment course from Open University | Undergraduate | Text | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Animals at the Extremes: Hibernation and Torpor course from Open University | Undergraduate | Text | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Studying Mammals: The Opportunists course from Open University | Undergraduate | Text | Yes | No | Yes |
| Studying Mammals: Meat Eaters course from Open University | Undergraduate | Text | Yes | No | Yes |
| Studying Mammals: Plant Predators course from Open University | Undergraduate | Text | Yes | No | Yes |
| Studying Mammals: Chiselers course from Open University | Undergraduate | Text | Yes | No | Yes |
| Studying Mammals: The Insect Hunters course from Open University | Undergraduate | Text | Yes | No | Yes |
| Studying Mammals: The Social Climbers course from Open University | Undergraduate | Text | Yes | No | Yes |
| Studying Mammals: Return to the Water course from Open University | Undergraduate | Text | Yes | No | Yes |
| Studying Mammals: Food for Thought course from Open University | Undergraduate | Text | Yes | No | Yes |
