College of Arts and Sciences

Comparative Animal Behavior

Program Option

Psychology and Neuroscience department web site

The information on this page pertains to program requirements for students who matriculated in the 2023-2024 academic year.  View requirements for previous catalog years here.

Program Overview

The Comparative Animal Behavior concentration offers a coherent interdisciplinary program of study intended to prepare students for employment or advanced study in fields including components of the behavoir of nonhuman animals. These fields include – but are not limited to – psychology, ethology, neuroscience, veterinary medicine, conservation biology. All students are encouraged to seek laboratory and field experiences in addition to required course work.


Comparative Animal Behavior Concentration

The concentration requires a total of 27 credits, at least 15 of which cannot be counted toward any other major, minor, or concentration.

Course Credits
Required Courses 15
BIO 013, 013L - General/Pre-professional Biology II (with lab) 4
BIO 114, 114L - Evolution (with lab) 4
PSY 001 - Introduction to Psychology 4
PSY 024/BIO 025 - Animal Behavior 3
Electives - select one from each cluster 12-16
Cluster 1 - Molecular Determinants of Behavior  
BIO 105 - Introduction to Genetics 3
BIO 129, 129L - Mammalian Physiology with lab 5
PSY 127/BIO 107/NSCI 127 - Behavior Genetics 3
Cluster 2 - Biological Determinants of Behavior  
BIO 176 - Neurophysiology 3
PSY 122 - Sensation and Perception 3
PSY 123 - Biological Bases of Behavior 4
PSY 128 - Hormones and Behavior 3
Cluster 3 - Comparative Analysis of Behavior  
PSY 026 - Human Evolutionary Psychology 3
PSY 126 - Comparative Psychology 3
PSY 129 - Primate Cognition 3
Cluster 4 - Ecological Factors  
BIO 098 - Introduction to Primatology 3
BIO 117 - Ecology 3
BIO 125/ENSP 135 - Conservation Biology 4
Total 27

The information in this catalog does not constitute a contract between the university and the student. The university reserves the right to make changes in curricula, admission policies and processes, tuition and financial aid, academic standards and guidelines, student services and any other regulations or policies set forth in this catalog without giving prior notice.