We have compiled 20 top Master degrees in Animal Welfare, Protection, and Care to provide you with an overview of options around the world.
1. Master of Animal Science at North Carolina State University
North Carolina University is known for being a research university. The campus is located in Raleigh, North Carolina. What makes this university special is the fact that it is part of a research triangle of universities located in North Carolina. The other colleges in this triangle include Duke University located in Durham, NC and The University of North Carolina which’s located in Chapel Hill, NC.
North Carolina University was founded on March 7, 1887. It was originally created to be a land-grant college. Today, the university is also a sea-, and space-grant university. NCSU is the largest college in the state of North Carolina and offers 106 fields in bachelor’s, 104 fields in masters, and 61 fields in doctoral degrees.
The Master of Animal Science degree helps students to associate themselves with all forms of animal science. The different aspects that the degree covers include the physiology, genetics, nutrition, management of animals, and the biotechnology involved. The degree is a program based solely on work done within the course. The Animal Science Masters Program has a requirement of 19 credit core classes and 17 credits of electives needed. Students must spend at least a full year on campus for the degree as well.
2. Master of Science in Agriculture at Murray State University
Murray State University is located in Murray, Kentucky and has locations in multiple cities. The cities that offer the Master of Science in Agriculture degree include Madisonville, Henderson, Paducah, and Hopkinsville. The official seal of the school is the Shield. It has a coat of arms that generates back to William Murray’s family. William Murray’s family is where the name of the college generated. The shield is colored with a dark blue and a golden border that doubles around it. There are three golden stars on the shield that stands for hope, endeavor, and achievement.
The Master of Science in Agriculture degree is a degree that does not require a thesis. The degree also does not require a research path either. The timeframe for the degree is from one to two years in length. There are a number of concentrations within the degree. The degree concentrations to choose from are environmental studies, extension, food safety, education, and more. The group of agriculture degrees at Murray State University has some form or component of soil, plant, crop, or animal science within the curriculum required.
3. Masters in Animal Law at Northwestern School of Law of Lewis and Clark College
The Northwestern School of Law of Lewis and Clark College is in Portland, Oregon. The school was approved by the American Bar Association in 1970. In 1973 the School of Law also became a member of the Association of American Law Schools. Students can take classes at the School of Law of Lewis and Clark on a full time or part-time basis. The school also offers the ability to take classes during the day and in the evening. There are a number of different specialties at the School of Law including Animal Law.
The School of Law of Lewis and Clark is the first college in the states to offer this degree. Students who are pursuing the Animal Law Masters Degree Program can complete the total program in one year. The program requires a total of 28 credit hours. Students may also choose the option of a written thesis as well.
4. Humane Education Masters Degree at the Institute for Humane Education
The Institute for Human Education strives to create an atmosphere where those wanting to work with animals and nature can excel. The Master’s Degree in Humane Education helps students learn and work with global issues involving the ethics of nature. The institute joined with Cambridge College in 2000 to create the first graduate program focused on humane education.
The Master’s Degree in Humane Education is a relatively new degree choice for those in the country. It gives students the ability to earn a degree with 33 credit hours in course work. The courses are offered online for easy access to students. The degree requires all students to follow through with a residency stay of at least one week at the headquarters stationed in Maine. This one-week residency is done at the end of the degree.
5. Laboratory Animal Science Masters Degree at Drexel University
The Drexel University College of Medicine is the combination of two other prestigious colleges. The Hahnemann Medical College and the Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania are the two colleges that combined to create the Drexel University College of Medicine, one of the largest medical colleges in America. The college teaches 1 out of every 83 medical students within America and has over 1,000 medical students at a time. The main section of the college is located in East Falls, Pennsylvania. The college is affiliated with 25 different hospitals and centers.
The Laboratory Animal Science Masters Degree Program offers a degree that requires the student to be full-time. It is the perfect degree for those looking to apply to veterinarian school or pursuing careers in biology or animal science. The degree takes two years to complete. There is a concentration on animal welfare, surgical or medical procedures, laboratory techniques, general care, management, ethics, and animal anatomy and physiology.
6. Masters in Veterinarian Medicine at the University of Georgia
The University of Georgia was created by the General Assembly on January 27, 1785. The University wasn’t established, however, until the year 1801. The University was built on 633 acres that lied on the Oconee River. The Universities first graduation occurred in 1804. Today, the university has 17 different colleges and schools of study. The university has programs that focus on service, research, and teaching. The College of Veterinary Medicine was established in 1946.
The Masters in Veterinarian Medicine is a strict and vigorous program that requires students to go to school full time. The full program lasts for four years with extensive studies in anatomy and physiology, biology, general care, laboratory techniques, procedures and more.
7. Masters Program in Quantitative Methods in Biodiversity, Conservation, and Epidemiology at the University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow was founded in 1451 by papal bull or charter from Pope Nicholas V and King James II. It is one of the four ancient universities found in Scotland and counts as the fourth oldest English speaking university in the world today. In 1870 the college moved its main campus from High Street to the west end of the city at Gilmorehill.
The Masters Program in Quantitative Methods focuses on assessment and studying critical elements that can impact environmental change in the world. The degree focuses on ecological elements that are critical for the preservation of animal conservation and health. Students focus on diseases, marine life, farm-based animals and wildlife while using tools in the field to analyze the effects of the environment on animals. The degree requires a total of 180 credit hours that combine research, labs, and written work to graduate.
8. Master of Science in Anthrozoology at the University of Windsor
The University of Windsor is located in Ontario, Canada in the city of Windsor. It teaches an estimate of 12,000 students and is known as a research university. The university was founded in 1963 and now has nine different faculties within its buildings. Each of these faculties represents an independent school. It has over 100,000 alumni students.
The Master of Science in Anthrozoology Degree Program is a program that focuses on the relationship that humans have with animals. The degree focuses on all relationships including domestic animals and wildlife. Anthrozoology is a field that is primarily new and is increasing in population. The degree focuses on classes, research, and studying of farming, zoos, conservation, sports animals, companions, and other things.
9. Animal and Dairy Sciences Master Degree at Mississippi State University
Mississippi State is a land-grant research-focused university located in Starkville, Mississippi. It is home to over 21,000 students on its main campus alone. On February 28, 1878 the university was established as Mississippi Agricultural and Mechanical College. Today, the university has over 180 different degrees offered and is the only college within Mississippi to offer degrees in veterinarian medicine.
The Animal and Dairy Sciences Master Degree Program focus on the aspect of livestock and the safety, health, growth, and production of the fields of animal and dairy animals. This degree is for those who want to focus on becoming leaders in the agriculture business.
10. Masters Degree in Wildlife Biology at Oregon State University
Oregon State University is located in Corvallis, Oregon and just celebrated 80 years as a university in 2015. The university offers over 200-degree programs including graduate and doctoral degrees. Each year the university has over 28,000 students studying there. The school is land-grant, sea-grant, sun-grant and space-grant university. There are only three other universities within America that have obtained all four designations.
The Master’s Degree in Wildlife Biology focuses on many different aspects of wildlife biology. The degree program studies animal communities, nutrition, dynamics, and interactions. There is a focus on either fishery or wildlife in general. Those wanting to focus on fishery will study the biology and genetics of fish. They will also study the aquaculture, limnology, ichthyology, physiology, toxicology, parasites and diseases of marine life. Those who want to focus on wildlife will focus on the research involving bird biology, wildlife relationships, endangered species, populations, and land usage. They will also study ecology of mammal and avian predators, diseases, pesticides, and focus on wildlife both large and small.
11. Masters Degree in Fish and Wildlife Management at Montana State University
Montana State University is located in Bozeman, Montana. It has a total of 52 different bachelor’s, 41 different graduate and 18 different doctoral degrees. The University has a total of nine different colleges within its system. There is an estimate of close to 17,000 students at Montana State University.
Those who focus on a Masters in Fish and Wildlife Management want to learn the aspects of managing the needs and research of wildlife management issues. The Master’s degree requires at least 120 credit hours with 42 of these credits in the higher classes. Students must also take a number of electives for the degree as well.
12. Master of Science in Entomology at Texas A & M University
Texas A&M University is in College Station, Texas and was founded in 1876. The university teaches the highest number of students within Texas and the second-largest school in all of America. The university has a connection with large corporations such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Science Foundation, Office of Naval Research, and the National Institute of Health. The university has over 450,000 alumni and was the first college opened in Texas on October 4, 1876. The letters A&M in the name represent “Agricultural and Mechanical College’, which was what it was first designed as when it was founded. The university has ten different colleges and 18 research facilities throughout the state.
The Master of Science degree in Entomology focuses on the control, integration, biology, physiology, toxicology, genetics, systematics, plant resistance, ecology, and management of pest control. Students can pursue a degree based on a thesis or choose a nonthesis approach.
13. Masters in Companion Animal Behavior Counseling at American College of Applied Science
The American College of Applied Science is the only college within the country that offers a Masters’s degree in companion animal behavior counseling. The college focuses on a number of aspects to reach students’ highest potential. These aspects include virtual classrooms for busy students, on-site labs and research facilities, the latest technology and tools and many different academic researching opportunities within and outside of the community.
The Masters in Companion Animal Behavior is based on a model for both practitioners and scientists to study the behavior of companion animals. The degree also uses evidence to show how applied behavior focuses on the function of both animals and caregivers.
14. Masters in Animal Behavior and Conservation at Hunter College
Hunter College was founded almost 150 years ago. The college has over 170 different programs that offer aid in the way of school-based scholarships and funding. The college is located within the city of New York. The Science and Art college is the largest section of Hunter College with over 460 full-time faculty. The Art and Science section has over 26 different departments and 20,000 students alone.
The Masters Program in Animal Behavior and Conservation is created for those who want to pursue a career in animal welfare, conservation or behavior. The course load for the degree involves the study of animal behavior within different settings and their psychological, physiological and cognitive-communication skills. The degree also requires students to study the ecology of animals and all aspects of animal life.
15. Masters Degree in Equine Science at Aberystwyth University
Aberystwyth University is located on the west side of Wales in the United Kingdom. The university has been established since 1872 and has gained many awards of excellence. The university was named the Welsh university of the year in both 2018 and 2019. It was also given the Gold Award for its excellence in teaching in 2018. The university has a record for students finding employment after graduation and great student feedback.
The Master’s Degree in Equine Science takes a year to complete and has a great success rate. The degree helps students further their learning with a unique experience that teams them up with other animal professionals. Some of the professionals that collaborate with students include industrial partners, scientists, and veterinarians. The university opens doors for students to gain extensive research and studying that is not found at other universities in the area.
16. Messerli Research Institute Masters Program in Human-Animal Interactions
The Messerli Research Institute is part of the University of Stirling. The university was established in 1967 and is located in Stirling, Scotland of the United Kingdom. The university has over 14,000 students and 92,000 alumni. The university has taught students from over 120 different nationalities and 170 different countries.
The Master’s Degree in Human-Animal Interactions is a degree that focuses on human and animal behavior and the methods and interactions that shape animal behavior. Students will study animal welfare and behavior with different animal interventions. This degree is shaped for those interested in a career that involves interaction with different types of animals.
17. Prescott College Master of Arts, Equine Assisted Learning
Prescott College was formed by a group of teachers that came together under the Ford Foundation. The college was designed in 1965 and built on 200 acres of land in 1966. The college is located in Prescott, Arizona in the United States. The college fell on hard times but dedicated educators kept the college alive. Today, the college has campuses in many different cities within Arizona. Some of the campuses include Kino Bay, Arizona, and Tucson, Arizona. It was the first college in the state of Arizona to be named as a Veteran Supportive Campus.
The Master of Arts, Equine Assisted Learning degree requires 45 semester credit hours. The program uses horses to supply students with a different learning experience that incorporates hands-on experience with their studies. There are 15 credit hours, or five classes needed that focus on the concentration of the degree. This includes four of them that require a full semester of work online. The last class is done in the field. The degree also requires a residential workshop that lasts four days.
18. Tufts Master of Science in Animals and Public Policy
The Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine is part of Tufts University. Tufts University includes eight different schools in many different academics. The Cummings School is the only school in New England that has a focus on veterinarian medicine. The school is located in North Grafton, Massachusetts. The school was founded in 1978 and is part of the University of Global Health Equity.
The Animals and Public Policy degree is a program that lasts from 12 to 16 months in length. It is shaped around the study of human and animal relationships. Students research many aspects of public policy. The aspects studied include the promotion of animal status within society. There are three different focus areas within the program that include Animals in Research, Animals in the Environment, and Animals in the Community.
19. The University of Edinburgh Masters in Animal Welfare, Ethics, and Law
The University of Edinburgh is the sixth oldest university in the English-speaking world. It is one of the oldest universities and was founded in 1582. The QS World University Rankings named the university as the 20th top university in the world. It was rated 6th by the U.S. News Best Global Universities ranking for all of Europe. The university takes in over 60,000 applications in a single year.
The goal of the Masters in Animal Welfare, Ethics and Law are to implement scientific evidence into improving the welfare and standards of animal care. The program uses both research and hands-on study of animals to provide evidence of the things needed to achieve this goal. The program is done online and can be achieved in three to six years part-time. The degree uses both in-class study and independent study to obtain the degree.
20. Master of Science in Veterinary Forensic Medicine at the University of Florida
The University of Florida has space, sea and land grants. They have campuses and research facilities within 67 counties in the state of Florida. The whole school has a total of over 900 different buildings and more than 2,000 acres and focuses on incorporating facilities that are more environmentally friendly. The university was founded in 1853 and has used its main campus in Gainesville, Florida since it was built in September of 1906. The University of Florida is the eighth largest university in America and has 16 different colleges that teach over 55,000 students a year.
The Master of Science in Veterinary Forensic Medicine is for students who want to go into the forensic science field. It will help students study zoology, biology, natural resources, wildlife, and forensic science in order to process crime scenes that involve animals. It is a degree that will help teach students how to interpret, handle and process evidence of crimes against animals such as abuse and other forms of injustice.
The first step is to understand and know that you want to work with animals. The next step is obtaining the right degree to help you pursue your career. Animal focused graduate studies can focus on many different aspects of animal care. The focus can involve the care of animals such as veterinarian care. The focus of a degree can also be on the criminal aspects of animal care such as a forensic scientist. There are other degrees that focus on not just animals, but their interaction with humans and other animals as well. It is important to study each degree to find out which one fits your needs the best.
