The animal behavior program explores fascinating questions of why animals act the way they do. It’s an interdisciplinary field that connects the big picture—like evolution and survival—with the details of how animals grow, learn, and respond to their environments.

The Animal Behavior Major

With a major in animal behavior, you’ll gain a broad and integrated understanding of why animals behave the way they do while building skills that prepare you for many career paths. You’ll develop skills in critical thinking, scientific writing, teamwork, and the ability to design and test ideas—skills valuable for research, conservation, animal care, education, and more. Although Animal Behavior is increasingly in demand it’s still rare to find a dedicated major like this at a top research university. At UT, you’ll join one of only a few Animal Behavior programs offered at a research-intensive (R1) university in the entire country. Our program brings together courses from biology, psychology, animal science, neuroscience, and other disciplines to help you explore the amazing diversity of animal life.

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The Animal Behavior Minor

A great companion to many majors across the university, the minor in animal behavior is designed to give students flexibility to explore different areas of animal behavior, including animal research, care, and welfare. 

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The Undergraduate Certificate in Animal Behavior

Students seeking an undergraduate certificate have the opportunity to combine classroom learning with practical experiences, including an animal care internship, an avian field methods internship, and more, with coursework drawing from fields including animal welfare, animal communication, evolutionary psychology, and behavioral neuroscience.

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