Florida Tech Announces New Bachelor’s Degree in Animal Behavior and Cognition

Have you ever wondered what animals think or why they behave the way they do? Psychologists at Florida Tech explore these fascinating questions. Starting this fall, a new generation of students can join them. The university is launching a new Bachelor of Science in Animal Behavior and Cognition, becoming one of just 10 schools nationwide—and only the second in the Southeast—to offer the innovative degree.

The program, developed and led by School of Psychology associate professor Darby Proctor and assistant professor Catherine Talbot, combines psychology, ethology and behavioral ecology to uncover how animals perceive, learn, make decisions and solve problems. Whether observing animals at Brevard Zoo or conducting novel research in the on-campus Roach Lab, students gain hands-on experience that prepares them for graduate school and various careers working with animals.

Currently, the nine other animal behavior undergraduate degree programs are experiencing increases in enrollment. Just in the last decade, graduates in this category of academic programs have increased 420%. That’s 41 graduates in 2014 to 213 in 2023.

As the demand for animal professionals soars, Florida Tech is poised to become a leading institution for students passionate about making a difference—for animals and the communities that care for them. Students interested in studying animal behavior will be encouraged to select the degree as the school phases out the concentration.

“The timing is right to elevate our animal behavior program into a major and establish ourselves as a leader in this field,” Proctor said.

Already, graduates of Florida Tech’s animal behavior concentration are working with employers such as Brevard Zoo, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Save the Chimps and Phoenix Zoo. Students also find internships with facilities including MOTE Marine Laboratory & Aquarium and Dolphins Plus.

The Animal Behavior and Cognition degree is interdisciplinary. Students will take various biology classes, creating synergies with the existing Marine Biology major, which focuses on the biological aspects of organisms as opposed to the psychology of animal behavior. Talbot believes the new major will give students from different colleges a unique opportunity to mix—for example, while animal behavior students evaluate behavioral changes in manatees or dolphins, marine biology students could evaluate changes in seagrass availability that could be influencing those behavioral changes.

On campus, undergraduates have the chance to learn about animal models by researching cockroach behavior in the Roach Lab—a novel niche with wide potential for both publication and future employment, Proctor said.

“When students work in our Roach Lab, it shows potential employers that they are truly interested in working with animals rather than wanting to only work with cute and fuzzy animals,” Proctor said.

“Regardless of whether students do research at the zoo or in the Roach Lab, they gain valuable hands-on experience that makes them more competitive for entry-level jobs working with animals,” Talbot added.

The new major speaks to Florida Tech’s collaborative education and powerful partnerships. Students get to utilize Florida Tech’s dedicated Brevard Zoo research facility, the Animal Cognitive Research Center, where Talbot and Proctor study the behavior of spider monkeys. In addition to working with the monkeys, students can also study other animals such as lions and bears.

Talbot anticipates students will also be involved at the East Coast Zoological Foundation’s upcoming Bowen Aquarium at Cape Canaveral, which will highlight lagoon research.   

“If you want to work in an animal-focused career, the most important thing to do is get hands-on experience working with animals,” Talbot said. “This degree will help you get those experiences.”