Course Descriptions

Below is a list of currently available CASI courses. They are available as components of the programs of study found listed on the programs page.

Introduction to Behaviorology - 101 (Optional)

This course introduces the student to the discipline of behaviorology, the completely independent and comprehensive natural science of behavior, including its philosophical underpinnings (radical behaviorism), and relates it to other disciplines, fields and approaches, including behavior analysis, psychology, ethology and the medical model approach. This course is provided for program-enrolled students and recommended but not required for graduation.

• Definition and history of behaviorology

• Philosophy of natural science

• Radical behaviorism

• Modes of causation

• Evolutions via selection by consequences (biological evolution, repertoire evolution, cultural evolution)

• Psychology

• Behavior analysis

• Ethology

• Medical model approach

• Verbal behavior of natural scientists

• Behaviorology as comprehensive discipline

Approximate time required: 15 hours

Environment–Behavior Functional Relations I - 105

This course introduces the student to elementary environment–behavior functional relations. It explores definitions of all common related terms and discusses behaviorological categories of behavior and fundamentals of functional relations between behavior and stimulation. Operant and respondent contingencies are explored. 

• Behavior

• Categories of behavior (operant vs. respondent & conditioned versus unconditioned)

• Stimulation

• Functional relations

• Causation in operant contingencies

• Respondent contingencies

Approximate time required: 15 hours

Environment–Behavior Functional Relations II - 106

This course continues an introduction to environment–behavior relations. It defines conditioning and explores the physics of behavior. Contingency analyses is covered and well as the notation for depicting contingencies. The three-term contingency is discussed in detail as well as the components contingencies that comprise it. The important of externalizing contingencies is emphasized. The course ends with an introduction to increasing complexities in accounting for behavior.

• Conditioning

• Physics of behavior

• Effects of conditioning on behavior

• Contingency analysis

• Depicting contingencies in formal notation

• Analyzing episodes behavior

• Component contingencies in the three-term contingency

• Externalizing contingencies

• Increasing complexity in accounting for behavior

Approximate time required: 15 hours

​

Introduction to Operant Conditioning I - 108

This first course in a two course sequence introduces the Law of Effect and the basic terms and categories of behavior and behavior change processes. Reinforcement and punishment, both added and subtracted and both conditioned and unconditioned processes and procedures are explored. Extinction is discussed, followed by a detailing of the variables influencing the effectiveness of both reinforcement and punishment.

• Law of effect

• Basic terms and categories

• Reinforcement (added and subtracted)

• Punishment (added and subtracted)

• Extinction

• Variable influencing the effectiveness of reinforcement

• Variable influencing the effectiveness of punishment

Approximate time required: 15 hours

​

Introduction to Operant Conditioning II - 109

This second course in a two-course sequence continues an introduction to basic operant conditioning processes and principles. Antecedent principles, processes, and procedures are explored in detail, including stimulus control and its transfer, generalization and discrimination, fading of antecedent stimuli, prompting and function-altering stimulation, including motivating operations.

• Antecedent principles, processes, and procedures

• Stimulus control

• Terms and relations

• Generalization and discrimination training

• Transferring stimulus control

• Prompting

• Function-altering stimulation

• Motivating operations

• Fading and establishing function-altering stimuli

Approximate time required: 15 hours

​

Introduction to Behavioral Complexity - 110

This course introduces the student to some more advanced topics in operant conditioning, including multiple term contingencies and other behavioral complexities.

• n-term contingencies

• Behavioral complexities

• Concurrent contingencies

• Law of cumulative complexity

Approximate time required: 10 hours

​

Respondent Conditioning - 111

This course introduces the student to the basic processes, principles and procedures involved in respondent conditioning, including the establishing of and extinction of conditioned responses, as well as habituation, potentiation, and sensitization, followed by a discussion of the importance of respondent conditioning in contingency engineering.

• Terms, principles, and processes

• Respondent extinction

• Habituation, potentiation, and sensitization

• Importance of respondent conditioning in contingency engineering 

Approximate time required: 10 hours

​

Schedules of Reinforcement - 115

This course introduces the student to simple and compound schedules of added reinforcement and schedule extensions, including the limited hold.

• Simple schedules of added reinforcement

• Continuous reinforcement

• Extinction

• Intermittent reinforcement

• Fixed and variable ratio schedules

• Fixed and variable interval schedules

• Fixed and variable duration schedules

• Differential reinforcement of low rate of responding

• Differential reinforcement of high rate of responding

• Differential reinforcement of diminishing rates

• Schedule extensions (limited hold, “jackpotting”)

• Compound schedules of reinforcement

Approximate time required: 15 hours

​

Differential Reinforcement - 116

This course introduces the student to differential reinforcement, including its most commonly required forms in contingency engineering practice, including differential reinforcement of incompatible, alternative, and other behaviors and of low rate of responding. The course concludes with a discussion of shaping and the management of schedules of reinforcement throughout contingency engineering projects.

• Differential reinforcement

• Differential reinforcement of other behaviors

• Differential reinforcement of alternative behaviors

• Differential reinforcement of incompatible behaviors

• Differential reinforcement of successive approximations of a terminal behavior (shaping)

• Managing schedules of reinforcement

Approximate time required: 10 hours

​

Aversive Stimulation and its Problems - 117

This course addresses the topic of aversive stimulation and the problems associated with its use. After an initial discussion defining the topic and terms and of why punitive methods are so pervasive, problematic side effects are covered in detail, divided generally into respondent and operant side effects. The course concludes with a discussion of the role of aversive stimulation in conditioning processes and exploration of whether punishment “works” in a practical and putative sense.

• Why is aversive stimulation pervasive?

• Defining aversive stimulation

• Respondent side-effects (aversive emotional arousal and conditioning) 

• Operant side-effects (escape behavior)

• Clarification of punishment and its role in changing behavior

• Does punishment “work”?

Approximate time required: 10 hours

​

Non-Coercive Methods in Animal Training - 120

This course begins an introduction to animal training by exploring a strategy for avoiding coercive methods and instead emphasizing added reinforcement-based strategies, practices, and procedures. Working through the algorithm that provides guidance on how to ensure minimally aversive methods are used is detailed.

• Ethical foundations in training

• Review of aversive stimulation

• The value of avoiding counterproductive coercive training methods in favor of maximally effective added reinforcement-emphasized methods

• Key features of added reinforcement-emphasized training strategy

• Working through algorithm of training with minimal coercion

Approximate time required: 6 hours

​

Non-Coercive Behavior Engineering - 189

This course provides guidance on how to avoid coercive methods and tools in favor of added reinforcement-based methods and identification of impediments that may be resolved without ratcheting up coercive practices. 

• Avoiding extremism and dogmatism

• Aversiveness-ratcheting strategies

• Emphasizing constructional added reinforcement-based methods

• Importance of constructional added reinforcement-emphasized behavior change strategies

• Strategy of avoiding vs. banning aversive methods and tools

• Working through the algorithm 

Approximate time required: 8 hours

​

Errorless Training Strategy - 121

This course explores the general errorless training strategy as opposed to the trial-and-error approach.

• Errorless training vs. trial-and-error conditioning

• Methods of minimizing non-criterion responding

Approximate time required: 8 hours

​

Animal Training Technology I - 122

This course is the first in a two-course sequence that introduces the student to animal training strategies and the implementation of training plans. It begins with an introduction to modern constructional (as opposed to eliminative) and graded / errorless (as opposed to trial-and-error) methods. It details how to plan a training project, including identification of the target behavior and establishing specific behavior objectives. It provides guidance on selecting both conditioned and unconditioned reinforcers.

• General systematic training process (graded constructional approach)

• Planning and preparation

• Identifying and defining target behavior

• Preparing formal behavior objective

• Graded/constructional versus trial-and-error approach

• Identification of reinforcers and establishing conditioned reinforcers

Approximate time required: 10 hours

​

Animal Training Technology II - 123

This course is the second in a two-course sequence that introduces the student to animal training strategies and the implementation of training plans. It outlines the principles and procedures involved in working through a systematic training process including acquit ion training, fluency training, and maintenance training. At each stage in training, different procedures and practices must occur and each are discussed in detail.

• Acquisition stage of training (antecedent and postcedent tactics)

• Identification of required procedure

• Handling non-criterion behaviors

• Fluency stage of training

• Maintenance stage of training

• Constructing systematic training plan

• 10 laws of training

Approximate time required: 10 hours

​

Advanced Animal Training Techniques (Shaping) - 140

This course is the first in a two-course sequence that introduces the student to advanced animal training strategies and the implementation of training plans. This first course explores shaping in greater depth, providing guidance in all components of implementing a shaping plan. It begins with a detailed analysis of the shaping process, discusses its appropriate uses and inappropriate uses based on the training objectives, describes how to plan the behavior approximations and then how to implement the plan with practical advice. This course requires access to a  companion dog for engaging in training exercises.

• Analysis of shaping process

• Appropriate applications for shaping

• Planning behavior objectives and behavior approximations

• Implementation of shaping plan

Approximate time required: 8 hours

​

Advanced Animal Training Techniques (Chaining and Sequencing) - 141

This course is the second in a two-course sequence that introduces the student to advanced animal training strategies and the implementation of training plans. This second course explores chaining in greater depth, providing guidance in all components of implementing a chaining plan. It begins with a detailed analysis of the chaining process, constructing and validating task analyses, describes how to train component behaviors and how to bring each under the appropriate stimulus controls, resulting in a behavior chain exhibited by a single trainer-provided cue. The course covers both forward and backward chaining procedures and under what conditions each is most suitable. This course requires access to a  companion dog for engaging in training exercises.

• Analysis of chaining process

• Constructing and validating task analysis

• Assessment of levels of proficiency of requisite behaviors

• Training compound behaviors

• Forward and backward chaining procedures

• Chain quality

Approximate time required: 8 hours

​

Training Dogs I - 150

This course is the first in a two-course sequence that introduces the student to training dogs. It begins with a discussion of suitable and unsuitable equipment choices before covering the training of a dogs to exhibit the following behaviors on cue: name, sit, down, stand, and wait in great detail from the initial acquisition stage, through the fluency stage, to the maintenance stage. The steps and procedures described for training the above behaviors may then be applied to training other behaviors.

• Equipment

• Name

• Sit

• Down

• Stand

• Wait

Approximate time required: 10 hours

​

Training Dogs II - 151

This course is the second in a two-course sequence that introduces the student to training dogs. It continues the detailed elaboration of training dogs through the following behaviors:  take it/drop it, recall, off, loose leash walking, and got to place in great detail from the initial acquisition stage, through the fluency stage, to the maintenance stage. It ends with a discussion of common training challenges and training under special circumstances. The steps and procedures described for training the above behaviors may then be applied to training other behaviors.

• Take it / Drop it

• Recall

• Off

• Loose leash walking

• Go to bed/mat (location)

• Training challenges and special circumstances

Approximate time required: 10 hours

​

Training Cats - 154

This course introduces the student to training cats. It begins with a discussion of suitable and unsuitable equipment choices before covering the training of a cats to exhibit the following behaviors on cue: targeting, sit, wait, recall, got to place, loose leash walking, and cooperative grooming behaviors. The steps and procedures described for training the above behaviors may then be applied to training other behaviors.

• Equipment

• Targeting

• Sit

• Wait

• Recall

• Go to mat

• Loose leash walking

• Cooperative grooming behaviors

Approximate time required: 10 hours

​

Training Parrots - 156

This course introduces the student to training parrots. It begins with a discussion of species-typical behaviors of parrots important to training, and suitable and unsuitable equipment choices before covering the training of a parrot to exhibit the following behaviors on cue: targeting, step up, holding up a wing, and leave it. I briefly addresses the avoidance of and elimination of problematic vocalizations. The steps and procedures described for training the above behaviors may then be applied to training other behaviors.

• Species-Typical behavior of parrots

• Equipment

• Targeting (grasping)

• Step up

• Holding up a wing

• Leave it

• Avoiding and eliminating problematic vocal behaviors

Approximate time required: 10 hours

​

Training Horses I - 158

This course is the first in a two course sequence, introducing the student to training horses. It will introduce the student to the peculiarities of training horses and then discuss specialized equipment, followed by details guidance on training to avoid mugging behaviors, for the horse to target and finally on various handling requirements.

• Training Horses

• Equipment

• Mugging problems

• Targeting

• General handling

Approximate time required: 8 hours

​

Training Horses II - 159

This course is the second in a two-course sequence, introducing the student to training horses. It will continue providing guidance on training for bridling/haltering ad hackamores, loose-lead walking, remaining aligned with a mounting block, keeping feet still and presenting a foot.

• Bridling/Haltering and Hackamores

• Loose-lead walking

• Remaining aligned with mounting block

• Foot handling

• Keeping foot still

• Present foot

Approximate time required: 8 hours

​

Basic Training Skills Workshop - 103

This course includes a number of exercises that help students build animal-training specific skills designed to specifically improve timing, concentration, clicker accuracy and dexterity, and quantitative tracking of rate of behavior, accuracy of treats delivery, and handling multiple pieces of equipment. The student will video record themselves carrying out specific training exercises, succeeding once specific quantitative criteria have been met and analyzing the video for self-improvement.

• Bouncing ball exercise for timing, concentration, clicker accuracy and dexterity, and quantitative tracking of rate of behavior

• Tossed ball exercise for timing, concentration, clicker accuracy and dexterity, and quantitative tracking of rate of behavior

• Ball and treat exercise for timing, concentration, clicker accuracy and dexterity, quantitative tracking of rate of behavior, and accuracy of treats delivery

• Targeting exercise for timing, concentration, clicker accuracy and dexterity, location and treat delivery, and handling multiple pieces of equipment.

Approximate time required: 12 hours

​

Shaping Workshop - 160

This course is a hands-on workshop, building on the Advanced Animal Training Techniques (Shaping) course, in which the student implements a basic shaping plan that they have designed. This workshop will help the student develop the following skills: timing, concentration, clicker accuracy and dexterity, relying less on trainer-mediated prompting, planning behavior approximations, identifying target behavior, maintaining suitable energy/enthusiasm, maintaining high rate of reinforcement, setting criteria for next behavior approximation. This course requires access to a  companion animal for engaging in training exercises.

Approximate time required: 12 hours

​

Chaining Workshop - 161

This course is a hands-on workshop, building on the Advanced Animal Training Techniques (Chaining) course, in which the student implements a basic chaining plan that they have designed. The student will validate a task analysis, select an appropriate behavior chain, select the appropriate chaining procedure, and implement that plan. This course requires access to a  companion animal for engaging in training exercises.

Approximate time required: 10 hours

​

Functional Behavioral Assessment I - 170

This first course in a three-course sequence introduces the student to functional behavioral assessment processes and tools utilized by behaviorologists, behavior analysts, and behavior technologist in evaluating problematic animal behavior in preparation for constructing and implementing a contingency engineering plan to resolve the problem. It explores what functional behavioral assessment is and is not and describes common explanatory fictions and other barriers to effective assessment that are common in other approaches. It then proceeds all the way from the screening process before assessment begins through the functional interview stage of assessment. The remaining stages of assessment are covered in the second course in this sequence.

• Purpose and definition of functional behavioral assessment

• Avoiding explanatory fictions in assessing behavior

• Screening cases

• Functional assessment interview

• Using the functional assessment interview form

• Contingency analysis

Approximate time required: 15 hours

​

Functional Behavioral Assessment II - 171

This second course in a three-course sequence continues to introduce the student to functional behavioral assessment processes and tools utilized by behaviorologists, behavior analysts, and behavior technologist in evaluating problematic animal behavior in preparation for constructing and implementing a contingency engineering plan to resolve the problem. It explores the next stage in the functional behavioral assessment process: direct observation (including measures and measurement systems and the tracking of behavior quantitatively, establishing a baseline, analyzing level, trend, and variance and representing behavior-related data graphically).

• Direct observation

• Measures of behavior

• Measurement systems

• Tracking behavior quantitatively

• Establishing a baseline

• Analyzing level, trend, and variance

• Representing behavior data graphically

Approximate time required: 15 hours

​

Functional Behavioral Assessment III - 172

This third course in a two-course sequence continues to introduce the student to functional behavioral assessment processes and tools utilized by behaviorologists, behavior analysts, and behavior technologist in evaluating problematic animal behavior in preparation for constructing and implementing a contingency engineering plan to resolve the problem. It explores the final stage in the functional behavioral assessment process: functional analysis (including how to control for extraneous and confounding variables in functional analysis experiments, common experimental designs, and diagram contingency analyses).

• Functional analysis

• Experimental conditions in experiments

• AB design

• Reversal design

• Diagramming contingency analyses

Approximate time required: 10 hours

​

Functional Diagnostics - 173

This course introduces the student to a functional diagnostic system that once, confirmed, identifies the specific kind of reinforcer and the manner in which is occurs. This is completely different from topographical or categorical diagnostic systems utilized in medical model approaches. Ten course explores both access and escape functions and whether the reinforcer is contacted directly or vie social mediation, as well as the specific kind of reinforcer along with case specifics. Making a functional diagnosis during the functional behavioral assessment process ensures that the problematic contingencies are fully described and it provides a concise manner in which to verbalize about such cases.

• Functional vs. topographic or categorical diagnoses

• The quadrants of functional diagnosis

• Differential functional diagnosis algorithm 

• Access vs. escape function

• Direct vs. socially mediated reinforcement

• Direct access: immediate sensory stimuli

• Direct access: tangible reinforcers

• Socially mediated access: human attention

• Socially mediated access: conspecific attention

• Socially mediated access: tangible reinforcers

• Direct escape: aversive social situation

• Direct escape: task challenge (duration)

• Direct escape: task challenge (difficulty)

• Direct escape: aversive physical stimulation

• Socially mediated escape: aversive social stimuli

• Socially mediated escape: task challenge (duration)

• Socially mediated escape: task challenge (difficulty)

• Socially mediated escape: aversive physical stimulation

• Multifunctional behavior

Approximate time required: 10 hours

​

Strategies in Constructional Behavior Engineering - 180

This course introduces the student to some of the foundational strategies and underlying principles used in constructing contingency management plans. After introducing the topic, the contingency management plan as functional analysis test and as a systematic scientific process is discussed, followed by coverage of constructional versus eliminative strategies and errorless versus trial-and-error strategies. Characteristics of and effective contingency management plan are presented, followed by coverage of the behavior replacement model of behavior engineering.

• Terminology: contingency management plan/behavior engineering plan/behavior change plan

• Contingency management plan as test of contingency analysis

• Contingency management plan as comprehensive and systematic, yet practical, scientific process

• The constructional approach (as opposed to the eliminative approach)

• Graded and errorless approach (as opposed to trial-and-error, sink-or-swim approach)

• Characteristics of effective contingency management plan

• The behavior replacement strategy

• Minimally aversive intervention strategies

Approximate time required: 10 hours

​

Behavior Objectives - 181

This course will introduce students to preparing formal behavior objectives. It will explore the components of a formal behavior objectives and how to decide on them as well as explore several examples that will illustrate different decisions made when establishing formal behavior objectives.

• Determining and stating formal behavior objectives

• Tracking target and replacement behaviors quantitatively

• Establishing behavior objectives in example cases

Approximate time required: 10 hours

​

Antecedent Behavior Engineering Procedures - 182

This course explores the various procedures that may be employed to change behavior that address the antecedent environment. This includes evocative stimulus control procedures and function-altering stimulus control procedures. The procedures correspond to which of the two major classes of antecedent stimulation influence behavior. This course includes discussion of changing emotional behaviors that act as motivating operations for problematic operant behaviors.

• Evocative stimulus control procedures

• Preclusion

• The graded (errorless) approach

• Environment enrichment

• Non-contingent functional reinforcement (NCR)

• Eliminating establishing operations (and dealing with emotional behaviors)

• Flooding and graded exposure and response prevention and why they are best avoided

• Respondent counterconditioning as byproduct of added reinforcement-emphasized procedures

• Function-altering stimulus control procedures

• The role of medication and supplementation

• Rehabilitating “conditioned helplessness” and/or “response depression”

Approximate time required: 10 hours

​

Postcedent Behavior Engineering Procedures - 183

This course explores the various procedures that may be employed to change behavior that address the postcedent environment, that is, the consequences. This includes the general strategic choice to promote tolerance or replace the escape behavior, as well as response effort control, extinction/preclusion.chain interruption, differential reinforcement procedures and differential reinforcement-like procedures. Both differential added reinforcement and differential subtracted reinforcement are covered, as is added punishment and how best to avoid its use.

• Tolerance vs replacement escape as general strategies

• Manipulating response effort

• Extinction and chain interruption (vs. exclusion)

• Differential reinforcement (DRI, DRO, DRA, DRL)

• DRI/DRA for access-functional behaviors

• DRI/DRA-like procedures for escape-functional behaviors

• DRO for access-functional behaviors

• DRO-like procedure for escape-functional behaviors

• Graded differential subtracted reinforcement of other behaviors (tolerance training)

• Added punishment and how to avoid resorting to coercive methods

• Steps for applying differential reinforcement procedures

Approximate time required: 15 hours

​

Behavior Engineering Strategies by Functional Diagnostic Code - 184

This course provides the student with general strategies and an exploration of procedure choice with respect to the functional diagnostic codes covered in a pre-requisite course. Both direct and socially mediates types and access and escape types of all kinds are discussed.

General strategies if behavior engineering for the following functional diagnostic categories:

• Direct vs. socially mediated reinforcement

• Direct access: immediate sensory stimuli

• Direct access: tangible reinforcers

• Socially mediated access: human attention

• Socially mediated access: conspecific attention

• Socially mediated access: tangible reinforcers

• Direct escape: aversive social situation

• Direct escape: task challenge (duration)

• Direct escape: task challenge (difficulty)

• Direct escape: aversive physical stimulation

• Socially mediated escape: aversive social stimuli

• Socially mediated escape: task challenge (duration)

• Socially mediated escape: task challenge (difficulty)

• Socially mediated escape: aversive physical stimulation

Approximate time required: 10 hours

​

Maintenance of Behavior Changes - 185

This course explores the maintenance phase of contingency management projects, including generalization training, how to thin the schedule of reinforcement, settling on a maintenance rate, promote reinforcer generalization, and monitor the rate of the behavior in case it re-emerges.

• Generalization training (stimulus, response and setting)

• Thinning schedule of reinforcement

• Introducing non-trainer mediated reinforcers

• Monitoring and re-intervening as necessary

Approximate time required: 5 hours

​

Contingency Management Planning Workshop - 188

This workshop brings together the knowledge conditioned in pre-requisite courses on contingency management planning and training, providing the student the opportunity to apply these strategies, principles and procedures to actual animal behavior. The student trains an innocuous “problem” behavior, which they then implement a contingency management plan of their own design to “resolve” with added reinforcement-based methods. This course requires access to a companion animal for engaging in training exercises.

Approximate time required: 15 hours

​

Case Management - 190

This course provides an introduction to case management practices, including establishing a professional relationship with a client and the mist typical manner of working through cases. It includes information on service agreements, informed consent, and liability waivers, as well as in working cooperatively with veterinarians and managing liability exposure for the technologist and the client.

• Managing cases professionally

• Resources for professionals

• Service contracts and liability forms

• Informed consent

• Working with veterinarians

• Liability issues

• Sample service contract

Approximate time required: 6 hours

​

Professional Ethics - 191

This course introduces students to basic ethical principles and to issues covered in professional ethics guidelines and codes of ethics, including issues of competence, confidentiality, advertising/marketing, informed consent, use of animals in research, academic ethics, aversive stimulation, resolving ethical issues, and professional boundaries.

• Basic ethical principles, including autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence, justice, fidelity

• Professional practice guidelines and component parts

Approximate time required: 6 hours

​

Training Humans - 124

This course provides students an introduction to training humans. The course begins with coverage of verbal and social behaviors within a verbal community and then moves on to discuss how to encourage productive client verbal behavior. The course provides a model for training humans including setting objectives; describing, explaining, and demonstrating; assessing proficiency; and following up. Finally, training groups of people is covered.

• Verbal behavior

• Social behavior

• Verbal communities

• Prompting productive verbal behavior

• Training humans

• Training groups of people

Approximate time required: 8 hours

​

Dog Behavior I - 192

This first course in a two-course series describes the behavioral development of dogs and variation in behavior tendencies between breeds.

• Behavioral development of dogs

• Breed variation (behavioral)

Approximate time required: 10 hours

​

Dog Behavior II - 193

This second course in a two-course sequence describes the species-typical social behaviors of dogs, including contact enhancing versus aggressive or “appeasing” escape behaviors and the role of arousal. It also discussed greeting rituals and ambivalent behaviors when a subject is exposed to concurrent conflicting contingencies.

• Species-typical social behaviors

Approximate time required: 10 hours

​

Dog Behavior Problems I - 194

This course will introduce students to the common problematic behaviors of dogs, including typical contingencies they are components of and peculiarities in their management. Topics covered include aggressive behaviors, social-isolation related problems, excessive barking, jumping up, inappropriate voiding,  and coprophagia.

• The behaviorological approach to problematic behaviors

• Aggressive behaviors

• Social-isolation related behaviors

• Barking

• Jumping up

• Inappropriate voiding

• Coprophagia

Approximate time required: 15 hours

​

Cat Behavior - 195

This course introduces students to the species-typical social behaviors of domestic cats and provides an analysis of common problematic behaviors such as aggressive behaviors, furniture stretching, and inappropriate elimination.

• The behaviorological approach to problematic behaviors

• Species-typical social behavior

• Aggressive behaviors

• Scratching furniture

• Inappropriate elimination

Approximate time required: 10 hours

Parrot Behavior - 196

This course introduces students to the species-typical social behaviors of parrots and provides an analysis of common problematic behaviors such as biting, phobic behaviors, screaming, and feather destructive behaviors. Behavioral development and variation in behavior among species of parrots will be covered.

• The behaviorological approach to species-typical behaviors

• Species-typical social behaviors of parrots

• Variations is species-typical behavior among species of parrots

• Behavioral development of parrot

• The behaviorological approach to problematic behaviors

• Biting

• Phobic behavior

• Screaming

• Feather destructive behavior

Approximate time required: 10 hours

​

Horse Behavior - 197

This course introduces students to the species-typical social behaviors of horses and provides an analysis of common problematic behaviors such as mugging and other excessively assertive behaviors, and escape behaviors. Behavioral variation among breeds is also covered.

• The behaviorological approach to species-typical behaviors

• Species-typical social behaviors of horses

• Breed characteristics

• The behaviorological approach to problematic behaviors

• Mugging

• Escape behaviors

• Assertive behaviors (excess)

Approximate time required: 10 hours

Advanced Electives 200-Range

The following courses revisit topics covered in core courses, but at a more advanced level, utilizing amore advanced Masters level textbook. These courses are not geared to nonhuman animals and instead address the topics broadly. These courses are available to student our graduates. 

Behaviorology - 201

This course revisits the topic of behaviorology, but at a more advanced level, utilizing a more advanced Masters level textbook. It addresses the topic of behaviorology as a natural science discipline that studies the functional relations between behavior and environment.

Required Text: General Behaviorology: The Natural Science of Human Behavior by Lawrence E. Fraley, available through www.behavior.org.

Prerequisites: All courses from the Dip.ABST, Dip.CBST, Dip.FBST, or Dip.EBST.

Approximate time required: 15 hours

Behavior and Relations - 202

This course revisits the topic of behavior and functional relations between behavior and environment, but at a more advanced level, utilizing a more advanced Masters level textbook.

Required Text: General Behaviorology: The Natural Science of Human Behavior by Lawrence E. Fraley, available through www.behavior.org.

Prerequisites: All courses from the Dip.ABST, Dip.CBST, Dip.FBST, or Dip.EBST.

Approximate time required: 15 hours

Explanatory Fictions - 203

This course revisits the topic of explanatory fictions and explores behavior in a natural context by contrast, but at a more advanced level, utilizing a more advanced Masters level textbook.

Required Text: General Behaviorology: The Natural Science of Human Behavior by Lawrence E. Fraley, available through www.behavior.org.

Prerequisites: All courses from the Dip.ABST, Dip.CBST, Dip.FBST, or Dip.EBST & 201.

Approximate time required: 15 hours

Concurrent Contingencies and Analytical Fallacies - 204

This course revisits the topic of concurrent contingencies and analytical fallacies, but at a more advanced level, utilizing a more advanced Masters level textbook.

Required Text: General Behaviorology: The Natural Science of Human Behavior by Lawrence E. Fraley, available through www.behavior.org.

Prerequisites: All courses from the Dip.ABST, Dip.CBST, Dip.FBST, or Dip.EBST & 201, 202.

Approximate time required: 15 hours

Postcedent Behavior Change Processes - 205

This course revisits the topic of postcedent behavior change processes and theoretical analyses of postcedent behavior change processes, but at a more advanced level, utilizing a more advanced Masters level textbook.

Required Text: General Behaviorology: The Natural Science of Human Behavior by Lawrence E. Fraley, available through www.behavior.org.

Prerequisites: All courses from the Dip.ABST, Dip.CBST, Dip.FBST, or Dip.EBST & 201, 202, 203.

Approximate time required: 15 hours

Specialized Electives 300-Range

The following courses provided a much more in depth coverage of some very specialized topics introduced in previous coursework. These courses are available to student our graduates. Courses will be added here on a regular basis.

​

Aggressive Behavior in Dogs – Introduction and Case Management - 300

This course Introduces students to the scope of the problem with aggressive dog behaviors, including statistics and risk factors. The course goes on to explore the role of the behavior technologist and clients in aggressive behavior cases and a basic structure for working through aggressive behavior cases, including equipment needs. The course finishes with a discussion on the liability issues for dog owners and technologists in working with dogs that exhibit aggressive behaviors.

Required Text: Course notes provided

Prerequisites: All courses from the Dip.ABST (including dogs), Dip.CBST.

Approximate time required: 10 hours

Aggressive Behavior in Dogs – Prevention - 301

This course Introduces students to some important measures that may be taken to prevent the conditioning of aggressive behaviors in dogs. It discussed basic principles of prevention and then explores issues of early recognition, bite inhibition training (including what it may and may not achieve), management of dog–child interactions, the problem of tying dogs out and utilizing aversive stimulation, the benefits of puppy classes and general non coercive training. This course explains why “dominance” and other such notions are distracting and counterproductive and it provides instructions for prevention training with toy possession, handling, and food bowls some of the more commonly problematic issues in adulthood for some dogs.

Required Text: Course notes provided

Prerequisites: All courses from the Dip.ABST (including dogs), Dip.CBST.

Approximate time required: 10 hours

Proposed future courses:

​

Strategies and Procedures for Resolving Aggressive Behavior in Dogs

Strategies and Procedures for Resolving Separation Related Behavior in Dogs

Strategies and Procedures for Resolving Stereotypical and Repetitive Behaviors in Dogs

Strategies and Procedures for Resolving Feather Destructive Behaviors in Parrots

Enrichment in the Dog Shelter Environment