Program Description and Objectives
This program is designed to educate future supervisors, administrators, managers, executive directors, and board of director members of animal shelters, animal control authorities, animal sanctuaries, and animal welfare organizations in areas such as animal
shelter operations and facility management, human resources and volunteer administration, community development and
strategic fundraising, budgeting, planning and grant writing, public and community relations, pet bereavement, ethics in
nonprofit management, animal behavior and enrichment, and current issues in animal shelter management. Graduates may pursue
careers in private animal shelter and welfare organizations, in public animal control and shelter agencies, SPCAs, and in
other non-governmental organizations (NGOs) involved in animal welfare, management, planning, legislation and
administration.
There are thousands of traditional animal control, SPCA, and modern era "no-kill" animal shelters and welfare
organizations in the United States and developed nations with many new start-ups being created each year. Shelter board members, executive
directors, administrators and managers of small, mid-sized and large organizations must possess specialized and
diversified skills in the field, be current on recent developments, be strong community leaders and fundraisers, and have
the ability to balance many conflicting obligations on a daily basis.
The program typically takes from two to three years to complete. There are twelve 12-week online courses, a thesis project,
one 6-day residential workshop, plus an externship.
Total Credit Hours = 56
ASA 501 Animal Shelter Operations and Facility Management - 3 credits
The operation of an animal shelter is similar and different from the management of a for-profit business operation. This
course will review the standard operating procedures of an animal shelter including staffing, training, safety, animal
handling and care, health, facility design and maintenance. Case studies reviewed and guest speakers via teleconferences
will present experiences.
This is an online course.
ASA 502 Human Resources and Volunteer Administration - 3 credits
Volunteers play an essential role in the operation of private and sometimes governmental animal shelters. Starting and
maintaining a quality program can be challenge to any organization. This course will address resource identification,
screening, staffing, training, safety, risk management, moral building, volunteer retention, staff/volunteer relations,
public relations, insurance, and officer/BOD liabilities regarding volunteers.
This is an online course.
Prerequisites:
ASA 501 Animal Shelter Operations and Facility Management
CABC 503 Companion Animal Behavior and Husbandry - 3 credits
This course provides an overview of health, biology, behavior and other issues impacting the care of companion animals.
With a focus on behavior, this course will examine issues specifically relating to birds, dogs, cats, reptiles and small
animals.
This is an online course.
ASA 503 Fundraising and Grant Writing - 3 credits
This course will introduce students strategic fundraising including direct mail, phone-a-thons, special events, major gifts
and planned giving. Students will learn the requirements for running successful annual fund programs and capital campaigns
including writing a case statement, performing a fundraising audit, applying business techniques to your fundraising plan,
and motivating your board and volunteers to raise money. Students will also learn the basics of grant proposal writing while
emphasizing the importance of matching an organization's mission to the mission of the grantor, setting realistic fund
raising goals, and planning a successful annual fund campaign that reaches fund raising objectives. Students will learn how
to conduct research for proposals and how to evaluate the readiness of an organization to solicit funders through proposals.
Organizing information for proposal writing, tailoring proposals for different audiences and learning the language of
proposal writing will all be addressed. Students will become acquainted with the major gifts process emphasizing the
benefits of major gifts and major gift vehicles. Upon completion of the course students will have written a strategic
fundraising program for an animal shelter and a basic grant proposal, an annual fund plan, and will have prepared a major
gift campaign plan, complete with budget and timeline.
This is an online course.
ASA 506 Ethics in Nonprofit Management - 2 credits
There are many ethical challenges that administrators must face in the world of nonprofit organizations. Students will
consider how to create policies that deal effectively with potential conflicts of interest, meeting the obligation to be
accountable, creating relationships with for-profit enterprises, what governance standards should be met, and what standards
should be met regarding employees and volunteers.
This is an online course.
Prerequisites:
ASA 501 Animal Shelter Operations and Facility Management
ASA 502 Human Resources and Volunteer Administration
ASA 507 Current Issues in Animal Shelter Management - 3 credits
This survey course explores current trends, media foci, research, methodologies and legislation effecting animal shelters
and their management. Current articles, studies and publications will read, discussed and critiqued by the class.
This is an online course.
Prerequisites:
ASA 501 Animal Shelter Operations and Facility Management
ASA 502 Human Resources and Volunteer Administration
ASA 603 Health and Environment for Shelter Animals - 3 credits
The current legal standard of animal welfare does not and cannot establish rights for animals. As long as they are viewed as
property, animals will be subject to suffering for the social and economic benefit of human beings. Topics will include
animals as property, civil and criminal liability, dog bite statistics, issues in pets and housing, penalties for harm and
cruelty to animals, and how to work with local law schools and law enforcement in achieving your shelter mission and
objectives. An analysis of the animal rights movement and philosophy explores the human-animal relationship and looks at a
creative and rigorous theoretical basis for redefining that relationship.
This is an online course.
Prerequisites:
CABC 503 Companion Animal Behavior and Husbandry
ASA 506 Ethics in Nonprofit Management
ASA 605 Strategic Planning, Budgeting, and Accounting - 3 credits
Skills in strategic planning are critical to the long-term success of any non-profit organization. Animal shelter
management needs to know what their community (their market) needs, how to establish its vision, goals and objectives, and
what is required to be a successful organization. A strategic business plan can help in all of these areas. Topics include
identifying the organization mission, transforming ideas into a documented action plan, communicating goals to employees,
volunteers, and donors, developing a "road map", measuring progress, funds administration, attracting new BOD members.
Animal shelter administrators need basic skills in accounting and financial management. This course will address cash
management, computerized bookkeeping, financial statement preparation and analysis, understanding financial condition,
budgeting, projections, BOD communications, and creating a sound and transparent financial structure.
This is an online course.
Prerequisites:
ASA 501 Animal Shelter Operations and Facility Management
ASA 502 Human Resources and Volunteer Administration
ASA 503 Fundraising and Grant Writing
ASA 606 Public, Community, and Government Relations - 3 credits
Publicity programs and relations are paramount to a successful animal shelter. Every available communication medium must be
utilized in an effort to maintain the support of the general public, the community, government officials, donors and
volunteers. Students will learn about the elements of a successful public relations program. They will learn to evaluate
advertising and promotion programs for compatibility with the public relations efforts, to observe social, economic, and
political trends that might ultimately affect the organization, and to make decisions to enhance the organization image
based on those trends. Students will learn to draft speeches, arranging interviews, and maintaining other forms of public
contact including media relations and responding to information requests. Successfully working with government and elected
officials is also addressed.
This is an online course.
Prerequisites:
ASA 501 Animal Shelter Operations and Facility Management
ASA 502 Human Resources and Volunteer Administration
ASA 503 Fundraising and Grant Writing
STAT 501 Qualitative and Quantitative Statistics - 4 credits
Introduction to theory and application of some of the more advanced parametric and non-parametric statistical techniques
employed in behavioral research. Topics will include but are not limited to multiple regressions, analysis of covariance,
factor analysis, causal modeling, discriminant function analysis and qualitative concepts. Prerequisites: Introduction to
Statistics or its equivalent and consent of the instructor.
This is an online course.
STAT 510 Research Methods - 4 credits
Why is the shelter administrator taking a course like this?
This course is designed to assist students in developing skills necessary to design and execute a research protocol. Topics
include the nature of scientific inquiry, library skills, formulation and testing of hypotheses, experimental design,
reliability and validity, statistical analysis of data, ethical use of human and animal subjects, experimental,
quasi-experimental, and non-experimental designs and professional responsibility in research.
This is an online course.
Prerequisites:
ASA 502 Human Resources and Volunteer Administration
ASA 506 Ethics in Nonprofit Management
ASA 603 Health and Environment for Shelter Animals
STAT 501 Qualitative and Quantitative Statistics
Research Projects
ASA 700 Master Thesis 9 credits
This Masters Thesis course is a requirement for students enrolled in a Masters Degree program in the School of Companion
Animal Sciences. Students must enroll for three terms. This course provides a structure in which students will research,
write, revise, present and defend the Masters Thesis paper. The schedule and deadlines for work in the course are geared to
due dates in the thesis process. The course begins with discussion and review of the thesis proposals and an overview of the
thesis process. Writing and research strategies, critical evaluation of source material, and methods of incorporating
research in writing will be addressed at the beginning of the course. As research progresses, the focus of activity will
shift to discussions about research in progress and critical review of sources. First and second drafts of the thesis paper
will be critiqued by the instructor who will serve on the two person thesis committee with another faculty member chose by
the student. The student will then prepare for the oral defense of the thesis via a recorded telephone conference. Students
will consult with their faculty mentors to determine how frequently they must meet with them during the project.
This is an online course.
Prerequisites:
CABC 503 Companion Animal Behavior and Husbandry
ASA 501 Animal Shelter Operations and Facility Management
ASA 502 Human Resources and Volunteer Administration
ASA 503 Fundraising and Grant Writing
ASA 506 Ethics in Nonprofit Management
ASA 507 Current Issues in Animal Shelter Management
ASA 603 Health and Environment for Shelter Animals
ASA 604 Shelter Operations and Animal Handling Workshop
STAT 501 Qualitative and Quantitative Statistics
STAT 510 Research Methods
1 Elective
ASA 710 Masters Externship - 6 credits
The externship is designed to give the student an opportunity to focus on the dynamics of learning from direct experience in
new situations. Imagine shadowing an animal behaviorist, a veterinarian or an animal shelter executive director in New York
City, Orlando or in your own community. Externships provide current ACAS graduate students with an on-the-job experience
during a regular quarter. A research paper is required at the end of the project. Students are responsible for their own
expenses, including travel and lodging. See the ACAS Externship Policy for more information.
This is a residential externship.
Prerequisites:
CABC 503 Companion Animal Behavior and Husbandry
ASA 501 Animal Shelter Operations and Facility Management
ASA 502 Human Resources and Volunteer Administration
ASA 503 Fundraising and Grant Writing
ASA 506 Ethics in Nonprofit Management
ASA 507 Current Issues in Animal Shelter Management
ASA 603 Health and Environment for Shelter Animals
ASA 604 Shelter Operations and Animal Handling Workshop
STAT 501 Qualitative and Quantitative Statistics
STAT 510 Research Methods
ASA 700 Master Thesis
1 Elective
Workshops
ASA 604 Shelter Operations and Animal Handling Workshop - 3 credits
This 6-day residential workshop will be held at one of many participating shelters across the country. Students will apply
the information obtained in prerequisite courses in animal shelter operations, facility management and behavior in a real
working environment including cat and dog care, handling, feeding, behavioral assessment, behavioral and environmental
enrichment, safety, maintenance, compliance with health department rules and animal related laws, community relations, and
alike. This course will be lead by an experienced instructor.
This is a residential workshop
Prerequisites:
CABC 503 Companion Animal Behavior and Husbandry
ASA 501 Animal Shelter Operations and Facility Management
ASA 502 Human Resources and Volunteer Administration
ASA 503 Fundraising and Grant Writing
ASA 506 Ethics in Nonprofit Management
ASA 507 Current Issues in Animal Shelter Management
ASA 603 Health and Environment for Shelter Animals
STAT 501 Qualitative and Quantitative Statistics
STAT 510 Research Methods
Electives: Choose 2 from the following 5 courses
CABC 520 - Canine and Feline Nutrition and Wellness - 3 credits
This course provides a through examination of the science of companion animal nutrition and practical feeding management
information for dogs and cats. Topics covered include the basic principles of nutrition, nutrient requirements for cats and
dogs, animal feed production and selection, feeding management through life's stages, feeding problems, and dietary
management of nutritionally responsive diseases. Current research is reviewed and balanced discussions of controversial
issues of dietary management are presented. Differences between the nutrient requirements and feeding practices of cats and
dogs are addressed.
This is an online course.
ASA 607 Animals and the Law - 3 credits
The current legal standard of animal welfare does not and cannot establish rights for animals. As long as they are viewed as
property, animals will be subject to suffering for the social and economic benefit of human beings. Topics will include
animals as property, civil and criminal liability, dog bite statistics, issues in pets and housing, penalties for harm and
cruelty to animals, and how to work with local law schools and law enforcement in achieving your shelter mission and
objectives. An analysis of the animal rights movement and philosophy explores the human-animal relationship and looks at a
creative and rigorous theoretical basis for redefining that relationship.
This is an online course.
Prerequisites:
ASA 506 Ethics in Nonprofit Management
ASA 507 Current Issues in Animal Shelter Management
ASA 608 Compassion Fatigue & other Stress Issues in the Shelter Environment. - 3 credits
Attrition in the shelter field is usually due to compassion fatigue. Shelter professionals are faced with difficult
decisions on almost a daily basis. This practical course will focus on developing a program in the shelter to proactively
deal with these and other stressors likely to impact the shelter professional.
This is an online course.
ASA 609 Interrelationships with Humans and Animals - 3 credits
The course is designed for professionals working in health care, mental health, corrections, education, animal welfare and
is for veterinarians, veterinary students, breeders, animal instructors/trainers and behavior counselors that wish to
enhance their practice. Students will learn about the social, ethical, biological, behavioral, psychological and economics
of the dimensions of the interrelationships with humans and animals, provide students with a scientific and philosophical
basis of animal care and use, train students to resolve conflicts concerning the humane use of animals and become leaders in
policy development and implementation; and stimulate research to improve human and animal well being. Students will also
conduct a research project related to human-animal interactions.
This is an online course.
ASA 610 Stress Management for Administrators - 3 credits
What stress is, how it affects us, how we create our own stress, the hardy personality, the paradox of control and
strategies for developing a stress-resistant lifestyle. Course content will include conflict, time management,
organizational & communication skills strategies, and business awareness: examining the national and international
environment in which organizations operate. Students will learn to design stress management strategies for use in
professional settings.
This is an online course.
Total Credit Hours = 56
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