Veterinary Behavioural Medicine Education in European Universities

To go directly to the country you are interested in click on one of the following links. 

Belgium

Ghent

First year: Introductory course on ethology, welfare & ethics (30h).
Sixth and last year: Species-specific behavioural problems and welfare according to the specialization chosen by the student. For dogs/cats: 18h + weekly clinics; for horses: 10h30.
Contact: Prof.Dr.F.O.Ödberg 
Christel Moons, M.Sc. 
For clinical facilities contact Dr. I. De Cock

Liege

Basic course and clinical facility once a week
Contact: Université de Liège, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire
Département des Productions Animales
(Ethologie appliquée aux animaux domestiques)
Bd de Colonster, Bât. B43
4000 LiÈge, Belgium
tÈl.: 32/(0)4/366.41.48
fax.: 32/(0)4/366.41.22
email: Marc.Vandenheede@ulg.ac.be

Namur

First year : Course (30 h)
Part I : Principles of ethology (phylogenetic and ontogenetic behaviour, domestication, human-animal relationship and description
of the behavioural systems).
Part II : Ethogram of the domestic animal species (horse, cattle, pig, sheep, dog, cat, rabbit).

Third year : Course (24 h) and Seminars (27h)
Course : Applied Ethology (15h)
- behavioural problems of horses, dogs, cats
- behavioural therapies : description
- abnormal behaviour in farm animals
- welfare assessment
Course : Psychology (9h)
Seminars : Fields : Applied Ethology, Human-animal relationship, Ethics

Contact : Prof. Dr. J-M Giffroy, University of Namur, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Laboratory of Anatomy and Ethology of the
Domestic Animals
Address : rue Muzet, 6 B-5000 Namur, Belgium

Denmark

The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University of Denmark (know as KVL) offers adults with occupational experience part-time master programmes including one in animal behaviour and welfare. Those who might be interested can go to http://www.kvl.dk or contact KVL for further information

Finland

Helsinki

Open University program of basic canine behaviour and behaviour problems [20 hours]: Dr Minna Leppänen 
Clinical consultation: PhD Kai Pelkonen 

France

Alfort

Lyon

Nantes

Toulouse

Post Graduated Specialisation course in behaviour medicine, with certification as “vétérinaire comportementaliste des écoles veterinaries nationales françaises” (3 week course around 120 hours: ethology, cognition, learning theories, behaviour medicine, etc., memoir with 9 clinical cases and short thesis. Examination: written exam for theory, thesis presentation and consultation of a (randomly selected) clinical case in front of a jury).
Contact: Bertrand Deputte
Clinical facility Dr Monique Bourdin

Nantes

Course on general ethology (2nd year, 22 h) (Pr. Marc Gogny, gogny@vet-nantes.fr ) and clinical ethology (5th year, optional).
Clinical facility: Dr Colette Arpaillange, T: 02 40 68 76 64, F: 02 40 68 76 65, 

Germany

1) Fachtierarzt fuer Verhaltenskunde (Certified Specialist in Ethology): minimum requirements (vary slightly between states): 3 years of specialized training at a licensed site (actually only Universities with a Behaviour department); 120 hours of continuing education (lectures and classes, e.g. conferences that are accredited); at least one peer reviewed publication in the specialty, doctorate thesis in the field. Areas to be covered: Ethology (small, large, wild, and zoo animal as well as exotics and pocket pets), Psychology, Learning Theory, Animal Welfare, Behaviour Medicine, Psychopharmacology. Exam: oral.
2) Zusatzbezeichnung Verhaltenstherapie (additional qualification Behaviour therapy). Continuing education hours (80 - 120). Minimum of 3 years of work (cases and cont edu) in the field. Certain number of cases seen. Submission of 3 case reports. Oral exam in Ethology (companion animals), Psychology, Learning theory, Welfare (applicable laws and legislation), Behavior Medicine, Psychopharmacology.
Contact: Petra Mertens

Munich

Mandatory core courses for students: 2nd year: 15 hours basic ethology, 4th year: 15 hours behaviour and behaviour medicine, 1 behaviour elective for senior students: 15 hours).
Doctorate program in Ethology and Animal Welfare

Berlin

Behaviour courses

Hanover

Behaviour courses and clinical counselling

Italy

Milano

Post Graduate Specialization School in Applied Ethology and Animal Welfare (3 years) certifying veterinary behaviourists for veterinarians, graduates from psychology and animal science. Admission test with written and oral examination. The course is divided in Small and Large Animals (ethology, psychology, learning theories, behaviour medicine, animal welfare, psychopharmacology, applicable laws and legislation etc.). Examination: written and oral exam every year, thesis presentation at the end of the course. 
Doctorate program in Applied Ethology.
Program of school website 
Behavioural clinic website 
Director of the School: Prof. Elisabetta Canali. 
Tel. 0039 02 50318027 
Clinical facility: Prof. Marina Verga, Dr Clara Palestrini 

Pisa

MASTER IN MEDICINA COMPORTAMENTALE DEGLI ANIMALI DA AFFEZIONE
(Master in Behaviour Medicine of Companion animals).

UNIVERSITA' DI PISA
FACOLTA' DI MEDICINA VETERINARIA
DIPARTIMENTO DI ANATOMIA, BIOCHIMICA E FISIOLOGIA VETERINARIA

Postgraduate Master Diploma in Companion Animal Behaviour Medicine for veterinarians and other closely related degree programs; it provides a professional qualification that is specific for behaviour medicine. The
University has activated a Behaviour Clinic for Behaviour Consultations and it is also a facility for Master students.

University Web Site

tel. 0039 050 570300 fax 0039 050 570117

For further information about the Master Course and the Behaviour Clinic contact the course director Angelo Gazzano

Torino

Education (general ethology and not clinical ethology of pets and/or large animals) - no certification- no clinical facility- no residency program

Spain

Barcelona

Barcelona School of Veterinary Medicine.
Contact: Dr Xavier Manteca

Compulsory course on basic ethology for first year students.

Residency programme (3 years).

Postgraduate Master degree programme: 320 h including Introduction to behavioural medicine, learning principles, obedience training, behavior modification techniques, Pharmachology, Aggression in dogs, Separation related problems, Compulsive behaviours in dogs, Other behavioural problems in dogs, Elimination behaviour problems in cats, Aggression in cats, Compulsive behaviours in cats, Other behavioural problems in cats, Behavioural disorders in exotic pets, Discussion of cases. Starting February 2005.  
Information: jaume.fatjo@uab.es

Madrid

First year veterinary students have a 25 hours course. 
A week course every two years with a diploma (Introduction on clinical behavioral medicine, learning theory, pharmacology therapy and behavior problems in cats, dogs and horses). A 20 hours doctorate course every year in “Applied animal ethology” (20 hours). 
In 2002, a Magister will be started on Clinical ethology and Welfare (580 hours, theoretical and practical). Clinical facilities, in clinical ethology and behavior medicine. 
Contact: Dr. Miguel Ibanez

Switzerland

Zurich - Irchel

Pet Ethology Group.  Clincal facility.

United Kingdom

Edinburgh

Student final year (three week) elective course in animal behaviour (prof Brander) (ethology, learning theories, behavioural assessment, behavioural therapy, pharmacology, etc.).
New courses planned for Spring 2001 for veterinarians in pet behaviour.
MSc degree in Applied Animal Behaviour and Welfare.
CPD (continuing professional development) courses in animal behaviour for veterinarians and vet nurses (Dr. Natalie Waran, Sam Scott and Prof Brander).
Clinical facility.
Contact: Donna Brander

Bristol

Behaviour teaching within the veterinary undergraduate curriculum including lectures on: motivation, evolutionary basis of behaviour, domestication and natural selection, learning, cognition, preference tests and consumer demand, abnormal behaviour, group living, human-animal interactions. In the final year the students have clinical teaching in veterinary behavioural medicine. There is an active behaviour research group in Department of Animal Health and Husbandry, 
including the Anthrozoology Institute, formerly at Southampton. 
Clinical referral facility with veterinary behaviourist.

An intercalated degree in behaviour and welfare for veterinary 
undergraduates is available (BSc Animal Behaviour & Welfare) Behavioural teaching in the veterinary nursing degree programme. A new full time undergraduate degree programme (BSc) in Animal Behaviour and Welfare, with a substantial amount of clinical behaviour teaching. Advanced CPD courses for veterinarians and behaviour specialists.
Contact : Rachel Casey

Cambridge

Some teaching in companion animal behaviour therapy in the veterinary undergraduate curriculum with behaviour lectures also included in pharmacology course.
Clinical facility two days a month

Glasgow

Clinical facility.

Liverpool

Behaviour teaching within the veterinary undergraduate curriculum including lectures on:
Evolution and animal health, Life histories, adaptive behaviour and artificial environments; functional and causal questions about behaviour, Foraging behaviour and competition for resources, Social behaviour and communication, Reproductive behaviour, Development of behaviour, Stimuli & perception; organising mechanisms; motivation & stress, Animal minds, introduction to behavioural assessment, Ethics of animal welfare, Farm animal welfare, Laboratory animal welfare, Conservation and welfare of wild animals.
In the fourth year the students also have three days of teaching on clinical veterinary behavioural medicine and in the final year they attend behaviour cases in clinic.
Active behaviour research group
Clinical facility once a month - Veterinary behaviourist

Southampton

Postgraduate Diploma / MSc in Companion Animal Behaviour Counselling: part-time course in 12 individual modules (to be completed over a period of up to 5 years), for veterinarians, graduates from zoology, psychology and other closely related degree programs; it provides an academic, rather than a vocational, qualification that is specific for behaviour modification in companion animal species.
Contact: Anne McBride

London - RVC

Clinical facility once a month - Veterinary behaviourist