COAPE - Centre of Applied Pet Ethology

C01 INTRODUCTION TO ETHOLOGY
An Advanced Certificate for behaviourists, vets, vet nurses and trainers wanting to understand the science of animal behaviour.

Written by Professor Ray Coppinger, Lorna Coppinger MSc.
Tutored by Professor Ray Coppinger, Lorna Coppinger MSc and Peter Neville DHc BSc(Hons).

OCN Accreditation - Advanced Certificate 15 Credits. Click Here for details of accreditation.

This nine month course is 7 units by correspondence and students of this course are invited to an optional, exclusive dedicated day seminar with Professor Coppinger.

This course can be successfully completed by anyone who is genuinely interested in studying the intriguing science of animal ethology. It will also provide an excellent foundation for further study, and successful students automatically fulfil the qualification requirements for the CDP COAPE Diploma Course.

This constantly updated course is demanding, and experience of study in a biological subject and a qualification in biology/zoology/botany at least to GSCE standard would be an advisable pre-requisite if you are to get the most out of it and enjoy its demands to the full.

The knowledge gained by the student from this course can greatly enhance the pleasure that you can get from any pet/human relationship and your understanding of how all animals survive, whether in a domestic or wild environment.

What the student will learn

Unit 1:	Introduction. The Nature of Science. A short introduction to how scientists study, work, record and read.
Unit 2:	How and why scientists study animal behaviour. What do animals do, how they earn their living in terms of foraging for food, avoid hazards and reproduce.
Unit 3:	Basic Ethology. The ethograms: a measurement of motor patterns in terms of quality, frequency and sequence.
Unit 4:	Behavioural Ethology. What do animals do and how well do they do it over time? How do an animal’s motor patterns of behaviour aid or enhance its survival? Understanding energetics.
Unit 5:	Cognitive Ethology. The study of the mental abilities of animals: mental tool kits, mind and intelligence.
Unit 6:	Evolutionary Development. Shape and Behaviour. Understanding behavioural development, genes and species typical behaviour.
Unit 7:	Three Kinds of Behaviour: Intrinsic, Accommodative and Emergent. Understanding and applying the ‘Rules’ of development.

Course Details

Course Type:	Correspondence and an optional dedicated day seminar.
Course Format:	Each Unit of the course notes is e-Mailed out to students as a separate e-Book. Students also have access to the COAPE Student Resource Centre where additional support is available online.
Course Duration:	Nine months with two runs per year: 1: February 1st to October 31st. 2: September 1st to May 31st the following year.
Course Cost:	OCN registration deposit £45 + Course fee £550. The fee includes the dedicated day seminar with Professor Coppinger.

If you have any questions, then please contact:

Course Coordinator, COAPE, PO Box 6, FORTROSE, Ross-shire. IV10 8WB (UK)
UK Tel/Fax Freefone 0800 783 0817 (Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm)
eMail: mail@coape.org