Course Descriptions
HL300/HL600 Humane Education
This course examines the history and theory behind the teaching of kindness to animals, and explore some of the most important topics in contemporary studies of humane education. These include the development of empathy, the theory of transference, controversy inherent in teaching ethical subject matter, how humane education is situated within other educational frameworks, and the evaluation of humane education's impacts and outcomes. 3 credits
HL310 Animal Health And Behavior in the Sheltering Environment
This course examines basic health and behavioral management issues involving shelter animals. Topics include epidemiology, shelter design and sanitation, immunization and vaccination policy, management of data, disease treatment protocols, the basic principles of nutrition and feeding, and collaboration with public health agencies. 3 credits
HL311 Wildlife and Shelters
This course introduces students to practical information and theoretical issues surrounding wildlife as it affects animal control and sheltering operations and practices. Students will explore why, how, and even whether animal care and control organizations are, can, and should be dealing with wild animals and wildlife concerns. Course topics include urban wildlife issues, conflict resolution strategies, community collaborations, safety and zoonotic concerns, and wildlife related laws. 3 credits
HL312 Compassion Fatigue
This course provides students with the expertise to assess the signs and symptoms of compassion stress, and to utilize appropriate strategies to prevent compassion fatigue and its related stresses, traumas, and illnesses. Particular emphasis is placed on the animal care community, including volunteers and workers in community animal shelters and emergency animal shelters in a catastrophic environment. 3 credits
HL316/HL616 Animal Cruelty and Interpersonal Violence
This course explores the relationship between cruelty to animals and interpersonal violence. The course examines the correlation between cruelty to animals, child abuse, domestic violence, elder abuse, and teen violence and review the roles of community level partnerships and interventions involving humane societies, social service providers, and law enforcement agencies in promoting non-violence. 3 credits
HL331/HL631 Human Resource and Volunteer Management
The course will review the human resource management body of knowledge and explore methods and practices related to the successful management of both paid and volunteer staff in the context of animal care and protection organizations. It provides an overview of the management of human resources in organizations, examining the major issues in creating a productive workforce and fostering effective employee/management relationships. The course addresses such topics as job design, recruitment and selection, performance appraisal, incentive programs, total compensation approaches and strategies for their implementation, employee rights, labor relations, and the collective bargaining process as well as development and implementation of volunteer programs.
HL332/HL632 Organizational Culture and Leadership
This course is designed to introduce and educate students about the dimensions of organizational culture, and how it can be influenced by leaders. The course will examine how leaders develop, maintain or change an organization's culture. Discussions include major approaches to change and transformation that relate to all types of organization s including non-profits. Topics addressed include what culture is and does, the dimensions of culture, how to study and interpret culture, the role of leadership in building culture, the evolution of culture and leadership, and learning cultures and learning leaders. 3 credits
HL333/HL633 Fundraising for Animal Care and Protection Organizations
This course examines fundraising strategies specific to non-profit settings, particularly animal care and protection organizations. The course looks at how to develop fundraising plans, meet legal and ethical obligations, identify donor audiences, and use technology and the Internet to optimum advantage. 3 credits
HL410/HL610 Animal Assisted Interventions for Youth At Risk
Animal assisted activities and animal assisted therapy programs may have the capacity to improve social and cognitive skills, to improve awareness of animal care needs, and to reduce aggression and other problem behaviors among emotionally troubled, economically disadvantaged, adjudicated and other youth-at-risk. Shelter-based dog training programs also may have the capacity to improve adoption chances and reduce relinquishment. The course examines the convergence of theories of human-animal bond and the analysis of the risk and protective factors related to youth violence. Specific animal assisted programs for youth-at-risk, mechanisms of change, best practices, program-related animal welfare issues, and program outcomes will be examined. (HL316, AS301, or AS302) 3 credits
HL438/HL638 Measuring Organizational Performance and Impact for Animals
This course will examine performance measurement and impact assessment in animal protection work. The course provides frameworks and application exercises related to performance measurement, benchmarking, and impact analysis for animal care and advocacy organizations. 3 credits
HL437/HL637 Finance for Managers
Managers from every organization should be able to understand financial information contained in financial statements and reports. This course trains students in the interpretation and use of basic financial information in the non-profit context. 3 credits
HL434 The Media and Public Education
For better or for worse, the mass media infiltrates our daily lives. At its best, it is the symbol of a free society. At its worst, the public can become desensitized to issues from overexposure of nonstop media messages. Drawing on the history of the medium and its applications and impacts, the course explores how the media has communicated animal protection issues and considers how animal advocates use the media to advance their messages. 3 credits
HL450 Independent Study in Humane Leadership
Students may design and complete an independent study on a topic not currently covered in the curriculum. The student will need to identify a faculty member to supervise the independent study. 3 credits
HL500a & b Capstone in Humane Leadership
At the end of the program, majors are required complete a two-term faculty-supervised independent research project in a specific area of interest. research project may be completed in the form of a report on empirical research, a literature review, a policy analysis, proposal for development of a new program, or another project authorized by faculty advisor. Students will share their work with the university community through an online presentation. Prerequisites: To qualify for the capstone, students must have completed at least 21 credits from core courses for their major, including Research Methods in Humane Change. 6 credits
