Animal-Assisted Health & Education

Introduction

Bring Animal-Assisted Intervention into your Profession.

In the Animal-Assisted Health & Education Specialist (minor and/or certificate) program at Saint Francis University you can learn to facilitate safe interactions between humans and animals to achieve desired outcomes in a wide variety of environments and with various populations.

Animal-Assisted Health & Education Specialist

Partner with animals in the mission to improve human health and performance.

• Explore the therapeutic, educational, and interactive integration of animals within various professions.
• Learn how to design and deliver safe animal-assisted interactions in different environments
• Complete the program online within 2 years.
• Prepare for the certification exam offered by the Association of Animal-Assisted Intervention Professionals.
• Enhance your practice in criminal justice, education, healthcare, psychology, social work, and many other fields.
• Become an advocate of animal care, ethics, and welfare.

Offered Online: 6 courses, 18-credits, (minor includes hand-on components)

Admissions Paths

Traditional undergraduate students  (minor + certificate)

Working professionals (stand-alone certificate program)

Want to learn more: contact us!

Meet the Faculty

Dr. Shlomit Flaisher-Grinberg (Program Lead)

Dr. Shlomit Flaisher-Grinberg is an Associate Professor of Psychology and the coordinator for the Animal-Assisted Health & Education program coordinator. She teaches courses such as Learning, Animal Minds, and Canine Learning and Behavior. As a researcher, she focuses on the human-animal bond, shelter-animals' rehabilitation and well-being, and animal learning and behavior. Her research has been published in sources such as the "Journal of Animal Applied Welfare Science" and "Career Paths in Animal-Assisted Interactions." Dr. Flaisher-Grinberg is committed to instructional practices that allow students to train shelter dogs and shelter kittens in the classroom and on campus.

Dr. Gina Fisher Caldwell

Dr. Gina Fisher Caldwell is a professional canine behaviorist focusing on obedience, socialization, and therapy dog classes. Her training philosophy uses relationship-based methods to connect, communicate, and develop a strong commitment with your dog. She is an American Kennel Club and Pet Partners therapy animal teams evaluator and has been a registered therapy dog handler with Pet Partners since 2014. Dr. Caldwell also serves as a subject matter expert on the Pet Partners Human-Animal Bond Advisory Board. She played a key role in formalizing the creation of the Association of Animal-Assisted Intervention Professionals. As an Associate Curator at Georgia Aquarium, she collaborated with senior leadership to develop, institute, lead and facilitate the highest animal standards and welfare goals. She has over 25 years of experience in the behavioral science and zoological field, working with various species while specializing in otter care. Dr. Caldwell teaches as an adjunct professor of psychology and animal behavior at several colleges.

Dr. Jean Kirnan

Dr. Jean Kirnan is a Professor of Psychology at the College of New Jersey, where she has taught for over 35 years. She completed her doctoral degree in Psychometrics at Fordham University in New York and brings a focus of measurement and assessment to her teaching, consulting, and research. While her early career focused on Industrial/Organizational (I/O) applications of measurement, her interests have expanded to program evaluation with community partners and research on the practices and outcomes of Animal-Assisted Initiatives. Kirnan has presented at conferences and published articles and book chapters on emotional support animals and dog-assisted literacy programs. Her current research focuses on the integration of dogs into educational settings. For over 15 years, Kirnan has volunteered in her community with her certified therapy dogs visiting senior assisted living facilities and schools.

Tara Moser, LCSW, RPT-S, C-AAIS

Tara Moser is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Florida, Massachusetts, Virginia, Illinois, and Colorado. She is also a Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor, a Qualified Clinical Supervisor in Florida, and a Certified Animal Assisted Intervention Specialist. Moser owns Delta Family Counseling, LLC, a group mental health practice in Florida where she and her teams of humans, canines, and hamsters provide expressive-based therapy for individual and family therapeutic needs. They see clients of all ages, including children as young as 2 years old. Moser is also the founder and lead counselor for a non-profit that hosts week-long day camps that combine working with rescue dogs to make them better suited for adoption and helping children with social and emotional needs. In addition, Moser has published several articles, teaches workshops across the United States, co-authored a children's book, has taught as an adjunct for several universities, and serves on many boards and volunteer roles in various non-profits focused on mental health and animals.