<p>Hi! I live in the Denver area, Colorado, and I’ve decided I really want to study to become a marine mammal trainer; that is, I want to work directly with and help animals like dolphins and orcas.However, I really want to stay in Colorado, and so far I’m really having trouble finding colleges offering what I’m looking for here.</p>
<p>I talked to one Colorado college, and it was recommended I major in Zoology. However, that major seems to require a lot of math and the like (a weak area for me), and seems to be geared more towards being a scientist or researcher than a trainer.</p>
<p>I also recently spoke with someone at the Denver Aquarium, and he said I should look at a Psychology major with a focus on Animal Behavior. Still, I’m having trouble finding such a thing in Colorado.</p>
<p>I’ve considered online studies, but I’m skeptical since I once took a semester of mostly online classes and didn’t do so well.</p>
<p>I’d also prefer I don’t have to go further than a Bachelor’s Degree at this point, if possible.</p>
<p>All I want to do is work directly with dolphins, orcas, and other marine animals, but I’m having trouble getting the results I need from surfing the web and asking around, so I’m asking here. Any help would be appreciated. God bless!</p>
<p>The only animal training program I’ve ever heard of is at Moorpark Community College in California. It is mostly animal oriented, but I think that have sea lions. I know some of their students have gone to work as trainers at Sea World in San Diego:</p>
<p>[Frequently</a> Asked Questions - Current Students - Moorpark College](<a href=“http://www.moorparkcollege.edu/current_students/teaching_zoo/FAQs.shtml]Frequently”>http://www.moorparkcollege.edu/current_students/teaching_zoo/FAQs.shtml)</p>
<p>Here’s the admissions information – it is a lottery, but you have to have completed certain prerequisite courses at the college level (any accredited college) before you apply:
<a href=“http://www.moorparkcollege.edu/current_students/teaching_zoo/admissions.shtml[/url]”>http://www.moorparkcollege.edu/current_students/teaching_zoo/admissions.shtml</a></p>
<p>There are multiple pathways to your career interest. You can major in one of several fields (or, one of their subspecialties, if offered), usually, Animal Science; Psychology (General Psychology, Applied Behavior Analysis, or Biopsychology); or, Biology (General Biology, Zoology, Marine Biology, Ecology & Evolution, or Animal Behavior). The US Navy and many marine aquaria offer internships in marine mammal training (usually unpaid). Applied Behavior Analysis is especially important since the training methods are based on this science. You also should get scuba-certified—you can arrange for your own training with a certified scuba school, and some universities offer programs as well, e.g., Indiana U [Office</a> of Underwater Science: Indiana University Bloomington](<a href=“Indiana University Bloomington”>Indiana University Bloomington)</p>
<p>[IMATA[/url</a>]
<a href=“http://www.public.navy.mil/spawar/Pacific/71500/Pages/Training.aspx[/url]”>http://www.public.navy.mil/spawar/Pacific/71500/Pages/Training.aspx](<a href=“Home - IMATA - International Marine Animal Trainer's Association”>http://www.imata.org/)</a>
[Marine</a> Mammal Trainer](<a href=“http://animalcareers.about.com/od/Wildlife/a/Marine-Mammal-Trainer.htm]Marine”>Marine Mammal Trainer Job Description)
[Amazon.com:</a> Starting Your Career as a Marine Mammal Trainer (9780971985322): Terry S. Samansky: Books](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Career-Marine-Mammal-Trainer/dp/0971985324]Amazon.com:”>http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Career-Marine-Mammal-Trainer/dp/0971985324)
[ANIMAL</a> TRAINING AT SEAWORLD & BUSCH GARDENS - Animal Training Careers](<a href=“http://www.seaworld.org/animal-info/info-books/training/animal-training-careers.htm]ANIMAL”>http://www.seaworld.org/animal-info/info-books/training/animal-training-careers.htm)
[Marine</a> Mammal Internships | Gulf World Marine Park of Panama City Beach, Florida](<a href=“http://www.gulfworldmarinepark.com/?page_id=210]Marine”>http://www.gulfworldmarinepark.com/?page_id=210)</p>
<p>Thanks for the info!</p>
<p>So you would say Psychology with a focus on Applied Behavior Analysis is the best choice as a major?</p>
<p>How many of these opportunities are available in Colorado? Of course I’m planning to research this further myself, but getting another opinion would also be helpful.</p>
<p>Do you have to join the military to be able to make use of their mammal training? What I mean is, would I have to be enrolled and subject to deployment just to get training in working with marine mammals?</p>
<p>Isn’t scuba school expensive?</p>
<p>By any chance, do you know how much requirements, opportunities, etc. vary from America’s in Japan? That’s where I, God willing, plan to live the rest of my life after I’ve graduated.</p>
<p>Is there an equivalent to Sea World in Japan?</p>
<p>Agree with the person who posted about Moorpark’s EATM. As far as I’m aware, they haven’t replaced their sea lion, who passed away in late 2010. If you’re positive that pursuing training is what you want, I think that it’s one of the most efficient paths when coupled with volunteer work at aquariums, etc. </p>
<p>I looked into EATM but I’m pursuing psychology instead because I’m more interested in research about animal and human behavior. There’s a great book on the program called Kicked, Bitten and Scratched.</p>
<p>^^^ If you go with a psychology major, you should take some coursework in applied behavior analysis, if it is available at your school. If not, look for courses in learning or operant conditioning. Unfortunately, it appears that many psychology depts. no longer offer much coursework in these areas as they focus on cognition instead of behavior. You may have to check departments outside Colorado.</p>
<p>I don’t know what scuba school costs.</p>
<p>The naval program offers internships. As far as I know, you don’t have to be in the military</p>
<p>So Psychology with a focus on “Learning” or “Operant Conditioning”?</p>
<p>Most undergrad psychology programs require you to distribute your coursework across major subfields. There are some departments that have a behavior analytic orientation among their faculty or a subgroup of their faculty. Some of these include Floria, North Texas (Dept. of Behavior Analysis), U Nevada-Reno, Western Michigan (which seems to be developing some interest in Animal Behavior Analysis), Kansas (Dept. of Applied Behavioral Science) and some others. Much of the current applied focus in such programs is on autism and other developmental disabilities, but experimental analysis of behavior is taught too and the behavior principles are the same. </p>
<p>The animal training component of the program at Moorpark that another poster mentioned is based on behavior analytic techniques.</p>