<p>I’m looking at an online certification program called Laboratory Animal Behavior.
I plan on going to grad school in neuroscience/animal behavior with a research interest in stereotypies/abnormal repetitive behaviors in small mammals and primates.
What I’m wondering is if this certification will help my graduate school chances. Or should I take certain courses that are relevant to my research interest (environmental enrichment stuff, mostly)? OR, should I just pursue an Assistant Animal Lab Technician Certification, which just requires a test and prior experience in an animal lab?</p>
<p>Any suggestions would be great!</p>
<p>I know my case is unusual, but think of any of the biosciences. Would an online certificate related to your research interests be helpful in grad school admissions? Would they look at it as legitimate and makes you stand out from some other applicants?</p>
<p>I don’t think so.</p>
<p>Just get some research experience. I’d only take classes if you think you’re missing something from your undergrad education or if they are graduate level courses that you know you can get As in and great recommendations, and even then I would take 3-4 at most.</p>
<p>The latter question is too general, because it depends. An online certification in, say, quantitative methods from a respectable university (like Penn State’s world campus) would help admissions in a quant-heavy program like psychology, economics, or demography. But laboratory animal behavior for an animal behavior student? Eh, I don’t think it would.</p>
<p>Yeah, I decided to not go through with it. I contacted the Neuroscience program at Stanford (one of the top schools I’m looking at) and they said they look heavily at research experience (which I’ll get quite a bit of) over extra certificates. I’m finishing up a summer class and will probably take microbiology (an elective for my biology major) soon after.</p>
<p>Thanks for your advice!</p>