Skip to main content
Animal Behavior Program

Minor in Animal Behavior

Students on Summer 2020, Fall 2020, or Spring 2021 requirements ANBEHMIN

For students with primary interests in anthropology, biology, neuroscience, and other fields in the life sciences, the Minor in Animal Behavior provides an introduction to the study of behavior from multiple levels of analysis, including physiological, cognitive and developmental, and evolutionary approaches to the study of behavior.

Requirements

The minor requires at least 17 credit hours, including the requirements listed below.
  1. Introductory Courses. One (1) course:
    • ANTH-B 111 Introduction to Chimpanzee Behavior and Cognition when taken Summer 2024 or later
    • ANTH-B 200 Bioanthropology
    • ANTH-E 200 Social and Cultural Anthropology
    • ANTH-L 200 Language and Culture
    • ANTH-P 200 Introduction to Archaeology
    • BIOL-E 111 Basic Biology by Examination I
    • BIOL-E 112 Basic Biology by Examination II
    • BIOL-H 111 Integrated Freshman Learning Experience I
    • BIOL-L 111 Foundations of Biology: Diversity, Evolution, and Ecology
    • BIOL-L 112 Foundations of Biology: Biological Mechanisms
    • PSY-P 101 Introductory Psychology I
    • PSY-P 102 Introductory Psychology II
    • PSY-P 155 Introduction to Psychological and Brain Sciences
  2. Introduction to Animal Behavior. One (1) course:
    • ABEH-A 101 Introduction to Animal Behavior
  3. Animal Behavior. One (1) course:
    • BIOL-Z 460 Animal Behavior
  4. Perspectives in Animal Behavior.
    1. Evolutionary/Ecological Perspective. One (1) course:
      • ABEH-A 301 when taken Summer 2024 or later
      • ABEH-A 401 Topical Issues in Animal Behavior (Approved topics: "ANIMAL CONSERVATION" (TPC 6) when taken prior to Summer 2024; "SPECIAL TOPICS IN AVIAN CONSERVATION" (TPC 5))
      • ANTH-B 301 Laboratory in Bioanthropology
      • ANTH-B 368 The Evolution of Primate Social Behavior
      • ANTH-B 400 Undergraduate Seminar (Approved topics: "CHIMP BEHV:LEGACY JANE GOODALL" (TPC 12))
      • ANTH-B 466 The Primates
      • ANTH-P 425 Faunal Osteology
      • ANTH-P 426 Problems in Zooarchaeology
      • BIOL-L 307
      • BIOL-L 318 Evolution
      • BIOL-L 369 Heredity, Evolution, and Society
      • BIOL-L 376 Biology of Birds
      • BIOL-L 377 Biology of Amphibians and Reptiles
      • BIOL-L 423 Brain, Behavior and Evolution
      • BIOL-L 433 Tropical Biology
      • BIOL-L 465 Advanced Field Biology
      • BIOL-L 473 Ecology
      • BIOL-L 474 Field and Laboratory Ecology
      • BIOL-S 318 Evolution, Honors
      • BIOL-X 150 ASURE Biology Research Lab 1 (Approved topics: "IMMUNE RESPONSE AND BEHAVIOR" (TPC 4))
      • BIOL-X 325 ASURE Biology Research Lab 2 (Approved topics: "IMMUNE RESPONSE AND BEHAVIOR" (TPC 4))
      • BIOL-Z 373 Entomology
      • BIOL-Z 374
      • BIOL-Z 375 Invertebrate Zoology Laboratory
      • BIOL-Z 406 Vertebrate Zoology
      • BIOL-Z 476 Biology of Fishes
      • EAS-E 341
      • EAS-X 377 Field Geology and Paleoanthropology at Olduvai Gorge
      • GEOG-G 307 Biogeography: The Distribution of Life when taken Summer 2024 or later
      • SPEA-E 457 INTRODUCTION TO CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
      • SPEA-E 460 FISHERIES AND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT
    2. Mechanisms of Behavior Perspective Courses. One (1) course:
      • ABEH-A 401 Topical Issues in Animal Behavior (approved topics: "Genetics and Epigenetics of Behavior; The Social Brain"; "Sensory Ecology")
      • ANTH-B 333 Chimpanzee Biology: Anatomy, Evolution, Ecology, and Physiology
      • ANTH-B 340 Hormones and Human Behavior
      • BIOL-L 311 Genetics
      • BIOL-L 340 Biology of Sexual Diversity
      • BIOL-L 410 Topical Issues in Biology (approved topic: "Genetics of Behavior")
      • BIOL-L 423 Brain, Behavior and Evolution
      • BIOL-L 453 Sensory Ecology
      • BIOL-Z 463 Comparative Neurobiology of Animal Behavior
      • BIOL-Z 466 Endocrinology
      • BIOL-X 150 ASURE Biology Research Lab 1 (approved topic: "Immune Response and Behavior")
      • BIOL-X 325 ASURE Biology Research Lab 2 (approved topic: "Immune Response and Behavior")
      • One of the following:
        • PSY-P 326 Behavioral Neuroscience
        • PSY-P 346 Neuroscience
      • PSY-P 407 Drugs and the Nervous System
      • PSY-P 409 Neural Bases of Sensory Function
      • PSY-P 410 Development of the Brain and Behavior
      • PSY-P 411 Neural Bases of Learning and Memory
      • PSY-P 426 Laboratory in Behavioral Neuroscience
      • PSY-P 456 Reproductive Neuroscience
      • PSY-P 457 Topics in Psychology (approved topics: "The Social Brain"; "Neurobiology of Cognition")
      • PSY-P 469 Stress Effects on Brain and Behavior
      • PHSL-P 416 COMPARATIVE ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY
    3. Environmental/Developmental/Cognitive Perspective Courses. One (1) course:
      • ABEH-A 401 (approved topics: "Animal Communication”; “Animal Cognition”) when taken Summer 2024 or later
      • ANTH-B 200 Bioanthropology
      • ANTH-B 400 Undergraduate Seminar (Approved topics: "EVOLUTION OF HUMAN COGNITION" (TPC 38))
      • ANTH-E 200 Social and Cultural Anthropology
      • ANTH-L 200 Language and Culture
      • BIOL-L 417
      • COGS-Q 240 Philosophical Foundations of the Cognitive and Information Sciences
      • COGS-Q 301 Brain and Cognition
      • COGS-Q 345 Animal Cognition
      • LING-L 214 Animal Communication
      • PHIL-P 360 Philosophy of Mind
      • PSY-P 315 Developmental Psychology
      • PSY-P 325 Psychology of Learning
      • PSY-P 327 Psychology of Motivation
      • PSY-P 329 Sensation and Perception
      • PSY-P 330 Perception/Action
      • PSY-P 335 Cognitive Psychology
      • PSY-P 416 Evolution and Ecology of Learning
      • PSY-P 444
      • INFO-I 216 HUMAN, ANIMAL, AND AI
      • INFO-I 414 SEMINAR IN ANIMAL-COMPUTER INTERACTION
  5. Minor GPA, Hours, and Minimum Grade Requirements.
    1. Minor GPA. A GPA of at least 2.000 for all courses taken in the minor—including those where a grade lower than C- is earned—is required.
    2. Minor Minimum Grade. Except for the GPA requirement, a grade of C- or higher is required for a course to count toward a requirement in the minor.
    3. Minor Upper Division Credit Hours. At least 9 credit hours in the minor must be completed at the 300–499 level.
    4. Minor Residency. At least 9 credit hours in the minor must be completed in courses taken through the Indiana University Bloomington campus or an IU-administered or IU co-sponsored Overseas Study program.

Minor Area Courses

Unless otherwise noted below, the following courses are considered in the academic program and will count toward academic program requirements as appropriate:

  • Any course at the 100–499 level with the ABEH subject area prefix—as well as any other subject areas that are deemed functionally equivalent
  • Any course contained on the course lists for the academic program requirements at the time the course is taken—as well as any other courses that are deemed functionally equivalent—except for those listed only under Addenda Requirements
  • Any course directed to a non-Addenda requirement through an approved exception

This program of study cannot be combined with the following:

  • Bachelor of Science in Animal Behavior (ABEHBS)
  • Certificate in Animal Behavior (ANBEHACRT)

Exceptions to and substitutions for minor requirements may be made with the approval of the unit's Director of Undergraduate Studies, subject to final approval by the College of Arts and Sciences.