ANNOUNCING the Distance
Learning course in
ANIMAL-ASSISTED THERAPY & ACTIVITIES
Harcum College, in Bryn Mawr, PA, is proud to announce
a new, comprehensive Introduction to Animal-Assisted Therapy &
Activities on-line course. This 10-week course, taught by internationally
renowned human-animal bond and AAT author Phil Arkow, offers a
Certificate of Completion; this Certificate may be eligible for
employer reimbursement and Continuing Education Units depending
upon the requirements of the student's employer and/or professional
association.
This course is an introduction to the human-animal bond and its therapeutic applications. It is designed both for professionals from a wide range of disciplines, and for volunteers, students and newcomers who wish to further their knowledge and explore career opportunities in this emerging, multi-disciplinary field.
Students will examine how contact
with animals can enhance human well-being when incorporated into
health care, social services, psychology, psychiatry, education,
allied health, therapy, and many more fields. Students may already
be trained in these or similar fields, or may be seeking to enter
the field. The course explores conceptual frameworks, research,
and practical techniques that will empower you to introduce animals
in a variety of milieus. It enhances students' personal growth
and professional development. Through extensive reading, on-line
research, site visits to local facilities, and networking in on-line
discussion groups, students will obtain both an overview of the
human-companion animal bond (HCAB) and Animal-Assisted Therapy
& Activities (AAT/AAA), and opportunities to concentrate on
specific programs or applications of particular personal and/or
professional interest.
In this Distance Learning format, students learn at their own
pace. There are a series of weekly reading and writing assignments
which students may complete at their convenience during the week,
and opportunities for students to comment in online discussion
forums at their own schedule. There are no exams, and no set times
when students must be in front of a computer. All research, reading,
writing, and site visits are done in the student's own community.
| About the Distance Learning Course | FAQs | What Do Our Students Say About the Course? |
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I. Course Title: Introduction to Animal-Assisted Therapy & Animal-Assisted Activities II. Course Number: AAT 101-IN III. Certificate/Credit status: A 30-hour on-line course with 10 hours of additional clinical observation time (site visits to local facilities). It will require reading of a textbook and articles on the course website, on-line research, regular on-line discussions, and visits to healthcare facilities in the student's community. This non-credit, Certificate of Completion course may be eligible for Continuing Education Units for most healthcare and other professions, according to association requirements. Please contact the Harcum College School of Continuing Studies for details. IV. Syllabus: The
course is comprised of 10 weekly units: V. Sessions: The
2010 schedule of 10-week sessions are scheduled to start: Summer 2010 -- May 3, 2010 Fall 2010 -- September 13, 2010 2011 course dates will be announced soon.
VI. Tuition: $875, including textbook. Visa & MasterCard accepted.
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How Does an Online Class Work? You complete each module at your own pace during that week. There are no specific times during the week for the on-line discussions: students participate at their own schedule. You should spend about three hours a week doing research, writing, and reading assignments. Most everything is done is online except the textbook, which will be sent to you by mail before the class starts, and your local site visits.
What Will the Course Do For Me Professionally? Over the years, our students have been quite successful in integrating AAA/AAT into their work (in such fields as psychology, healthcare, education, counseling, rehabilitation. etc. etc.) and into volunteer opportunities. Some students have been able to establish new AAA/AAT services entrepreneurially. The Certificate will give you additional credibility for a resume, grant or program proposal, and needed training for your personal/professional development. The course is fully accredited and may meet your profession’s requirements for Continuing Education Units (CEUs). The Certificate provides specialized background and training to help you explore and focus your interests, identify ways you can implement AAA/AAT, and connect with a network of people doing animal-assisted interventions.
What Prior Training Do I Need ? None! Prior credentials, degrees or professional training are not required to take the course. All you need is a computer, access to the Internet, the ability to read and write English, and a passionate interest in using the healing powers of animals to help people.
Will the Course Certify My Pet? It is helpful to have any pet(s) you plan to include in your work registered by one of the national registries. This certification may or may not be required by facilities incorporating animal-assisted interventions. We recommend you pursue this process, and one course module explores these options and helps you prepare for the pet registration process. Pet certification is handled separately between the student and the national registry organizations.
Are Foreign Students Eligible ? Absolutely! Over the years we have had students from Canada, Puerto Rico, Australia, Brazil, Dubai, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, South Korea, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, and the U.K. We work with students in foreign locations to help them overcome the particular challenges in their situations.
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The professor was excellent, very knowledgeable, respectful, and extremely helpful. I would be pleased to have the opportunity to take another course with him again. He was quick to respond and very approachable. -- Betty B., Canada THANKS SOOOO MUCH FOR THIS GREAT COURSE!!! -- Amanda K., California The whole reason I chose this course is because I know of and greatly admire Phil Arkow’s work and extensive knowledge and expertise on the subject. My employers (who paid for me to do the course) tried really hard to get me to do a course in Britain but I was insistent I wanted to study Phil Arkow’s course and it has totally lived up to my expectations. -- Debby B., United Kingdom The course design exposed me to a variety of things that I might not have been able to discover on my own. -- Susan C., District of Columbia The instructor’s availability, response to questions, and feedback on assignments and discussion area activities were prompt, timely, helpful and comprehensive. -- Lanie K., South Korea The online experience was very convenient – a God-send! I couldn’t have studied this subject in Thailand, and been a home-schooling Mum, without it! -- Michelle S., Thailand The textbook is a book you could use on an ongoing basis for information as you need it. -- Kathy M., Ireland I am more knowledgeable now about what is going on in other places. -- Sarah R., Virginia The syllabus was full of useful information and very detailed about what to expect and how to access the website. I really appreciated all of the information. -- Alison F., Dubai The course was inspiring to me and helped me feel confident in moving forward with AAA/AAT at my school. -- Amy B., New York I was a bit unsure of taking an online course at first. This experience has shown me that it can be a very effective and worthwhile way of learning. -- Katy O., Pennsylvania The course book will be one of my foundation pieces for acquiring more literature for my own professional library and setting up the beginning framework for the AAT program I will implement into my counseling work. -- Michelle G., Canada There was a good balance of reading, Internet research, “hands-on” experiences, and opportunities to interact with others engaged in AAA/AAT. -- Nan D., Maryland I am very grateful to have been given the opportunity to read and write to an amazing group of people!!!! --Bethani G., New Hampshire This was an ideal way to take this course as I would not have been able to travel to attend classes. I have already recommended this course to two friends. -- Annie C., Connecticut I want to congratulate you for the whole idea of this course, including the website organization and the way you taught us by making us search for answers and share opinions. In my opinion this is the best way to learn. With this course I was introduced to the wonderfull world of AAT and realized what are the difficulties and what my next steps should be if I plan to have a project on my own. -- Sofia A., Portugal I came into the course with a lot of personal and professional experiences in AAT but I felt challenged and increased my knowledge through the learning activities. -- Deborah W., Washington State I am a ‘mature’ student and have not been involved in formal study for a good number of years. I found the assignments were designed to reflect not only one’s grasp of the material presented, but to reflect the degree of research and effort put into them. This allowed me to channel my energies in the areas of most interest to me – a very effective way to learn. -- Viola J., Canada |
Questions?:
If you have questions regarding Harcum College, CE credits, registration
procedures, and technical details, please contact Brittany Akers at the phone number/e-mail above.
If you have questions regarding AAT/AAA or the content of the course, please contact me.
Phil Arkow, Instructor
arkowpets@snip.net
Phone: 856-627-5118
(Eastern U.S. Time Zone)
