Connecting education and care: using interdisciplinary college courses to enhance the wellbeing of captive animals

Interdisciplinary education is a central goal of liberal arts institutions, yet opportunities to integrate different fields, such as biology and psychology, in applied coursework remain limited. Behavioral husbandry, particularly animal enrichment, provides a compelling framework for bridging these disciplines by addressing both the physical and psychological needs of captive animals. Yet, undergraduate offerings of standalone animal enrichment courses are rare in the United States, with most programs embedding enrichment within broader coursework. In response to this gap, a co-taught animal enrichment course was developed at Lyon College, combining biological and psychological perspectives through experiential, project-based learning. Students collaborate with accredited animal care facilities to design, construct, and evaluate enrichment for diverse species, gaining practical skills while contributing to animal welfare. Based on this experience and existing literature, 10 key recommendations are presented to guide course development, including the importance of advance planning, strong partnerships, flexibility, and safety considerations. The perspective also outlines future research directions, such as evaluating impacts on student learning outcomes, animal welfare, and caregiver workload. Animal enrichment courses offer a scalable and impactful model of interdisciplinary education, enhancing student engagement while addressing real-world challenges in captive animal care.