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Companion Animal Nutrition Certificate

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Enhance your knowledge of companion animal nutrition with three online courses.

Credential Type

Graduate Certificate

Cost (2024)

$6,795

Delivery Format

Online

Program Length

9 Credit Hours

Enrollment

Fall

Eligibility Criteria

Bachelor's degree required

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Benefit 1

Gain specialized knowledge in companion animal nutrition for better decision-making.

Benefit 2

Enhance your career with advanced nutrition expertise in the veterinary and animal care fields.

Benefit 3

Study flexibly online, balancing education with your current professional and personal life.

Overview

This certificate is for industry professionals, veterinarians, animal scientists, pet breeders, and pet enthusiasts. 

It allows you to explore courses on companion animal nutrition to enhance your expertise and knowledge base.

For those who need them, continuing education (CE) credits will be provided after the successful completion of each course.

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Skills You Will Learn

Upon completing this certificate, you will:

  • Master the digestive processes and nutritional requirements of companion animals, especially dogs and cats. 
  • Learn about macronutrient and micronutrient digestion, metabolism, and their functions in companion animals. 
  • Understand the unique nutritional needs of dogs and cats throughout their life stages and during exercise. 
  • Gain knowledge about common pet food ingredients and their roles in animal nutrition and sustainability.  
  • Learn about processing technologies like extrusion and retorting used in pet food and animal feed manufacturing. 
  • Develop skills in formulating diets and understanding nutritional guidelines specific to companion animals. 
  • Acquire an understanding of regulatory affairs, quality control, and good manufacturing practices in the pet food industry. 
  • Learn to apply advanced concepts in pet nutrition to prevent and treat diseases in dogs and cats. 
  • Gain the ability to conduct hazard analysis, develop pre-requisite programs, and create safety plans for pet food and animal feed in line with the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).
Companion animal nutrition skills

Build Skills that Matter

Gain the knowledge and practical experience needed to excel in your field and create meaningful impact.

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Meet your instructors

Immerse yourself in expert-led learning, where each course is delivered by industry veterans who bring a wealth of real-world experience to their instruction. Our instructors not only share their extensive knowledge but also offer personalized insights tailored to your unique goals. Engage with cutting-edge technologies and interactive tools that make learning both dynamic and practical. By leveraging their expertise, you'll gain actionable skills and insights directly applicable to your career advancement.

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Kelly Swanson
Dr. Kelly S. Swanson, MS, Ph.D.

Professor and Certificate Program Coordinator

Dr. Swanson is a Professor in the Department of Animal Sciences. With a background in Animal Sciences (BS) and Nutritional Sciences (MS; PhD), he studies how diet impacts canine and feline physiology and gut microbiota, with primary emphasis on gastrointestinal health and obesity. His prominence in the field is highlighted by over $20 million in research support, 140 invited lectures, 210 peer-reviewed publications, and training of over 65 graduate students, post-docs, and undergraduate researchers. He has been selected to the ‘List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent by Their Students’ 27 times and serves on advisory boards for several pet food companies.

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Dr. Maria R. C. de Godoy

Associate Professor

Dr. Maria R. C. de Godoy is an Associate Professor and recipient of the 2021 Campus Distinguished Promotion Award at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The focus of her research program is on companion animal and comparative nutrition with 3 main overarching goals: - analytical methods and animal models for evaluation of nutritional adequacy of novel ingredients; - the effects of processing on pet food quality, nutritional value, and safety; and - the role of nutraceuticals in health and wellness of pets. Dr. Godoy has an internationally recognized program highlighted by over $ 6.5 million in research funds, 40 invited lectures nationally and internationally, and more than 60 peer-reviewed publications. She has been consistently named to the Univ. of IL “List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent by Their Students”. Dr. Godoy’s academic program showcases her innovative approach to science that further advances the pet food industry and the nutritional sciences community. She also serves as scientific advisor for many animal-health and pet food companies.

Course Details

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The Companion Animal Nutrition Certificate for Nonstudents is a nine-credit-hour program.

You will complete ANSC 422, Companion Animal Nutrition, and two additional courses from the list below to obtain the certificate:

  • ANSC 422 - Companion Animal Nutrition (3 credits)

Required for certificate and pre-requisite for ANSC 526

  • ANSC 424 - Pet Food & Feed Manufacturing (3 credits)
  • ANSC 526 - Advanced Companion Animal Nutrition (3 credits)
  • ANSC 499 - Pet Food and Feed Regulation (3 credits)

How to Enroll

Applying for this Certificate

To apply for a graduate certificate program, you'll need to start an online application through the University of Illinois Graduate College. 

The following items are required for your application:

  • Bachelor’s degree: Unofficial transcripts are acceptable. A grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 (A=4.0), or comparable GPA for an international applicant, for the last two years of undergraduate study is a minimum requirement for admission.
  • Professional resume: This should include personal information (name, address, telephone number, and email address), academic background, work experience (start and end dates for each position and a brief description of responsibilities), educational training, professional associations, and leadership experiences. Please limit your resume to two pages. 
  • English proficiency scores (international students only): If you are a non-native English speaker, you must upload your TOEFL or IELTS scores directly to your application. Review the Graduate College’s English proficiency requirements for more details on possible exemptions.

Receiving your Certificate

For all students, after courses are completed, confirm your completion of the requirements. 

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Steps to apply as a certificate student

  1. Navigate to choose.illinois.edu/apply. 
  2. Create an account or Log in (as a returning users). 
  3. Click Start New Application.
  4. Read the Instructions. Click the Continue button (bottom of page).
  5. Enter your Personal Information. Click the Continue button.
  6. Complete the Residency Information. Click the Continue button.
  7. In the left menu (on a desktop) or from the dropdown list (mobile), click the Program link.
  8. In the “Proposed Program of Study” section, select the following Program and Degree from the dropdown options.
    1. Program: Animal Sciences 
    2. Degree: Companion Animal Nutrition Non-Degree Certificate (Online)-NDEG 
  9. Complete the remaining applicable areas of the application and submit.

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