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CDP DipCABT ADVANCED DIPLOMA: STAGE 1
Diploma (Advanced Certificate) in the Practical Aspects of Companion Animal Behaviour and Training: STAGE 1.

Written and tutored by Robert Falconer-Taylor, Peter Neville and Val Strong.

OCN Accreditation - Diploma: equivalent to University study at First Year Degree Level, earning 60 credits at Level 4. Click Here for details of accreditation.

The Centre of Applied Pet Ethology (COAPE) is delighted to announce that the Advanced Diploma in Practical Aspects of Companion Animal Behaviour and Training (DipCABT) has been upgraded by the course’s independent awarding and accreditation body, The Open College Network. From September 2010 the Diploma will be accredited and recognised at Level 4, equivalent to university study at First Year Degree level. COAPE now offers a two-stage Diploma programme:

YEAR 1: Stage 1 of the COAPE Advanced Diploma in Practical Aspects of Companion Animal Behaviour and Training is the core component of the qualification. It is a residential course taught over one academic year. Each student must attend all four weekend teaching modules and complete the written course assignments, workbooks and final practical case study. Earning 60 credits at Level 4, this is an important recognition of achievement at a university-level of study. Over 350 students have successfully graduated from this constantly updated, comprehensive course since 1997. Stage 1 will continue to be offered to all eligible students and at exactly the same price as for the past two years despite the upgrade to Level 4.

YEAR 2: Stage 2 is the COAPE Advanced Diploma (Honours). This new Honours component is only available to successful students from Stage 1 and provides further opportunity for study and practical career development. Students will be required to demonstrate the ability to engage in practical companion animal behaviour therapy through approaching organised complex case studies and completing a research project. Earning a further 60 credits at Level 4, successful students will then have gained 120 credits at an independently accredited university-level of study and be perfectly placed to pursue an independent career in companion animal behaviour therapy.

The Advanced Diploma in the Practical Aspects of Companion Animal Behaviour and Training is a residential course taught in four Modules over one academic year and leads to the qualification of DipCABT.

To complete the course successfully each student must attend all four Modules in sequence, complete the written course assignments and workbook for each Module and prepare a final case study to the required standards.

The Advanced Diploma in the Practical Aspects of Companion Animal Behaviour and Training is the core component of the COAPE Diploma and must be completed successfully before students may progress to Stage 2 and study to attain the Advanced Honours Diploma, DipCABT(Hons).

On-line Student Resource Centre
Students of this constantly updated course also benefit from a dedicated password protected Student Resource Centre, providing access to a range of rich media content to complement the formal course notes, including video, sound, graphics and pictures, web links and additional written content. Students also have access to a dedicated password-protected Student on-line user group where they can discuss the course, behaviour matters and help each other with their studies.

Qualification entry requirements for this course
To qualify for entry onto this course each student must have passed any one of the COAPE Correspondence Courses, C01 to C09 and FAB12, or show evidence of learning to an approved equivalent standard or beyond. Each student must also submit a short summary of their previous knowledge and experience in this field.

Please Click Here to contact the COAPE office and speak to The Registrar, Clare Tickner, who will be happy to advise you.

Rashleighs Business Centre
Rashleighs Business Centre, near Maidenhead, Berkshire, is the splendid venue for the COAPE residential Advanced Diploma Stage 1 Course in Practical Aspects of Companion Animal Behaviour and Training.

Tutors and students have this beautiful, historic, yet modern venue exclusively to ourselves for each of the four two-day residential Modules of the course.

We are catered for with excellent food cooked by Rashleighs first class resident chefs, and of course there is a fully licensed bar and free tea, coffee, water etc. available throughout the day.


Click Here to browse Rashleighs picture gallery.

Although the COAPE Advanced Diploma Stage 1 course requires plenty of hard work and commitment on your part, there is also plenty of time to relax and get to know your fellow students and tutors.

 

 

 

Advanced Diploma Class enjoying a July evening on the patio at Rashleighs.

 

What happens to graduates after gaining their Advanced Diploma Stage 1, DipCABT?
At COAPE we provide lots of ongoing practical and management support to our graduates, who, on passing their Advanced Diploma Stage 1, are automatically enrolled as Affiliate Members of the COAPE Association of Pet Behaviourists and Trainers (CAPBT).

CAPBT membership as an Affiliate is free for all diplomates for the first year following graduation and thereafter an annual membership fee is payable, currently £30. Members can promote their practices and services on the public access area of the CAPBT website.

New members may join a secure internet-based discussion forum, called New Talk, which is overseen by a member of the CAPBT committee. Here they can submit queries and requests for assistance in confidence.

Click the logo on the left for the CAPBT website

Queries from New Talk are submitted to the primary CAPBT members internet-based forum by the overseer on their behalf for advice and that advice returned to the New Talk Forum. This process gives new members the confidence to, in their own time, join in with other members with ongoing access to the expertise of the course tutors and their experienced Diplomate Colleagues via a password-protected, friendly internet user group.

In addition, members regularly receive the latest details of new publications, meetings, Continuing Professional Development (CPD) post-diploma courses and other professional and social events, and have access to the experience and expertise of members and the COAPE Office in areas such as insurance, setting up in business, veterinary liaison, advertising, marketing etc.

Additionally, all new Diplomates have the opportunity to apply for a Mentor under the CAPBT Mentor Scheme which gives them the opportunity to be teamed up with an experienced Practitioner where they can gain practical, hands-on experience during their first year when this might be most needed.

COAPE Behaviour Practitioners
The practice of companion animal training and behaviour modification can be divided into several distinct segments dictated by what the trainer / behaviourist is able to offer at their particular level of expertise and experience. This in turn, must meet the expectations of the animal’s owner in relation to the particular training and/or behaviour problem being presented.

Some Diplomates simply wish to use their Diploma Stage 1 to practice at the level of routine training and straightforward behaviour problems as perhaps for them this is to be a part-time activity. On the other hand some Diplomates might want to become recognised full-time behaviourists and so, for them, becoming a CAPBT Behaviour Practitioner is the way to go.

In order to become a CAPBT Practitioner, an Affiliate CAPBT member must have successfully completed Stage 2 (DipCABT, Hons) of the COAPE Advanced Diploma, at which point they can enter the CAPBT Practitioner Training Programme, which is OCN accredited earning 20 credits at Level 4. This is an internally moderated process of practical training and assessment, designed to cater for students at all levels of experience. Practitioners enjoy many additional benefits of access to specific practice and promotional materials designed to help them set up and succeed in independent referral practice.

All COAPE graduates have access to the resources and help they need to achieve their aims in the field of pet behaviour and to develop and extend their abilities in the challenging real world and are not just 'left to the dogs'!

Module 1

4 - 5 Sept 2010

3 - 4 Sept 2011

• Domestication of cats and dogs and social evolution.
• Type variations in canine behaviour.
• Developmental biology of cats and dogs, breed and type variations in emotional development.
• Dominance Reconsidered - replacing old ideas.
• Aims and practicalities of running puppy classes.
• Aims and objectives of running kitten classes.
• Animal welfare legislation and ethics for companion animal trainers and behaviourists.

Module 2

22 - 23 Jan 2011

28 - 29 Jan 2012

• Survival strategies.
• Comparative companion animal anatomy and physiology.
• Anatomy and physiology of the brain and nervous system.
• Learning theory.
• Techniques of signaling reward, non-reward and aversion.
• The impact of punishment on behaviour and learning.
• Human psychology; the other end of the lead.
• Training and assessing adult dogs.
• Canine case histories.
• Introduction to emotions in companion animals.

Module 3

02 - 03 April 2011

21 - 22 April 2012

• Psychopathology in animals: depression, anxiety and phobias.
• The 'EMRA' system of approaching behaviour problems.
• Sex and hormones and their effects on animal behaviour.
• Diet and behaviour, therapeutic diet manipulation.
• Indoor marking problems and house training in cats.
• Basic counselling skills.

Module 4

09 - 10 July 2011

07 - 08 July 2012

• Behavioural pharmacology and its practical application.
• Case history studies: Much of Module 4 is dedicated to putting theory into practice through interactive class discussions of a variety of common behaviour problems in cats and dogs, how to approach them, how to resolve them.
• What happens after the Diploma? The support structure in place to help you start and grow a successful business and develop your skills and knowledge - On-going post Diploma support of the COAPE Association of Pet Behaviourists and Trainers (CAPBT). Continuing Professional Development (CDP). Diploma (Honours) and the CAPBT Mentoring Scheme.

For Polish-Speaking Students
Kurs Dyplomowy COAPE w polskiej wersji jezykowej. Szczegolowe informacje i zapisy na stronie COAPE Polska - kliknij banner by wejsc na strone.

The COAPE Advanced Diploma in Practical Aspects of Companion Animal Behaviour and Training can be studied in Polish with COAPE Poland, COAPE’s officially licensed partner in Poland and for Polish speaking students all over the world. Please click on the graphic for details and to visit the COAPE Poland website.

For Students located in Africa
COAPE’s Advanced Diploma course is now available in South Africa for anyone living in Africa wishing to study Animal Behaviour and Training.

The course are hosted by the ThinkingPets Behaviour Practice.

Please click on the graphic for details and to visit the ThinkingPets website

Residential component held over FOUR weekends plus written coursework to be completed between Modules.

Each Module comes with a comprehensive set of printed course notes that build into an authoritative reference text and a workbook to help students develop and integrate ideas throughout the course. Students also have password-protected access to the dedicated on-line COAPE Student Resource Centre where additional support and course materials are available.

1 academic year. Begins: September each year.

Course notes, coffee, tea, breakfast, lunches and one night's dinner and accommodation included for each residential Module.

PLEASE NOTE: The 2010 - 2011 run of the Advanced Diploma commensing September 2010 is now fully booked.

For September 2011 - 2012, the cost remains at the current £3,960.

Course cost includes all teaching materials, access to the online Student Resource Centre, accommodation and meals.

A deposit of £200 (or £400 after 30th June, 2011) is required in order to secure a place on the course as numbers are strictly limited. This includes the OCN registration fee.

Please click on the 'Enrol' button below for details.
NOTE: You are NOT COMMITTING YOURSELF TO ANYTHING by clicking on this button.

Course dates and fees will be advised here shortly.