The ISU AAI certificate curriculum was thoughtfully and intentionally developed in the spirit of current best practices and in collaboration with international leaders in animal assisted interventions. Each class offers a balance of theoretical knowledge and applied skills, with a heavy emphasis on provider competence, animal welfareadvocacy, and practical efficacy. Although the curriculum’s main focus is on Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) and Animal Assisted Education (AAE) as professionalized approaches, we also attend to issues relevant to the delivery and direction of Animal Assisted Activities (AAA) within healthcare and educational contexts. Within the three-course sequence, students gain in-depth theoretical knowledge of AAI history and literature, industry standards and culture, professional issues, and live practice opportunities under supervision.<br><br>Each course in this series was thoroughly reviewed and subsequently endorsed by several international leaders in the AAI industry, and your program director continuously engages in updating course content to reflect current standards and continuously invites peer consultation and feedback on all aspects of the curriculum. Guest experts are a regular presence during class meetings so that students are exposed to a variety of expert perspectives and introduced to industry leaders beyond your program director.