Department of Companion Animal Health
Introduction to the Department
The Department of Companion Animal Health at Kwangju Women’s University was newly established as the first department of its kind in Gwangju and Jeonnam to cultivate animal health technicians with respect for the dignity of companion animal life and ethical awareness, as well as professionals who will lead the companion animal industry in future society.
It is a practical academic department that opens wide opportunities for employment and startup in the companion animal industry by enabling students to acquire the nationally certified Animal Health Technician qualification and various companion animal-related certifications.
Educational Goals
- To cultivate animal health technicians equipped with practical animal nursing competencies.
- To cultivate professionals with the ability to respond to the companion animal industry field in future society.
- To develop research performance abilities in the field of life sciences for the scientific advancement of practical animal nursing.
Vision
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To cultivate animal health technicians for the first time among four-year universities in Gwangju and Jeonnam, in line with the introduction of the Animal Health Technician system in 2021 by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs for the development of the companion animal medical industry and the creation of related jobs.
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To cultivate professionals with the ability to respond to the rapidly growing companion animal industry field, and to equip students with both employment and startup competencies by helping each student acquire three or more certifications while enrolled.
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Job duties related to companion animals, such as veterinary assistance, pet grooming, and companion animal behavior correction, already have competency units developed in the National Competency Standards, NCS. In addition, NCS learning modules have been completed for veterinary assistance and pet grooming, and job specialization is being promoted at the national level.
Course Descriptions
Animal Anatomy and Physiology and Practice
This course teaches animal anatomy and physiology in the most suitable way for the companion animal field. Students also cultivate basic competencies as animal health technicians through the study of anatomical terminology.
General Biology, Animal Life Science
This course teaches life, molecules and cells, genetics, evolutionary biology, biodiversity, the structure and function of plants, the structure and function of animals, ecology, and ethology.
Animal Resources Science
Focusing on the history of humans and animals and their impact on human life, this course provides an overview of the types and characteristics of farm animals, feeding management, disease prevention, and related topics.
Animal Reproduction
This course teaches the structure and function of animal reproductive organs, gamete formation processes, sex hormones, estrus, pregnancy, delivery, lactation, and related knowledge.
Animal Diseases
This course teaches the types, causes, symptoms, causes of occurrence, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of diseases that occur in animals. It also covers structural, functional, and chemical changes during disease development, as well as causes of cell injury and regeneration and disease mechanisms.
Animal Health Nutrition
This course teaches nutrients in animal feed and their chemical structures and uses in the animal body. Students also acquire knowledge of patient nutrition management in animal hospitals.
Pharmaceutical Management and Practice
Based on knowledge of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, this course comprehensively teaches drugs used in animal hospitals, including dosage forms, administration routes, types, storage, and management.
Laboratory Animal Science and Practice
This course helps students acquire integrated knowledge from various academic fields, including veterinary medicine, pharmacy, medicine, biology, molecular biology, and animal feeding science, covering the characteristics of laboratory animals, disease diagnosis, treatment, prevention, reproduction, nutrition, breeding management, animal welfare, and experimental techniques.
Animal Health Internal Medicine and Practice
Through theoretical and practical lectures on animal hospital field management, outpatient animal treatment assistance, and inpatient animal nursing treatment assistance, students acquire knowledge necessary for working in animal hospitals as animal health technicians.
Animal Health Clinical Pathology and Practice
Students understand the necessity and precautions of animal clinical pathology tests, and acquire the ability to smoothly perform treatment assistance roles in animal hospitals through theory and practice in clinical pathology tests and histopathological tests.
Animal Health Surgery and Practice
This course teaches basic knowledge necessary for assisting animal surgical treatment and helps students acquire knowledge required during surgery in animal hospitals.
Animal Health Imaging and Practice
This course helps students understand the basics of imaging equipment used in veterinary diagnostics and learn positioning, anesthesia, development, hair removal, and related procedures required during examinations.
Understanding the Animal Industry
This course helps students acquire knowledge of industry prospects and practical management abilities in order to achieve the goals of the animal industry, including but not limited to companion animals.
Special Topics in Animal Health 1
This course provides comprehensive learning in preparation for the Animal Health Technician qualification examination.
Special Topics in Animal Health 2
This course provides comprehensive learning in preparation for the Animal Health Technician qualification examination.
Companion Animal Studies
This course teaches the origin and history of companion animals, types of companion animals, characteristics, and management methods.
Animal Health Behavior and Practice
This course teaches the behavior, habits, and psychology of companion animals in order to support their proper social adaptation and the spread of companion animal culture.
Grooming Theory and Practice 1
This course teaches basic knowledge of general care activities for companion dogs and dog grooming techniques through theory and practice.
Basic Animal Training and Practice
This course helps students acquire knowledge of animal behavior, including animal instincts and habits, characteristics and meanings of behavior, and evolution, and learn basic training methods.
Grooming Theory and Practice 2
This course teaches advanced knowledge of companion dog grooming techniques through theory and practice.
Fourth Industrial Animal Management and Administration, Agricultural Information and Management
This course cultivates specialized knowledge and job competencies necessary for animal management in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Students acquire feeding management methods using smart farms by livestock species, techniques for using pet-tech in companion animals, ideas for developing pet-tech products, and management abilities.
Special Animal Management
This course teaches health management of special and exotic animals, as well as basic breeding and feeding techniques.
Animal Hospital Practice and Training
This course teaches basic clinical diagnosis, first aid, and clinical pathology techniques required in animal hospitals.
Animal Industry Design
This course teaches the overall animal industry and provides learning in design, modeling, utilization, processing, and post-processing using 3D printers, focusing on companion animal products and accessories.
Animal Health Emergency Nursing and Practice
Through theoretical and practical lectures on animal hospital field management and emergency animal nursing treatment assistance, students learn practical duties necessary for working in animal hospitals as animal health technicians.
Animal Public Health
This course teaches veterinary epidemiology, food hygiene, environmental hygiene, and related topics through veterinary techniques and science applied to disease prevention and life protection.
Animal Welfare and Laws
This course teaches understanding of welfare that should basically be provided to animals, as well as relevant laws, enforcement decrees, and enforcement regulations related to animal welfare in Korea and abroad.
Animal Feeding Science
This course teaches methods for efficiently feeding and raising animals, and helps students acquire sustainable animal rearing methods such as eco-friendly animal farming and animal welfare farming.
Short-Term Field Practice, Companion Animals
Through field practice, students learn various animal health and medical-related duties in animal hospital settings, including hospital treatment assistance, patient administration practice, and guardian response.
Animal Startup and Management Practice
This course examines the current status and trends of the animal industry through actual case studies, and helps students acquire practical management knowledge and skills related to companion animal policies and support systems, as well as animal-related startups, including grooming shops, cafés, care services, pet sitters, supplies, and food and beverages.
Introduction to Animal Health 1
This course enhances creative convergence abilities in preparation for the Animal Health Technician qualification and helps students learn major contents in a multidimensional way.
Introduction to Animal Health 2
This course enhances creative convergence abilities in preparation for the Animal Health Technician qualification and helps students learn major contents in a multidimensional way.
Research on Teaching Materials and Methods for Animal Resources Education
As a basic course for secondary school teacher certification, this course teaches theoretical foundations of teaching materials, the use of teaching materials, and various methods of producing and utilizing them.
School Field Practice, Companion Animals
As a basic course for secondary school teacher certification, this course helps students learn theoretical contents of the major through field practice.
Theory of Animal Resources Education
This course helps students understand general concepts of animal resources and learn about animal resources and the environment, as well as cultivation of living horticultural plants.
Logic and Writing for Animal Resources Education
As a basic course for secondary school teacher certification, this course teaches contents for improving logical judgment and writing, as well as reasonable communication abilities as educators.