Education
College Courses
Join a network of experts.
Our college courses will help you maximize your professional goals. They feature real-world research and access to more than 32,500 animals. The world becomes your classroom when you study Marine and Island Ecology in the Bahamas or connect with peers via distance-learning programs.
Earn your course credits in Shedd style.
Educators can earn continuing education graduate credits in S.T.E.M. subjects or environmental science. Visit Educator Professional Development for information regarding university partners and upcoming programs.
Associated Colleges of the Chicago Area (ACCA)
Shedd’s animals, staff and field research programs become a resource for your biology study. These classes are held with both in-person facilitators and via distance-learning technology. You must be a student of Aurora University, Benedictine University, Concordia University, Dominican University, Elmhurst College, Judson College, Lewis University, North Central College, North Park University, Olivet Nazarene University, St. Xavier University, Trinity Christian College, Trinity International University, University of St. Francis, or Wheaton College.
ACCA: Marine and Island Ecology
ACCA schools, in conjunction with Shedd Aquarium, sponsor a 4-credit course to connect in-class concepts to field study. Discover how oceanography and water chemistry affect marine habitats and island environments. Develop identification techniques for fishes, reptiles, plants and invertebrates while gaining knowledge of field research. Then board Shedd’s research vessel, the R/V Coral Reef II, for a nine-day Bahamas field experience, studying tropical marine and island flora and fauna and surveying marine and terrestrial communities of the Exuma Islands.
Class sessions:
Saturdays, March 24 – April 28, 2012 (no class on April 7)
9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Shedd Aquarium
Field experience:
Week 1, Friday, May 12 – Sunday, May 20
Week 2, Sunday, May 20 – Monday, May 28
Shedd fee: $1175, includes lodging aboad the R/V Coral Reef II and all trip meals. Airfare is not included in this fee.
School fee: Please see your college registrar/business office for current tuition rates.
For more course information, contact the adult programs coordinator at Shedd Aquarium at 312-692-3351 or e-mail adults@sheddaquarium.org.
ACCA: Freshwater Ecology
Investigate and research the roles water, animals, plants, and humans have in freshwater ecosystems. This 3-credit course will uncover the components of a freshwater habitat and survey the variety of plants and animals that inhabit these environments. Class takes place in Shedd’s Aquatic Learning Center, exhibits and in your local surroundings, connecting you to this habitat and the impacts you can have on it. Throughout the course participants will be building research skills and working on a project that connects them to today’s real world.
Class sessions:
Saturdays, Sept. 15 – Oct. 20, 2012
9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Shedd Aquarium
Fee: Please see your college registrar/business office for current tuition rates.
For more course information, contact the adult programs coordinator at Shedd Aquarium at 312-692-3351 or e-mail adults@sheddaquarium.org.
ACCA: Marine Mammalogy
Using systems thinking and problem solving, this 3-credit course will dive into the diverse world of marine mammals. Topics will include marine mammal classification, anatomy, distribution, behavior, environmental impact and education importance in zoos and aquariums. Students will develop and carryout a course-long project that enhances research skills and encourages inquiry of the marine world.
Next class takes place in fall 2013.
For more course information, contact the adult programs coordinator at Shedd Aquarium at 312-692-3351 or e-mail adults@sheddaquarium.org.
Western Illinois University Graduate Program
Western Illinois University comes to Shedd with its graduate certificate in zoo and aquarium studies, masters in biological sciences, or masters in arts and sciences. All participants, degree-seeking or otherwise, must register with WIU and pay WIU tuition in addition to Shedd Aquarium fees. Students may register using the WIU automated registration system (Tele Stars) from a touch-tone phone by calling 309-298-5000.
Download the course description of the graduate certificate in zoo and aquarium studies or download frequently asked questions about the program.
Visit WIU Department of Biological Sciences for general information, certificate program courses, and information on the Quad Cities campus.
Programs for adults
Shedd experiences don’t stop in the classroom, grab a friend and enjoy some aquatic excitement.
Member Discounts
Discounts on many educational programs and classes is just one of the great perks of Shedd membership. Become a member today!
