If you’re fed up with the college scene, ready for something different, or you just want to supplement your life with a different kind of education, you might want to try Humane Society University. Founded in 2008, Humane Society University puts all of the Humane Society of the United States’ programs all under one accessible school to help people live more humane lifestyles and become better citizens overall.

Licensed under the Degree Granting Institution Regulations of the District of Columbia, courses under the university are available for college credit in some areas. As The Humane Society of the United States maintains that humans have a moral duty to protect animals, the goal of their educational programs is to create “a lasting and comprehensive change in human consciousness of and behavior toward all animals in order to prevent animal cruelty, exploitation, and neglect, and to protect wild habitats.” Surely, this is the kind of education that everyone could use in today’s world.

Over 15,000 students have already made use of the programs, both online as well as on-site. Students learn about managing animal shelters, being humane leaders, animal law enforcement, and animal care giving, among many other things. Undergraduate studies offer certificates in Animal Policy & Advocacy, Animal Studies, and Humane Leadership, while approximately 60 non-credit courses covering many different specialty areas are also available. These cover a wide range of topics, from caring for animals during a disaster, dog bite prevention, using social marketing for your cause, stopping animal abuse from occurring and teaching children to be kind to animals, among many, many more. It’s a diverse program intended to create a kinder, gentler world in which humans respect animals—and, in turn, each other as well.

On-site workshops are also available throughout the country as well as in Canada. These cover several topics as well, including Disaster Animal Response Training, Illegal Animal Fight Investigations, Animal First Aid, Animal Shelter Management, and others, depending on the workshop. These are all intended for people who work in animal care or control, law enforcement, or even animal advocacy.

Whether you’re an animal activist who wants to be sure to make part of your life about saving animals, a future veterinarian or law enforcement officer hoping to gain new knowledge and skills, or simply a humane being hoping to make your life your message, you might find what you’re looking for at Humane Society University.