To complete the full program of study and to earn your credential (allowing your name to be added to the Humane Educator Registry), complete the five courses described below. Individuals may take courses without committing to the full program. Self-paced courses are available immediately upon registration and are open to students for 90 days. Instructor-led courses have a set beginning and end date. During a lesson students can log in anytime to attend the class lecture and complete readings; assignment due dates are outlined in the syllabus. APL also offers other courses which are not part of the CHES program. (All APL courses are eligible for CAWA professional development CE's from AAWA. See individual course descriptions for number of CE's earned.)

HE 001 History of Humane Education
Self-paced; begin any time.
Prerequisite for the CHES program.
Humane education has a long and rich history. This mini-course will introduce you to some of the key players and groups of past and present humane education as well as review the changes (both good and bad) as they relate to the humane movement.

HE 002 Humane Pedagogy and Theories of Learning and Development
Instructor-led. Next term begins April 8, 2024 and ends June 10, 2024.
Prerequisite course: HE 001
This course is designed to give educators an understanding of the fundamental theories of learning and how they relate to humane education and moral development. The course includes a detailed examination of humane education programs and humane pedagogy. Students will reflect on their previous experiences and learn how to create curricula and environments to support academic, social, and emotional growth for a wide range of student abilities and diversity.

HE 003 The Magic of Stories: Encouraging Empathy Through Narrative
Instructor-led. Next term begins January 06, 2025 and ends March 16, 2025.
Examine the way narrative is compatible with the way the human brain works, why stories are so effective at imparting moral virtue and how it builds student perspective. The course contains both practical and theoretical content about stories and literature and is designed around understanding the elements of a story, components of realistic-fiction and humane-themed literature, and composing questions that build perspective and critical thinking.

HE 004 Empowering Youth Through Service-Learning
Instructor-led. Next term begins July 1, 2024 and ends September 8, 2024.
Explore how schools, youth groups and even individual students can partner with humane organizations to create local change and help students practice important academic and life skills. In this course, you’ll learn how students can gain hands-on problem-solving skills, develop an aptitude for critical thinking and become active citizens in creating a humane society. Additionally, discover how to work with a variety of community partners on broad-based humane education issues.

HE 005 The Educator's Role in Breaking the Cycle of Violence
Self-paced; begin anytime.
Learn strategies to increase empathy as a preventative to violence; acquire useful tools for recognizing and responding to abuse related to children and families with animals; explore community level partnerships and mandated reporting involving humane societies, social service providers, educators, and law enforcement agencies.

Register with us through DigitalChalk to see complete offerings and course descriptions. See other APL classes available. Limited scholarships are available for the CHES courses through the Scholarship for the Advancement of Humane Education.