Study Online - Stay at home with your horses!
A comprehensive course of study for the horse enthusiast and owner. This continuing education program is based on research and evidence-based knowledge providing horse owners with practical information to improve the health and welfare of horses.
We now offer 15 online distance education courses, making it easy for you to continue your studies and stay at home with your horses. Take one course or work towards our certificate and diploma programs.
What is the Diploma in Equine Studies?
The University of Guelph’s continuing education Diploma in Equine Studies provides a comprehensive course of study and is suitable for those interested in a career in the equine industry. The Diploma is designed as an extension of our award winning Equine Science Certificate, providing students with additional courses to broaden and enhance your knowledge on a variety of equine topics. The Diploma in Equine Studies requires you to complete six core courses and four elective courses. All courses are either 12 or 13-weeks in length and are delivered online via the internet. Students complete a total of ten courses to be eligible to receive the Diploma in Equine Studies. Courses are offered on a rotating basis in January, May and September of each year.
Who is it for?
The program is designed for those who wish to continue with their studies but stay at home with their horses. All of the courses in the Diploma are conducted online through the internet in a distance education format by the Office of Open Learning and Equine Guelph. Distance education courses offer you flexibility in choosing when, where and how you wish to study while balancing work and family committments and caring for your horse. The Diploma will augment the resumes of those who have been in the industry for a period of time; and will provide a comprehensive starting point for those just entering it.
Students must either be at least 18 years of age, or have completed Grade 12 or equivalent in order to register for the courses. Students who have completed or are currently registered in the Equine Science Certificate program or the Certificate in Equine Business Management may opt to continue their studies in order to earn the Diploma in Equine Studies.
Benefits from completing courses and/or the diploma:
See how management decisions affect the behaviour and welfare of horses.
Do sample calculations to determine the nutritional quality of a diet.
Learn how various aspects of equine science all interrelate to provide optimal health and performance.
Understand how the structure and function of the horse allows it to perform for human use.
Be able to make informed decisions from the myriad of information available.
Cost and what do I get?
The Early Bird Tuition for each course is $495.00 CAD, (up to one month before the course start date) and Regular tuition is $549.00 CAD. The tuition fee includes course materials shipped to your door, access to a virtual classroom via the internet, faciliation by a highly qualified team of instructors from across North America and led by University of Guelph, networking opportunities with other students and your instructors, access to guest speakers from the industry throughout the course, and the chance to develop new friendships worldwide.
What do I need in order to do this?
You will need access to the internet. Each course will require a minimum of 12 – 14 hours a week, of which about half that time will be spent online to take part in class discussions, online quizzes, reading guest speaker, instructor and student postings and submitting assignments. The rest of the time will be spent completing the learning activities, which will range from assigned readings or watching a course CD or DVD, to going to the barn to complete a hands-on activity or interviewing an equine professional. After each course is completed, you will receive a grade report. Once you have successfully completed all 10 courses, simply apply for the diploma.
How do I get started?
Review our list of courses and visit the course offering pages to find the course which interests you. We now offer 15 courses in two streams: equine science and equine business management. Courses can be taken in any order and you do have the option of participating in individual courses. Our courses are very popular and we encourage you to register early.