Advanced Inquiry Program

What is AIP?

The Advanced Inquiry Program (AIP) is a one-of-a-kind Master's Degree program for formal and informal educators who are interested in developing their inquiry-based teaching skills while helping to affect positive social change in their local communities. Co-delivered by the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden and Miami University's Project Dragonfly, AIP combines graduate courses at the Zoo with web-based learning communities that connect you to a broad network of educators and community leaders.

Degrees:

Master of Art in Teaching (MAT) in Biological Sciences*, designed for licensed K-12 teachers

Master of Arts (MA) in Zoology, for all non-licensed, informal educators

*The MAT degree does not confer a teaching certificate

The AIP Master's Difference

AIP Master's candidates use inquiry not only as a tool for integrated learning, but as a powerful agent for student achievement, public engagement in science, and ecological stewardship. AIP students join a network of local and national leaders, working together to improve their professions, institutions, neighborhoods, and environments.

Who is Eligible?

Enrollment is open to applicants with a Bachelor's degree, regardless of academic major. The AIP is designed for K-12 teachers and a broad range of environmental and education professionals, and can be completed part-time while working.

Requirements

21 credit hours at the Zoo + 14 credit hours taken with AIP Master's students nationwide via web-based learning communities. All 35 hours have a web component. Students also complete a Master's portfolio and have the opportunity to participate in Earth Expedition courses to learn first-hand about community conservation efforts across the globe.

Sample Graduate Courses

Online courses	courses at the zoo
Conservation, Science, & Communities	Foundations of Inquiry (Required, week-long course in Mid-June)
Biology in the Age of Technology	Primate Behavior & Conservation (Saturdays in Fall)
Issues in Biodiversity	Plants & People (Saturdays in Fall)
Issues in Evolution	Habitats, Evolution, & Adaptations (Saturdays in Fall)
Leadership in Scientific Inquiry	Issues in Cincinnati Conservation (Saturdays in Summer)
Professional Media Workshop	AND you have the option of including an Earth Expedition Course!

Estimated yearly cost*: Year 1= $2,340.00; Year 2= $2,160.00; Year 3= $1,940.00

*costs are estimates and subject to change based on your specific schedule and increased course costs.

FAQs

1. Will AIP help me get a job? Although AIP will certainly make you appealing to agencies interested in candidates with experience in inquiry-based teaching methods, we can't predict if you will secure employment after graduation.

2. Can I get a job as a Zoo Keeper after I graduate? Keeper positions typically require extensive experience in animal husbandry and animal science. This experience often includes graduate course work, but relies more on hands-on, practical work experience in animal husbandry and veterinary medicine. Without this experience, there is simply no one degree that will help you get a job as a Zoo Keeper.

3. Can I apply before I graduate with my Bachelor's Degree? YES! You will need to submit a final transcript after your acceptance into AIP, but you can certainly apply during the final year of your Bachelor's Degree!

4. Can I hold animals and volunteer to work with the animals? AIP does not include animal care or public demonstrations with animals as a part of the degree. However, there is a variety of volunteer positions available, and many of these include working directly with animals! Check out the website for information about becoming a Zoo Volunteer.

Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden

Each year, more than one million people visit the world-famous Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden's award-winning exhibits, featuring more than 500 animal and 3,000 plant species. A leading informal and formal education facility, the Zoo provides a unique and ideal learning environment in which to gain an appreciation and understanding of science and nature. Education programs for all ages foster a sense of wonder, share knowledge, and advocate active involvement with wildlife and wild places. The Zoo's Education Department cofounded Earth Expeditions, a professional development program for educators, upon which the AIP is founded.