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ANSC120 Animals in Society

Updated: 19 March 2013
Credit Points 6
Offering
Responsible Campus Teaching Period Mode of Study
Armidale Trimester 2 Off Campus
Armidale Trimester 2 On Campus
Intensive School(s)
Start Finish Attendance Notes
18 August 2013 20 August 2013 Mandatory
Supervised Exam There is no UNE Supervised Examination.
Pre-requisites None
Co-requisites None
Restrictions None
Notes None
Combined Units None
Coordinator(s) Wendy Brown (wbrown@une.edu.au)
Unit Description

Animals in Society provides students with the knowledge and skills required to objectively address questions concerning how non-human animals exist within modern human societies. Students explore the historical context within which human-animal relationships evolved and consider social, cultural, economic and legal frameworks within which current relationships exist. They critically explore a range of existing and emerging animal roles within the context of social and environmental constraints. Throughout the course, students are provided with a broad overview of theories and methods of scientific inquiry as they apply to human-animal relationships, with an emphasis on developing practical solutions to challenging social issues.
Materials Textbook information will be displayed approximately 8 weeks prior to the commencement of the teaching period. Please note that textbook requirements may vary from one teaching period to the next.
Disclaimer Unit information may be subject to change prior to commencement of the teaching period.
Assessment Assessment information will be published prior to commencement of the teaching period.
Learning Outcomes (LO) Upon completion of this unit, students will be able to:
  1. describe fundamental principles of adaptation, evolution and domestication and appreciate the evolutionary significance of reciprocal human-animal relationships in shaping the development of human sensations, thoughts, language and culture, as well as the physical and psychological characteristics of many animals;
  2. identify many of the current roles that animals play within human societies, including their roles in human health and well-being, education, sport, recreation and entertainment, and as pets and companions, resources, co-workers, pests and competitors;
  3. contribute to current debates concerning the potential costs and benefits to humans and animals of having animals embedded within future societies in various different ways;
  4. discuss knowledgeably the behavioral, cognitive and emotional capabilities of non-human animals, the applicability of science and applied ethics to ?animals in society? issues and limitations to our current knowledge about animals; and
  5. demonstrate well developed generic skills in critical analysis, teamwork, computer-assisted learning and academic writing.

Graduate Attributes (GA)
Attribute Taught Assessed Practised
1 Knowledge of a Discipline
Students acquire discipline knowledge particularly at the intensive school and/or through targeted online activities that require them to obtain and critically analyse information from a variety of sources. 		True True
2 Communication Skills
Assessment tasks focus on communication skills, particularly writing skills and group work. 		True True
3 Global Perspectives
This area is already taught at The Ohio State University and it is anticipated that some group activities and online discussions will involve students from the USA, enabling both cohorts to benefit from global exchanges. 		True True
4 Information Literacy
The resources for this unit are accessed online and an important part of the unit is an online discussion forum. 		True
5 Life-Long Learning
The unit focuses on development of critical thinking skills that have wide applicability. 		True True
6 Problem Solving
The final module in the unit addresses future roles for animals, using a problem-oriented approach. The writing task requires critical thinking and problem solving skills. 		True True
7 Social Responsibility
The unit focuses very much on changing relationships between human and animals and how these can be evaluated and understood in the context of social responsibilities towards our own and other species. 		True True
8 Team Work
Part of the writing task involves group work, with students collaborating on development of a group topic and specific assessment guidelines. 		True True
   

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