Animal Studies Minor

Animal Studies is an interdisciplinary field that aims not only to investigate animals themselves, but also the relationship between human and non-human animals. Animal Studies brings together scholarship from the social and natural sciences, as well as the humanities. The Animal Studies minor exposes students to courses focusing on human and animal relations and interactions, animal biology/physiology, animal behavior and cognition, and the role played by non-human animals in the larger world around them. The selection of courses is designed to yield a greater knowledge of and appreciation for animals and our relationship with them.

Director

  • Skolnick (Psychology)

Animal Studies Advisory Board

  • Fetherston (Health Sciences)
  • Goldthwaite (English)
  • Nelson (Biology)
  • Tudor (Biology)

Goal 1. Students will develop greater understanding of the nature of animals and the role played by animals in the larger world.

Objective 1.1: Students will demonstrate knowledge of the role of animals in the broader natural world or in human society.

Objective 1.2: Students will demonstrate knowledge of human-animal interactions and relationships.

Objective 1.3: Students will demonstrate knowledge of the major concepts, historical trends and theoretical perspectives in the discipline of Animal Studies.

Objective 1.4: Students will demonstrate knowledge of animal biology.

Objective 1.5: Students will demonstrate knowledge of animal behavior and cognition.

Goal 2. Students will develop a greater understanding of the ethical issues that surround human-animal interactions.

Objective 2.1: Students will demonstrate knowledge of the theoretical perspectives concerning the moral status of animals.

Objective 2.2: Students will demonstrate knowledge of the ethical issues surrounding the use of animals.

All students seeking to minor in Animal Studies will take the following courses:

  1. PSY 208 Human-Animal Relations (PSY 100 or PSY 101 is prerequisite)
  2. An understanding of how human and non-human animals relate and interact requires understanding form and function of the organisms, so all students seeking to minor in Animal Studies will complete one of the following courses: (Non-Biology Majors can choose between BIO 101 and BIO 165, Biology Majors must take BIO 201)
    BIO 101Bio I: Cells4
    BIO 165Exploring the Living World4
    BIO 201Bio III: Organismic Biology4
  3. A background in animal behavior and its underpinnings is helpful when considering the interactions and relationships between human and non-human animals.  All students seeking to minor in Animal Studies must take one of the following courses: (These courses all have prerequisites)
    BIO 401Animal Behavior4
    PSY 201Biological Bases of Behavior3
    PSY 225Comparative Animal Behavior3
  4. Students will take three additional elective courses to complete the Animal Studies minor (Note: many of these have pre-requisites and/or co-requisites); at least one of these courses must be from a department other than Psychology or Biology. Students may choose from among the following, which are included in order to provide additional knowledge of human and non-human animal relations and interactions, animal biology/physiology, animal behavior and cognition, and the role of non-human animals in the larger world around them:
    Independent Study 1
    Independent Research 1
    Internship 1
    BIO 260Anat&Physiol Nurs/Al Hlth I4
    BIO 406Comparative Anatomy4
    BIO 409Ecology4
    BIO 412Neurobiology4
    BIO 417Systemic Physiology4
    BIO 419Invertebrate Zoology4
    BIO 423Evolution4
    CLA 201Love,Sex,Conqst:Classic Myth3
    ENG 150First Year Seminar 23
    ENG 270Special Topics in English 43
    ENG 426Nature & Environmental Writing3
    ENG 452Writing and Reading Animals3
    ENG 461Food Writing3
    ENV 105The Environment3
    ENV 106Exploring the Earth4
    HIS 386American Environmental History3
    HSC 360Animal Therapy3
    PHL 312Animal Ethics3
    PSY 201Biological Bases of Behavior 33
    PSY 221Animal Learning and Memory3
1

With permission of the Animal Studies Director, students can count one semester of an appropriate independent study, research, or internship toward the minor (in category 4).

2

This course is a freshman seminar and to count it must be approved by the Director.

3

PSY 201 may be used as an elective or to satisfy requirement 3 above, but it may not be used in both categories.

4

Only the ENG 270 Special Topics in English course titled, "Intro to Animal Studies" counts as an elective in the minor.

At least half (three) of the courses counting toward the minor must come from outside the student’s major department.