Course Syllabus
Perspectives:
Interrelationships of People and Animals in Society Today
UC 4301, CVM 6050, VCS3050
2 credits, Spring Semester 2005
Tuesdays 6:30-8:15 PM
AnSci/VetMed Bldg 125, St. Paul Campus
Course Coordinators:
Pam Hand, DVM
Veterinary Clinical Sciences Department
Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Room A301
1352 Boyd Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55108
612-625-3140
612-624-0751 (fax)
handx200@umn.edu
Cassia Drake
CENSHARE Office
McNamara Alumni Center, Suite 350
612-729-1207
drake001@umn.edu
This course explores various aspects of the interrelationships of people and animals in society today, including the ecological, environmental, cultural, economic, social, psychological, and health/medical dimensions of these interrelationships. Multidisciplinary knowledge of how and why these factors interact is considered to be essential to a better understanding of what is often called the human-animal bond.
The course is concerned with the ethical/moral dimension of human-animal interrelationships. Students will be introduced to different philosophical perspectives and moral positions on specific human-animal relationships and familiarized with certain processes of ethical decision-making. In this way, the course should prepare students to arrive at their own moral/ethical decisions with respect to people-animal relationships in their personal, professional, or public life. Thus, this course aims:
| 1. |
To develop understanding of the issues involved in relationships between people and animals. |
| 2. |
To engage in critical considerations of differing philosophical views regarding these issues. |
I. Writing Assignment
This assignment involves choosing a topic that must be approved, researching the topic, and writing a paper of approximately 10 pages.
| • |
Choose a topic dealing with some aspect of the interrelationship between animals and man that interests you. The topic should have some controversy with multiple perspectives.
Sample ideas for topics will be given.
Submit your topic choice with a list briefly explaining some of the multiple perspectives. This list need not be exhaustive and can be modified. For example, you might wish to combine some, separate others, or even add more after you finish the research for your paper. A sample of this part of the assignment will also be given, so you will have an idea of what is expected (about one page, typed, with 3-5 perspectives listed). Cassia will notify you within 7 days if your topic has been accepted. The deadline for submitting your topic is February 15, 2005 at 8:15 pm, but we encourage you to submit it as early in the semester as possible. |
| • |
Submit an 8–10 page paper following the specific instructions given. This paper will require research and thought, and you will also be asked to write about your own opinion of the topic as part of the assignment. Grading guidelines will be given so that you know how your paper will be evaluated. Deadline for submission of your paper is April 12, 2005 at 8:15 pm. |
| • |
This assignment will be worth 70 points toward the final grade. |
II. Feral Cat Exercises
| • |
This assignment involves researching the topic of feral cats. Articles and a list of websites will be distributed so that you will be prepared for the three class exercises on feral cats (Feb 8, Mar 8 and May 3). The group exercises will be described in detail prior to the class so that you will know what to expect. The first exercise will involve research and discussion on an assigned issue. The second exercise will involve research and discussion on an assigned proposed solution to feral cats issues. The third exercise will involve research and discussion on a multidisciplinary approach to a community feral cat problem. |
| • |
This assignment will be worth 30 points (10 points each for Feb 18, Mar 8 and May 3) toward the final grade. Each student will hand in a one page paper for each of the three exercises which will determine the points for these exercises. |
III. Class Attendance
Class attendance will be a factor in assigning the final grade for this course. The presentations and discussions in this course are unique and convey considerable information. Making part of the grade dependent on attendance gives you some additional motivation to gain the full benefit of the course. Each night you have a responsibility to turn in the provided speaker evaluation form with a tear-off signature page to obtain credit for attending class, or sign the provided attendance log. Lack of documented attendance, regardless of circumstances, will result in 8 points being deducted from the final grade. Any student missing 3 or more classes should immediately discuss with the course coordinators options for alternative grades such as an incomplete or fail.
If you miss one or two classes and wish to make up some of the automatically deducted points, you may do so by completing a written questionnaire on a selected video within a week’s time following your return to class. List of the possible videos chosen from the Veterinary College Library and the questions are available from Cassia. Your answers to the video questions will be graded 0-8 points.
The final course grade will be based on the total points accrued by the above assignments including the deductions for missed classes and any additions for make up assignments. Although final grade cutoffs will be at the discretion of the course coordinators based upon the distribution of total points across all the students in the class, it is anticipated that most likely the categories will be 90-100 for A; 80-89 for B; 70-79 for C; 60–69 for D. Those students taking the course S/N will be expected to obtain a minimum of 70 points (C) for earning an S grade. Students taking this course for graduate credit will be held to a higher standard for all written assignments.
Note: Every course syllabus shall include the grading standards set forth in the Uniform Grading Policy adopted by the University of Minnesota:
| There are five permanent grades given for a single course, for which credit shall be awarded, which will be entered on a student's official transcript. A-B-C-D-F grades include pluses and minuses, as follows, and carry the indicated grade points. The S grade shall not carry grade points, but the credits shall count toward the student's degree program if allowed by the college, campus, or program. These definitions apply to grades awarded to students who are not enrolled in graduate programs, but the grade points are the same no matter the level or course of enrollment.
Instructors are permitted to hold graduate and undergraduate students who are in the same class to different standards of academic performance and accomplishment. The syllabus must make clear what the different standards will be for the different groups of students who may be enrolled in the class. |
| Grade |
Points |
Academic Performance Standards |
| A |
4.00 |
Represents achievement that is outstanding relative to the level necessary to meet course requirements. |
| A- |
3.67 |
|
| B+ |
3.33 |
|
| B |
3.00 |
Represents achievement that is significantly above the level necessary to meet course requirements. |
| B- |
2.67 |
|
| C+ |
2.33 |
|
| C |
2.00 |
Represents achievement that meets the course requirements in every respect. |
| C- |
1.67 |
|
| D+ |
1.33 |
|
| D |
1.00 |
Represents achievement that is worthy of credit even though it fails to meet fully the course requirements. |
| S |
|
Represents achievement that is satisfactory, which is equivalent to a C- or better. |
| Credits and workload expectations: For undergraduate courses, one credit is defined as equivalent to an average of three hours of learning effort per week (over a full semester) necessary for an average student to achieve an average grade in the course. For example, a student taking a three credit course that meets for three hours a week should expect to spend an additional six hours a week on coursework outside the classroom. |
| Dates |
Presenters |
Topics |
| Jan 18 |
Pam Hand, DVM
Will Hueston, DVM PhD
College of Vet Med (CVM) |
Course Introduction
Critical Thinking |
| Jan 25 |
Lee Scholder, JD |
Introduction to Ethics |
| Feb 1 |
Scholder |
Ethics (continued) |
| Feb 8 |
Hand |
First Feral Cat Exercise |
| Feb 15 |
Peggy Callahan
Wildlife Science Center |
Wolves |
| Feb 25 |
Pat Redig, DVM, PhD
UMN Raptor Center |
Raptors and Lead Poisoning |
| Mar 1 |
Corwin Kruse, JD, MA |
Animal Abuse |
| Mar 8 |
Hand |
Second Feral Cat Exercise |
| Mar 15 |
NO CLASS, SPRING BREAK |
|
| Mar 22 |
John Fetrow, VMD, MBA, CVM |
Dairy Cattle Welfare |
| Mar 29 |
Julie Wilson, DVM, CVM |
Horse Slaughter |
| Apr 5 |
Jeremy Iggers, PhD
Star Tribune |
Animals as Food |
| Apr 12 |
Hueston |
Zoonoses |
| Apr 19 |
Hand |
Shelters |
| Apr 26 |
MN Herpetological Society |
Reptiles as Pets |
| May 3 |
Hand |
Third Feral Cat Exercise |
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