The development of policies to resolve conflicts about animal use will depend in part on scientific assessments of the welfare of wildlife and captive and domestic animals under various conditions of human management. The purpose of this course is to introduce students to scientific perspectives about animals, and emphasize the ways in which scientific studies of animal behavior, stress, and cognition can be applied to assess welfare and improve animal housing, husbandry, and treatment. Students will be assigned to a group at the beginning of the quarter, and complete a number of group assignments during the quarter. Structured discussion will be a part of almost every class meeting, Grading will be based on a criterion referenced system using a contract. The contract will be discussed in detail the first day of class, and must be signed by the student.
Students can contract for a grade of A, B, or C at the beginning of the quarter.
The requirements for each grade will be clearly spelled out in the contract, as will the procedure by which the maximum grade that can be achieved will be decreased if the student fails to meet the requirements of the contract. The grade contracted for is subject to change at any time during the quarter if both the student and I agree. All students must attend class regularly, complete and hand in a summary of all reading assignments, participate in class discussions, make a defined contribution to group projects, and pass periodic quizzes. Topics for papers will be chosen by the student in consultation with the instructor, and must include citation of original papers in the scientific literature. Papers not reaching this standard will be critiqued by the instructor, and must be rewritten by the student and returned to the instructor within a week.