Postgraduate Module Descriptor


ANTM102: Anthrozoology: Theory and Method

This module descriptor refers to the 2017/8 academic year.

Module Content

Syllabus Plan

The syllabus will be split into three phases. The first is concerned with introducing students to a wide range of ethnographic case studies which document and explore the many and varied ways in which humans think about and engage with other animals. Specific case studies might include blood sports, pet-keeping, food taboos and dietary preferences, and the place of animals in religious belief and practice. The second will consider key theoretical debates concerning not just human interactions with animals, but also the ways in which these interactions have featured in or impacted on the social sciences, and anthropology in particular. So, topics to be covered could include post-humanism and its relationship to post-colonialism, intersubjectivity and the possibility of 'knowing' how another (human or nonhuman) experiences the world, the question of personhood and what characteristics combine to make a 'person' and the place of nonhumans in a cosmopolitan anthropology. The third phase will explore the methodological limitations and possibilities of an anthropological (ethnographic) approach to inter- and multi-species interactions. Students will also be required to undertake formative study-skills assessments from the start of the module to ensure that they are cognisant of the expectations of academic referencing systems, as well as to help them develop their confidence and critical/synoptic skills.

Learning and Teaching

This table provides an overview of how your hours of study for this module are allocated:

Scheduled Learning and Teaching ActivitiesGuided independent studyPlacement / study abroad
402600

...and this table provides a more detailed breakdown of the hours allocated to various study activities:

CategoryHours of study timeDescription
Scheduled Learning & Teaching activities2020 x 1 hour podcast audio lectures with accompanying powerpoint presentations
Scheduled Learning & Teaching activities2010 x 2 hour discussion/seminar participations on the VLE discussion forums
Guided Independent Study80Weekly preparatory reading for lectures and seminars
Guided Independent Study80Preparation for formative assessments
Guided Independent Study100Research and writing of summative assessments

Online Resources

This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).

ELE – http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/ 

Web based and electronic resources:

Anthrozoos (http://www.bergpublishers.com/?TabId=519)

Humanimalia (http://www.depauw.edu/humanimalia/)

Society & Animals (http://www.societyandanimalsforum.org/sa/index.html)

How this Module is Assessed

In the tables below, you will see reference to 'ILO's. An ILO is an Intended Learning Outcome - see Aims and Learning Outcomes for details of the ILOs for this module.

Formative Assessment

A formative assessment is designed to give you feedback on your understanding of the module content but it will not count towards your mark for the module.

Form of assessmentSize of the assessment (eg length / duration)ILOs assessedFeedback method
Non-assessed exercisesWeekly Q&A discussions and study skills exercises on VLE discussion forums (equivalent to 2 hours per week / 750 words)1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12Peer-assessed (via postings on ELE and/or The Den (Anthrozoology group on Exeter's social networking site) and written feedback on the discussion forums.

Summative Assessment

A summative assessment counts towards your mark for the module. The table below tells you what percentage of your mark will come from which type of assessment.

CourseworkWritten examsPractical exams
10000

...and this table provides further details on the summative assessments for this module.

Form of assessment% of creditSize of the assessment (eg length / duration)ILOs assessedFeedback method
Critical Review of either a key scholar's work/contribution to Anthrozoology, or a key Anthrozoological text303,000 words2, 3, 6, 7, 11Written feedback
Essay which explores any aspect of the module705,000 words1, 2, 4, 7, 9, 10, 11Written feedback
0
0
0
0

Re-assessment

Re-assessment takes place when the summative assessment has not been completed by the original deadline, and the student has been allowed to refer or defer it to a later date (this only happens following certain criteria and is always subject to exam board approval). For obvious reasons, re-assessments cannot be the same as the original assessment and so these alternatives are set. In cases where the form of assessment is the same, the content will nevertheless be different.

Original form of assessmentForm of re-assessmentILOs re-assessedTimescale for re-assessment
Critical ReviewCritical Review (3,000 words)2, 3, 6, 7, 11August/September re-assessment period
EssayEssay (5,000 words)1, 2, 4, 7, 9, 10, 11August/September re-assessment period