Animal studies Field of study: Interdisciplinary Environmental Studies in the Humanities
Programme code: W1-S1SH24.2024

Module name: Animal studies
Module code: W1-SH-S1-SZ.1
Programme code: W1-S1SH24.2024
Semester: summer semester 2024/2025
Language of instruction: Polish
Form of verification: course work
ECTS credits: 2
Purpose and description of the content of education:
The aim of the module is to familiarise students with the issues concerning human-animal relations from philosophical-cultural and literary-artistic perspectives. The main focus of attention will be different philosophical approaches towards the human-animal boundary, the cultural determinants of various towards animals, critical reflection on the notions of anthropocentrism and anthropomorphism, the problem of animal representation and animal otherness, their subjectivity and possibilities of communication.
List of modules that must be completed before starting this module (if necessary): not applicable
Learning outcome of the module Codes of the learning outcomes of the programme to which the learning outcome of the module is related [level of competence: scale 1-5]
has advanced knowledge of the main trends and terminology used in humanistic research referring to animal studies: ecocriticism, zoocriticism, biopoetics, zoosemiotics, and related to biological sciences [01]
 W02 [3/5]
has advanced knowledge of the philosophical concepts related to the different ways of conceptualising the boundary between human and animal, and their theoretical justifications; is able to distinguish between ethical, utilitarian and consumerist attitudes in defining and justifying the nature of the human-animal relationship [02]
 W04 [4/5]
understands and recognises the problems associated with the representation of (otherness of) animals in literature, culture and art, and the differences between narratives about animals and animals’ narratives [03]
 W05 [3/5] W07 [4/5]
can justify the subjective status of animals from a cultural-philosophical perspective (conditions for judging someone's rationality, suffering, consciousness) [04]
 U02 [3/5]
can appreciate the value of an encounter with animals as an interspecies encounter with a particular animal [05]
 U05 [4/5]
cares for ethical behaviour towards animals [06]
 K05 [4/5]
Form of teaching Number of hours Methods of conducting classes Assessment of the learning outcomes Learning outcomes
practical classes [C] 30 Activating method – discussion / debate [b04] 
Activating methods: a case study [b07] 
Screen presentation [c07]  		course work 01 02 03 04 05 06
The student's work, apart from participation in classes, includes in particular:
Name Category Description
Search for materials and review activities necessary for class participation [a01] Preparation for classes
reviewing literature, documentation, tools and materials as well as the specifics of the syllabus and the range of activities indicated in it as required for full participation in classes
Consulting materials complementary to those indicated in the syllabus [a04] Preparation for classes
agreeing on materials complementary to those indicated in the syllabus, supporting the implementation of tasks resulting from or necessary for class participation
Implementation of an individual or group assignment necessary for course/phase/examination completion [c03] Preparation for verification of learning outcomes
a set of activities aimed at performing an assigned task, to be executed out of class, as an obligatory phase/element of the verification of the learning outcomes assigned to the course
Attachments
Module description (PDF)
Information concerning module syllabuses might be changed during studies.
Syllabuses (USOSweb)
Semester Module Language of instruction
(no information given)