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Animals and Institutions

Animals and Institutions

This course is part of Animals and Society Specialization

Instructor: Leslie Irvine

4,094 already enrolled

Included with

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4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

70 reviews

Beginner level

No prior experience required

5 hours to complete

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

70 reviews

Beginner level

No prior experience required

5 hours to complete

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

Describe the status of animals used in research.
Identify the trends that led to modern industrial livestock production in the United States.
Determine the most appropriate roles of zoos in modern societies.
Identify dilemmas faced by veterinarians and animal shelter workers.

Skills you'll gain

Details to know

Shareable certificate

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Assessments

2 assignments¹

AI Graded see disclaimer

Taught in English

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This course is part of the Animals and Society Specialization

When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.

Learn new concepts from industry experts
Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
Earn a shareable career certificate

There are 4 modules in this course

This course explores animals within the context of the functional relationships that sociologists call “institutions.” We first examine the use of animals in laboratory science. We then examine the controversial transformation of animals into “livestock” and "meat." We also explore the perspectives of people committed to rejecting the construction and use of animals as food. Next, we focus on some of the roles of animals in human entertainment with particular attention to dog fighting and zoos. Finally, we investigate animal health and welfare through the lens of dilemmas in veterinary medicine and decisions in animal shelters.

Module details

In this module, you will gain familiarity with the issues that shape the use of animals in scientific research and underlie the controversy surrounding it.

What's included

4 videos2 readings1 assignment2 discussion prompts

4 videosTotal 26 minutes

Course Introduction Video4 minutes
Animals in Laboratories Part I7 minutes
Animals in Laboratories Part II7 minutes
Animals in Laboratories Part III8 minutes

2 readingsTotal 11 minutes

Course Updates and Accessibility Support1 minute
Optional Course Readings10 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes

Animals in Laboratories Quiz30 minutes

2 discussion promptsTotal 20 minutes

Introduce Yourself10 minutes
The Moral Status of Animals in Research10 minutes

In this module, you will learn about the system through which animals are transformed into “livestock.”

What's included

3 videos1 discussion prompt

In this module, you will investigate how animals are central to how humans spend their leisure time.

What's included

4 videos1 assignment1 discussion prompt

In this module, you will examine the social worlds of veterinary medicine and animal sheltering.

What's included

4 videos1 reading1 peer review2 discussion prompts

4 videosTotal 30 minutes

Animal Sheltering Part I8 minutes
Animal Sheltering Part II9 minutes
Veterinary Medicine Part I8 minutes
Veterinary Medicine Part II6 minutes

1 readingTotal 10 minutes

Optional Readings10 minutes

1 peer reviewTotal 60 minutes

Photo Essay60 minutes

2 discussion promptsTotal 20 minutes

What Would You Do?10 minutes
What Would You Do? (Part 2)10 minutes

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Instructor

Instructor ratings

(26 ratings)

Leslie Irvine

University of Colorado Boulder

3 Courses9,757 learners

Offered by

University of Colorado Boulder

Learner reviews

5 stars
82.85%
4 stars
11.42%
3 stars
1.42%
2 stars
1.42%
1 star
2.85%

Showing 3 of 70

Reviewed on Oct 10, 2020

Really enjoyed the course!! Learned about the way we treat animals and perceive their existence.

Reviewed on Jul 11, 2024

This was a very informative course. I liked the peer reviewed assignment. I am looking forward to doing the next one in the specialisation.

Reviewed on Jan 23, 2024

The course turned out to be much more interesting than I imagined. It's great to have been able to take this course, which is very important for protecting our animals.

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