Animal Studies Minor
Introduction
Animal studies is a multidisciplinary field of scholarship that engages with work in anthropology, ecology, environmental studies, ethnography, feminist studies, legal theory, literary studies, philosophy, political theory, postcolonial studies, psychology, science studies, and urban studies. The range of courses in the proposed minor cover the various dimensions of animal studies, providing students with an understanding of important debates and varying disciplinary approaches in the field.
An animals studies minor will be particularly helpful for students who are pursuing animal related careers as well as those interested in post-graduate degrees in animal studies related fields. Through the combination of course offerings, internship experiences, and mentoring, the minor will support both scholarly and practical work in animal studies. The minor will help students build networks in four animal-related career fields: animal law and policy; veterinary medicine; conservation and direct animal care; and media/art.
Admission to the Minor
Meet with coordinator of the minor.
Minor Requirements
Students must take a minimum of 5 credits plus complete an internship/summer experience
that must be approved by the coordinator of the animal studies minor.
In order to receive a minor in animal studies, students must take:
- PHIL215 (this course is taught every year)
- 4 other approved courses from the list below, and
- Internship/summer experience
The courses may be completed in any order.
Animal Studies Course List
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| AMST203 | Biopolitics, Animality, and Posthumanism: Junior Colloquium | 1 |
| AMST248 | History of African American Art | 1 |
| AMST260 | Bioethics and the Animal/Human Boundary | 1 |
| COL238 | Animal Theories/Human Fictions | 1 |
| COL310 | More-Than-Human-Worlds: Theories and Fictions | 1 |
| ENVS225 | Liminal Animals: Animals in Urban Spaces | 1 |
| ENVS279 | Eating Others: Histories and Cultures of Animal Edibility | 1 |
| ENVS295 | Saving Animals: The Politics of Rescue, Captivity, and Care | 1 |
| PHIL283 | Animal Law and Policy | 1 |
| PHIL357 | Animal Minds | 1 |
| PHIL368 | The Ethics of Captivity | 1 |
| PSYC361 | The Psychology of Prejudice and Discrimination | 1 |
Additional Information
Internship/Summer Experience
Wesleyan animal studies, with outside funding, has been able to support student summer experiences. We will continue partnering with FGSS to offer the Ecofeminist Summer Internship Experience Grant, will work with the CoE to help coordinate Summer Research Fellowships for animal studies minors. The coordinator of the minor will assist students to facilitate internships/summer experiences. While most internships will be expected to be completed over the summer, the director of the minor may approve alternative arrangements for students who may be engaged in volunteer work or other immersive experiences during the school year.