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DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2024/2025

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies : Animal Welfare and Animal Behaviour

Postgraduate Course: Animal Cognition and Consciousness (AWAB11046)

Course Outline
SchoolRoyal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies CollegeCollege of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) AvailabilityNot available to visiting students
SCQF Credits20 ECTS Credits10
SummaryIn the first part of the course students will be presented with the scientific basis of motivation, emotion, learning and cognition which are all integral to the study of animal behaviour and animal welfare. Emphasis will be put on the integration of these areas with a specific focus on welfare while an understanding of learning theory will be put in to practice through training practical sessions. This course will also focus on debates surrounding the concepts of animal sentience and animal consciousness; it will discuss historical and current interpretations, different existing experimental approaches, and philosophical conundrums concerned with the study of animal minds. It will consider the implications of the study of animal consciousness for models of animal welfare and provide an in-depth look at Qualitative Behaviour Assessment (QBA), a methodology for the study of emotional expression in animals.
Course description In the first part of the course students will be presented with the scientific basis of motivation, emotion, learning and cognition which are all integral to the study of animal behaviour and animal welfare. Emphasis will be put on the integration of these areas with a specific focus on welfare while an understanding of learning theory will be put in to practice through training practical sessions. This course will also focus on debates surrounding the concepts of animal sentience and animal consciousness; it will discuss historical and current interpretations, different existing experimental approaches, and philosophical conundrums concerned with the study of animal minds. It will consider the implications of the study of animal consciousness for models of animal welfare and provide an in-depth look at Qualitative Behaviour Assessment (QBA), a methodology for the study of emotional expression in animals.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2024/25, Not available to visiting students (SS1) Quota:  None
Course Start Semester 1
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 200 ( Lecture Hours 45, Summative Assessment Hours 6, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 145 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 67 %, Practical Exam 33 %
Additional Information (Assessment) For this course students are asked to submit three assignments and one formative assignment. Summative assignments may include a case study (30%), a training plan - 2 parts (one formative and one summative) (35%) and an oral presentation (35%).
Feedback Opportunities for feedback arise during timetabled courses, for example during live session tutorials, discussion boards, emails, telephone communication and in person/on campus. Feedback can be provided on coursework assignments but also activities which are not formally assessed, for example class discussion on the discussion board, group exercise, problem-solving and developing project plans and proposals. A formative task is provided in each course which provides formative feedback prior to the student submitting their first piece of assessed course work.

All assignments, including the formative assessment, will be marked and feedback is provided within a period of fifteen working days (where possible) following the submission date (excluding holidays periods whereby the University of closed, e.g. over the Christmas period)
No Exam Information
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. Demonstrate a critical understanding of the principal theories, principles and concepts of animal cognition, sentience and consciousness.
  2. Design a practical application that demonstrates a critical understanding of learning theory principles and concepts.
  3. Communicate using appropriate methods to targeted audiences about animal cognition and consciousness.
Reading List
None
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Not entered
Keywordsanimal behaviour,animal welfare
Contacts
Course organiserDr Vincent Bombail
Tel:
Email: v1vbomb4@exseed.ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMs Linda Pollock
Tel: (0131) 650 6149
Email: Linda.Pollock@ed.ac.uk
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