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University Course Wins Prestigious International Award

14.01.2011

A module from a Master’s degrees at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David has won a prestigious international award.

The module Human-Animal Interactions in Anthropological Perspective, a core element of the MA Anthrozoology, has just been announced the winner of the 2010 Humane Society of the United States Animals and Society Distinguished Course Award.

This award recognizes excellence in courses concerning the human-animal bond, human obligations toward animals, the status of animals, and related topics and is issued by the Humane Society of the United States, the largest animal protection organisation in the US, in association with the Animals and Society Institute.

The module is authored by Dr Samantha Hurn, co-ordinator of the MA Anthrozoology within the School of Archaeology, History and Anthropology at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David.  On hearing of the award, Samantha said “Winning this award is such an honour as the competition is open to entries from around the world, and entries are judged against some tough criteria by a panel of specialists in the field. To have the course recognised in this manner shows that anthropological approaches to human-animal interactions can make important contributions to understanding how humans think about and treat other animals.”

The MA Anthrozoology considers the many and varied relationships which humans have with other animals around the world from an anthropological perspective, covering topics such as pet-keeping, animal domestication, environmental conservation, eating animals, cruelty to animals and animal welfare, and is the only Masters programme of its kind. Now in its second year, the degree has attracted students from diverse disciplinary and professional backgrounds, including vets, veterinary nurses, primatologists, conservationists, environmental scientists, animal trainers and behaviourists, animal welfare officers and academics who wish to further their knowledge of the human-animal bond to help them in their professional development. Many other students have also joined the programme because of personal interest in the subject matter. The course content draws on research specialisations in human-animal interactions within the School of Archaeology, History and Anthropology at the University.

Samantha's book, Humans and Other Animals: Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Human-Animal Interactions, which addresses many of the themes covered in the Master’s degree, will be published later this year by Pluto Press (for more information, or to place an advanced order, please contact the publisher: pluto@plutobooks.com)

The MA Anthrozoology programme is available either through residential study in Lampeter or through distance learning.  The programme is relevant as continuing professional development for individuals involved with the care of non-human animals in a professional capacity (e.g. vets, veterinary nurses/technicians, animal trainers, dog wardens, zoo keepers, conservationists, charity workers etc.), as well as for students who have completed social science undergraduate degrees or who have a science background and would like to expand their research interests into the social sciences.

To find out more about the MA Anthrozoology, or about anthrozoological research at the University, please contact s.hurn@tsd.ac.uk or 01570 424734.

Note to Editor

1. The University of Wales Trinity Saint David is working with Swansea Metropolitan University, Coleg Sir G­âr, Pembrokeshire College and Coleg Ceredigion to create a dual sector university. This means that the institutions will work as a group to provide progression routes and choices for students as well as programmes of study that respond to the needs of employers in the region.
2. The Humane Society of the United States is the largest animal protection organisation in the USA.
3. Follow the University on Twitter at twitter.com/trinitystdavid. Newsfeeds are available at www.trinitysaintdavid.ac.uk/en/rssfeed

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