Animal Welfare and Ethics (ANSC30005)

Undergraduate level 3Points: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)

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Overview

Availability
Semester 2
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This subject develops knowledge and understanding of systems for regulating body function, and physiological and behavioural processes that are utilised by animals in response to environmental challenges. This basis will allow students to evaluate and assess animal welfare and ethical issues that confront livestock production and amenity use of animals in society. The subject will also develop knowledge in adaptation, preference testing, cognition, and short and long-term biological responses.

Specific topics covered include;

  • The current debate about animal usage and animal welfare
  • Systems regulating the body (homeostasis, motivation and control systems, and development of regulatory systems)
  • Limits to adaptation (stimulation, tolerance and coping, variation in adaptation)
  • Stress and welfare (Selye’s concept of stress and refinements to the concept, coping and fitness, definition of welfare and its assessment)
  • Assessing welfare using short-term and long-term biological responses
  • Assessing welfare using preference testing
  • Assessing welfare by studying cognitive skills
  • Ethical problems concerning welfare
  • Welfare issues in agriculture and the general community; and codes of practice for the welfare of livestock and welfare solutions

Intended learning outcomes

On completion of this subject, students should have:

  • a sound and broad understanding of the systems regulating body function and the behavioural and physiological responses utilised by animals in responding to environmental change
  • a basic understanding of animal ethics
  • an understanding of the scientific approaches available to assess animal welfare
  • an understanding of the concepts of animal welfare
  • an awareness of the ethical problems concerning animal welfare
  • an understanding of the main welfare issues confronting captive animals

Generic skills

On completion of the subject the students should have developed the following generic skills:

  • Academic excellence
  • Greater in-depth understanding of scientific disciplines of animal behaviour and its application to the humane care and efficient management of farm and companion animals

The student’s flexibility and level of transferable skills should be enhanced through:

  • Improved time management
  • Enhanced ability to communicate their ideas effectively in both written and verbal formats

Last updated: 20 March 2025

Eligibility and requirements

Prerequisites

One of

Code Name Teaching period Credit Points
ANSC20001 Animal Physiology and Growth
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
 12.5
PHYS20008 Human Physiology
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
 12.5
ZOOL20006 Comparative Animal Physiology
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
 12.5

Corequisites

None

Non-allowed subjects

None

Recommended background knowledge

 

Code Name Teaching period Credit Points
ECOL20003 Ecology
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
 12.5
 
Code Name Teaching period Credit Points
ANSC20001 Animal Physiology and Growth
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
 12.5
 
Code Name Teaching period Credit Points
ANSC20003 Topics in Animal Health
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
 12.5
 
Code Name Teaching period Credit Points
ANSC20005 Companion Animal Biology
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
 12.5
 
Code Name Teaching period Credit Points
ANSC20002 Comparative Nutrition and Digestion
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
 12.5
 

 

 

Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)

The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.

Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home

Last updated: 20 March 2025

Assessment

DescriptionTimingPercentage

Written assignment due approximately in Week 7

  • 1500 words
Week 735%

Oral presentation due approximately in Week 12

  • 5 minutes
Week 1215%

Examination which may include essay and short-answer sections

  • 2 hours
End of semester50%

Last updated: 20 March 2025

Dates & times

  • Semester 2
    CoordinatorsMegan Lucas and Lauren Hemsworth
    Mode of deliveryOn Campus (Parkville)
    Contact hours48 hours - 24 hours of lectures, up to 12 hours tutorials and 12 hours practicals
    Total time commitment170 hours
    Teaching period28 July 2025 to 26 October 2025
    Last self-enrol date 8 August 2025
    Census date 1 September 2025
    Last date to withdraw without fail26 September 2025
    Assessment period ends21 November 2025

    Semester 2 contact information

    lauren.hemsworth@unimelb.edu.

    megan.lucas@unimelb.edu.au

     

Time commitment details

170 hours.

What do these dates mean

Visit this webpage to find out about these key dates, including how they impact on:

  • Your tuition fees, academic transcript and statements.
  • And for Commonwealth Supported students, your:
       -  Student Learning Entitlement. This applies to all students enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP).
     

    Subjects withdrawn after the census date (including up to the ‘last day to withdraw without fail’) count toward the Student Learning Entitlement.

Last updated: 20 March 2025

Further information

Last updated: 20 March 2025