Class information
ATH214 Environment, Animals & Culture
- CRN: 42047
- Credits: 4
- Locations, days, times, and instructors:
- Online (no scheduled meetings), Available 24/7
From September 22 through December 13, 2025, Melissa A Goodman Elgar
- Online (no scheduled meetings), Available 24/7
Class materials
Textbooks
No textbooks required
Open educational resources (OER)
The following free or inexpensive materials are used for this class:
Details about this class
ATH 214 Course Information
Please note: This class does not have live sessions. It is all online. It is not self paced - there is a new Module each week.
In this class, we explore human relationships with nature focusing on ecosystems and animals. The core of this online class is explorations of themes in discussions through writing. The course encompasses fundamentals of environmental biology, human subsistence patterns, and different ways of considering people in nature. We consider interspecies connections between animals and humans. Using an anthropological perspective, we consider a wide range of topics from animal food and taboos to animal symbolism, to kinship and pets. Students taking this course will develop critical thinking and analytical skills by comparing different kinds of human and animal interactions and their impact on the environment.
The class includes lectures, videos, discussion participation, essays and quizzes. Content in the online course manger D2L refers to course materials like lectures and is found on the navigation bar. In this class, the course content is arranged thematically in 10 modules. Each week, you should complete all assignments listed in Introduction page to the assigned module. Assignments are also listed on the homepage Calendar bar the week they are due.
Technology
This class has an online reader from different OER sources, including the textbook listed above. Readings are listed in the schedule, each module and the weekly announcements.
Assignments must be submitted in a PC compatible format like PDF, .doc, .docx, or .rtf. Students have free access to Microsoft Office 365.
No show policy
Your instructor can mark you as a "no show" if you do not participate in your class during the first week. This will remove you from the class. It is important to log in as soon as the class starts to see what the participation requirements are.
Online technical requirements
Please be sure to read the quick guide to Online Learning technical requirements.
Students with disabilities
Students with disabilities should notify their instructor if accommodations are needed to take this class. For information about technologies that help people with disabilities taking Online based classes please visit the Disability Services website.
Prerequisite for online classes
Before you take your first online class at PCC, you must complete the start guide. The start guide will help you decide if these classes are right for you. Once you complete the start guide, you will be able to register for these classes.