Animal Ecology
Bachelor's degree
In Aberdeen
Description
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Type
Bachelor's degree
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Location
Aberdeen (Scotland)
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Duration
4 Years
Facilities
Location
Start date
Start date
Reviews
Course programme
Programme Structure & Content
First Year
Core courses, Chemistry, Organismal Biology, Ecology and Environmental Science and The Cell give a grounding to students from all degrees. Two other courses are chosen from a variety on offer.
Second Year
Vertebrate and Invertebrate Zoology provide an overview of animal structure and function, including locomotion, thermoregulation, reproduction and immunity. Further choices such as Community Ecology, Conservation Biology, Ocean Biology, Genes & Evolution, Microbiology and Animal Cell Biology, or choices from other subject areas ranging from Biomedical Science to Plant Science or Geography complete the eight units, along with a residential field course.
Third Year (Junior Honours)
A core programme of zoological subjects is offered comprising, in the first half session, Experimental Design, Analysis & Presentation, Evolution, Environmental Physiology and Animal Population Ecology. In the Second half session there is a choice of Animal Behaviour, Marine Biology, Diseases & their Vectors, and Aquatic Biology Conservation & Exploitation. Other subject choices are available in this second session. Students wishing to study for a degree in Immunology, from a zoological base, would choose Molecular Biology of the Cell; Core Molecular Technologies for Biologists or Environmental Physiology and Immunology.
Fourth Year (Honours)
An independent research project (either field or laboratory based with staff supervision), and a major review essay together with three six-week taught courses provides the basis for the final Honours year. The taught courses develop insights into specialised topics and, where appropriate, include visits to research establishments and commercial organisations. To these are added other skills-oriented activities, including statistical analysis, computing, literature summaries, oral communication, study of biodiversity, and career development. Furthermore, every Honours student attends a residential team-building course designed to give experience of team working, and a 2 day careers workshop.
Teaching & Assessment
Courses use a wide variety of teaching methods: lectures, laboratory practicals, fieldwork, seminars and tutorials. Most courses are assessed by both continuous assessment and a written examination, taken at the end of the semester. Continuous assessment takes many forms including essays, a series of practical reports, or a group project which may be presented to fellow students in the form of a scientific poster. The variety of assessment methods helps to develop a range of communication and transferable skills suitable for different occasions.
In third year, a typical 6-week course is likely to involve four to five hours of lectures and a 3-hour practical or field excursion per week; seminars or tutorials are held where appropriate to the course content. Team working by students engaged on projects and field work is encouraged.
Additional information
Career opportunities: Courses are designed to provide a broad based set of specialist and generic skills for future employment. A considerable number of graduates continue their education by reading for higher degrees either in the UK or abroad. Graduates may also enter teaching biology or general science by taking a post-graduate diploma. Graduates find full-time employment in a wide range of careers. Employers include Universities, research institutes, government agencies (eg. SEPA, SNH), environmental consultancies, environmental charities (WWF & RSPB, National Health Service) and others.
Animal Ecology