Ecology and Conservation BSc (Hons)
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Bachelor's degree
In St Andrews
Description
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Type
Bachelor's degree
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Location
St andrews (Scotland)
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Duration
4 Years
The BSc (Hons) in Ecology and Conservation includes a broad foundation in Biology and specifically covers the ecology of terrestrial and aquatic environments, the process of evolution and speciation, adaptive physiology of plants and animals, population biology, molecular ecology, biodiversity, sustainability and conservation issues, and behavioural ecology.
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Start date
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About this course
The BSc in Ecology and Conservation is a four-year course run by the School of Biology. The programme begins with a broad foundation in Biology and then progresses to ecology and evolution with options across a range of relevant topics. It incorporates substantial practical and field training, and development of quantitative skills.
Alongside Biology, in the first year of your studies you will be required to study an additional two subjects. In the second year, you will usually carry on at least one of these subjects, sometimes two.
Biology graduates are in high demand and are keenly sought after by institutions including the government, universities, research centres and major companies.
Biology graduates have gone on to find success in a wide variety of careers including:
professional biologists in biological research, conservation, higher education, and the pharmaceutical and biomedical industries
researchers and advisers in government
journalists
advisers, researchers and managers in the National Health Service
teachers
forensic scientists
management consultants
marketing and advertising experts.
SQA Highers
AAAB, including Biology (or Human Biology) and one other science from the following:
Chemistry
Mathematics
Physics.
GCE A-Levels
AAB, including Biology (or Human Biology) and one other science from the following:
Chemistry
Mathematics
Physics.
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Subjects
- Biology
- Ecology
- Biodiversity
- Conservation
- Vertebrate Zoology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Cellular Biology
- Cellular
- Ecological
- Molecular
Course programme
Typically, you will take core modules during your first two years and advanced modules during your third and fourth year (known as Honours).
1st Year
Students take the following compulsory first-year modules:
- Biology 1: provides an introduction to molecular and cellular biology. It covers cell diversity and the origins of life, cellular structures and fundamental processes.
- Biology 2: provides an introduction to the diversity of life on Earth and addresses key elements of organismal and ecological aspects of life.
In second year, modules are chosen which will best prepare you for your intended degree (or group of possible degrees), and new topics are introduced in some second-year modules such as evolutionary biology and ecology. Students intending to study Ecology and Conservation at Honours level must take the following compulsory modules:
- Research Methods in Biology: develops essential academic and transferable skills, with major emphasis on problem solving. This is achieved through a combination of interactive lectures, independent data-handling workshops and group work on a mini research project.
- Evolutionary Biology: gives an overview of the history and major principles of modern evolutionary biology.
- Ecology: introduces basic concepts in population and community ecology and how they relate to biodiversity.
- Vertebrate Zoology: explores the diversity of vertebrate animals, beginning with the closest relatives of vertebrates and the evolutionary origins of the group.
In third year, you will continue to specialise in Ecology and Conservation via a wide range of modules covering core topics. Modules that have been offered in previous years include:
- Evolution
- Aquatic Ecology
- Ecosystems and Conservation
- Biology of Marine Organisms
- Animal Behaviour: A Quantitative Approach
- Terrestrial Zoology.
In fourth year, you will study your chosen subject area at a deeper scientific level and will also have the opportunity to select from a wide range of small, group-specialised modules. These modules are taught by academics at the forefront of their discipline.
In this year, students also undertake a substantial final year research project. This research project is designed to develop skills in experimental design and problem-solving, the evaluation and interpretation of data, and communication skills. The project is selected and supervised by a member of academic staff and occupies half of the year.
The sub-honours modules listed here are the compulsory modules that students must take in order to graduate in this subject. However, most students at St Andrews take additional modules, either in their primary subject or from other subjects they are interested in. For Honours-level, students choose from a range of Honours modules, some of which are listed above.
Additional information
Ecology and Conservation BSc (Hons)