Undergraduate Catalogue of Courses 2013/2014
BIOLOGY
(Includes level 1 and 2 courses offered by Agriculture, Biomedical Sciences, Molecular and Cell Biology, Plant and Soil Science and Zoology)
PLEASE NOTE: Resit: (for Honours students only): Candidates achieving a CAS mark of 6-8 may be awarded compensatory level 1 credit. Candidates achieving a CAS mark of less than 6 will be required to submit themselves for re-assessment and should contact the Course Co-ordinator for further details.
Course Co-ordinator: Dr J McDonald
Pre-requisite(s): Acceptance for Honours in a Degree Programme administered by the School of Biological Sciences or permission of the Head of School.
Co-requisite(s): None
The course will consist of individually tailored, directed study on topics of relevance to the appropriate degree programme and leading to the presentation of a seminar and preparation of a dissertation.
Students will have a tutor who will act in an advisor role. There are no face to face lectures.
1st Attempt: Dissertation 5,000 words (80%) and seminar (20%).
Resit: Resubmission of dissertation 5,000 words (100%).
Formative Assessment and Feedback Information
Formative assessment will be provided during interactions between the student and the tutor and during student seminars.
Each student will receive individual feedback and a mark for each task. Feedback will be provided as written comments.
Course Co-ordinator: Dr J Baird & Dr S Martin
Pre-requisite(s): Must be enrolled for MSci Biological Sciences
Co-requisite(s): None
Note(s): As part of their requirement to fulfil honours year, MSci Biological Science students will write the grant proposal in place of constructing a web site and producing an Honours review essay.
Students will have a lecture outlining the requirements of a successful grant application and afterwards will meet with their supervisor for one to one coaching and advice.
Apart from the first session this course is done as an independent study, where the student is supported by a member of academic staff.
1st Attempt: Continuous assessment (100%), a short grant proposal (maximum 6,300 words) assessed on the quality of the proposal not on success in acquiring funding.
Resit: Resubmission of short grant proposal (maximum 6,300 words) (100%).
Formative Assessment and Feedback Information
Formative assessment will be provided during meetings between student and supervisor.
Each student will receive individual feedback and a mark; feedback will be provided as written comments.
Course Co-ordinator: Professor G Paton & Dr L Maderova
Pre-requisite(s): Pre-requisite(s): BI 1005 and either BI 25P2 or BI 2001.
Co-requisite(s): None
- Development of legislation for contaminated land.
- Classification and impacts of contaminants of concern in terrestrial systems.
- Application of risk assessment models in environmental diagnostics.
- Sources and effects of water pollution.
- Monitoring and assessment approaches.
- Regulation and control of water (freshwater/marine) pollution.
- Harm caused by atmospheric pollution.
- Measurement and interpretation of data associated with atmospheric pollution.
- Evidence of climate change.
- Pollution mitigation and sustainable development.
4 two hour lectures and 1 three hour tutorial or practical per week.
Six week course (thread 2, weeks 18-23).
1st Attempt: 1 two-hour examination (67%) and in-course assessment (33%). In-course assessment is based on two assignments related to the practical sessions.
Resit: 1 two-hour written examination (100%).
Formative Assessment and Feedback Information
Formative assessment will be provided during this interaction and during student-led discussions and tutor-led tutorials.
Each student will receive individual feedback and a mark for each task. Feedback will be provided as written comments. Groups will also be given generic feedback.
Course Co-ordinator: Professor D Robinson
Pre-requisite(s): Available to students in programme year 4 in an Honours programme administered by the School of Biological Sciences.
Co-requisite(s): None
Advanced concepts in the biological and environmental sciences that are of contemporary importance will be introduced. These will form the basis for structured discussions and debates and the preparation of essays or reports.
6 two-hour tutorials; structured class contact time about 12 hours but additional time is timetabled for group tutorials, approximate total contact time 48hours.
Six week course (weeks 30-35, thread 2).
1st Attempt: 100% continous assessment, made up of two marked presentations on set issues; a third presentation based on a research proposal devised by each group; and a 1000-word research concept note.
Resit: Resubmission of any failed individual elements of the continuous assessment.
Formative Assessment and Feedback Information
A strong emphasis will be made throughout the course on informal verbal feedback during tutorials.
Each student will receive individual feedback and a mark for each assignment. Feedback will be provided as written comments. The class will also receive generic feedback after each tutorial. Students who are identified as having difficulty in successfully completing the coursework assessment tasks or participating in the tutorials will be invited to meet members of the course team to identify difficulties and discuss solutions.
Course Co-ordinator: Professor S Redpath & Professor P Thompson
Pre-requisite(s): Acceptance to an Honours Programme administered by the School of Biological Sciences.
Co-requisite(s): None
This course explores a range of current conservation issues in marine, terrestrial and freshwater systems. Our focus is on the development of conservation practice in Scotland, but the course highlights the role that international legislation and agreements have in shaping national conservation priorities. Case studies, site visits and group presentations are key components of the course.
2-3 two-hour lectures per week. 2 full-day field trips. total class contact time about 52 hours.
Six week course (weeks 30-35, thread 2).
1st Attempt: 1 two-hour written examination (50%) and course assessment (50%) consisting of a poster brief (600 words), a research proposal (1500 words) and a group poster.
Resit: One two-hour written examination.
Formative Assessment and Feedback Information
A strong emphasis will be made throughout the course on informal verbal feedback during seminar and workshop sessions.
Each student will receive individual feedback and a mark for each task. Feedback will be provided as written comments. Groups will also be given generic feedback.
Course Co-ordinator: Dr J McDonald
Pre-requisite(s): Acceptance for Honours in a Degree Programme administered by the School of Biological Sciences or permission of the Head of School.
Co-requisite(s): None
The course will consist of individually tailored, directed study on topics of relevance to the appropriate degree programme and leading to the presentation of a seminar and preparation of a dissertation.
Students will have a tutor who will act in an advisory role. There are no face to face lectures.
1st Attempt: Dissertation 5,000 words (80%) and seminar (20%).
Resit: Resubmission of dissertation 5,000 words (100%)
Formative Assessment and Feedback Information
Formative assessment will be provided during interactions between the student and the tutor and during the student seminars.
Each student will receive individual feedback and a mark for each task. Feedback will be provided as written comments.
Course Co-ordinator: Dr S Redpath
Pre-requisite(s): Acceptance on to an Honours Programme administered by the School of Biological Sciences and BI 4505 OR ZO 4527.
Co-requisite(s): None
Note(s): This is a six week course.
Students will be introduced to topics which are currently important within Conservation Biology (such as the advisability of re-introducing beavers to Britain; or the most effective ways of selecting tropical forest fragments as reserves). Each topic will be introduced and students will then have to research it, produce a written account of it, and then contribute to a tutorial or seminar. There will be an element of student choice in the topics covered.
6 two-hour classes (discussions, tutorials), total class contact hours about 12 hours.
Six week course (weeks 36-44, thread 1).
1st Attempt: Continuous assessment (100%). Four short essays (about 1000 words each).
Resit: Resubmission of individual failed elements of the continuous assessment.
Formative Assessment and Feedback Information
A strong emphasis will be made throughout the course on informal verbal feedback during seminar sessions.
Each student will receive individual feedback and a mark for each task. Feedback will be provided as written comments on the essays.
Course Co-ordinator: Dr J Smith
Pre-requisite(s): Acceptance on to an Honours programme in a degree administered by the School of Biological Sciences.
Co-requisite(s): None
Note(s): This is a six week course.
The course starts with a discussion of background issues required for modelling. Skills in modelling at the regional, field and sub-field scale are developed through a combination of sequential lectures, computer classes and tutorials on carbon and nitrogen in the environment and in plant communities. A strong focus on the purpose of modelling is introduced through examples and discussion of how models are used to direct public policy and advice (global climate change, nitrate pollution and crop management).
7 one-hour lectures, 3 three-hour computer classes and 3 one-hour tutorials. Total class contact time approx 20 hours.
Six week course (weeks 36-44, thread 2).
1st Attempt: In-course assessment (100%). In-course assessment is based on two computer practicals (30% each) and a 1000 word essay (20%) and oral presentation (20%).
Resit: Resubmission of failed individual elements of continuous assessment.
Formative Assessment and Feedback Information
A strong emphasis will be made throughout the course on informal verbal feedback during discussion and practical sessions.
Students will receive written feedback on their practical reports and a mark. Students will receive verbal feedback on their essay and oral presentation during the presentation sessions and then will receive written feedback on the essay along with a mark.
Students who are identified as having difficulty in successfully completing the coursework assessment tasks will be invited to meet members of the course team to identify difficulties and discuss solutions.
Course Co-ordinator: Dr J Baird & Dr S Martin
Pre-requisite(s): Level 4 students must normally attain an overall CAS of 16 as judged from the collated Level 4 spreadsheet to proceed to MSci Level 5.
Co-requisite(s): None
The content will be a series of workshops and tutorials; the first six weeks of the first semester will be core subjects, the second six weeks will be discipline specific. Each workshop and tutorial will be followed up by oral presentations. The second semester will consist solely of an extended research project.
In weeks 12-23: 1 three-hour workshop and 1 three-hour tutorial per week. Then 1 three-hour presentation and discussion session per week.
In weeks 3-44, no formal teaching, student works independently on research project with supervisor and work placement supervisor.
1st Attempt: Continuous assessment (35%) - based on two 5,000 word literature reviews (2 x 10%), one 3,000 word essay (10%) and a 15 minute oral presentation of the essay (5%).
Dissertation (65%) - written document (40%), seminar (15%) and employer's report (10%).
Resit: Resubmission of failed individual elements.
Formative Assessment and Feedback Information
Formative assessment will be provided during interactions in workshops and seminars, during meetings with supervisors and employers, and during student-led presentations.
Each student will receive individual feedback and a mark for each task. Feedback will be provided as written comments.
Students who are identified as having difficulty in successfully completing the coursework assessment tasks will be invited to meet members of the course team to identify difficulties and discuss solutions.