Undergraduate Catalogue of Courses 2013/2014
ZOOLOGY
For Level 1 and 2 courses, please refer to entries under Biology
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 A Bowman
Pre-requisite(s): ZO 3810 or BI 2008; available only to students in programme year 4 taking a degree programme administered by the School of Biological Sciences.
Co-requisite(s): None
Introductory lectures of 1-2 hours will each describe a current research topic in vector biology. Example topics are disease transmission, physiology, ecology and resistance of vectors including molecular approaches. Lectures will draw attention to 3-5 recent research articles, which are given to the students for reading and are discussed the following week in tutorial format.
2 two-hour lectures; 1 hour tutorial per week; total contact hours about 30 hours.
six week course (thread 2, weeks 30-35)
1st Attempt: 1 three-hour written examination (100%).
Resit: 1 three-hour written examination (100%).
Formative Assessment and Feedback Information
A strong emphasis will be made throughout the course on informal verbal feedback during tutorial sessions.
Formative assessment will be provided during tutorials, student-led discussions and tutor-led discussions. Students will receive a mark for their exam.
Course Co-ordinator: Dr A Jamieson
Pre-requisite(s): BI 25Z2 or BI 2008; ZO 3304
Co-requisite(s): None
Note(s): This course is an ideal companion to ZO 4808.
This course will describe the history of the discovery of the true depth of the oceans from early circumnavigations of the globe to detailed description of the hadal regions during the 1960s. The unique submersibles, manned and unmanned, that have descended to these depths will be described and the stories of their expeditions presented and set into context.
Oceanography of abyssal and hadal regions will be reviewed together with what is known of its physical characteristics. Finally the course will conclude with a section on conservation and the vulnerability of the hadal zone to pollution, as the ultimate sink for wastes produced by man. Where appropriate case studies will illustrate key concepts by example. Relevant theory, applications and sampling/data analysis approaches will be obtained from lectures, discussions and primary journal article readings.
3 two-hour lectures per week, 1 all day practical at Oceanlab, Newburgh; total contact time about 44 hours.
1st Attempt: 1 x 3 hour exam (70%), one practical (20%) and one oral presentation (10%).
Resit: One 3-hour exam (100 %).
Formative Assessment and Feedback Information
A strong emphasis will be made throughout the course on informal verbal feedback during discussions and the practical session.
Each student will receive individual feedback and a mark for each task. Feedback will be provided as written comments.
Course Co-ordinator: Dr C Dennis
Pre-requisite(s): ZO 3510
Co-requisite(s): None
Note(s): Only available to students in level 4 Zoology, Biology and other Biological Sciences degrees. Pre-requisite should be strictly adhered to.
Topics covered include investigating optimality and game theory, ecological and evolutionary aspects of mate choice, mating systems and sexual conflict and the role of behaviour in management and conservation (including captive breeding and reintroduction). This course will introduce techniques commonly employed in behavioural ecology research. Emphasis will be placed on quantitative and statistical approaches to theoretical and practical behavioural research. Lectures will be supplemented by case studies in key topics, student-centred learning, discussion groups and debates based on current journal articles. An important practical component of the course will be centred upon the exploration of theoretical concepts using a computer-based modelling approach.
2 two hour lectures plus 1 three hour practical/seminar/private study session per week; total contact hours about 42 hours.
Six week course (weeks 30-35, thread 1).
1st Attempt: One 3 hour written examination (70%) and continuous assessment (30%). Continuous assessment is made up of a seminar presentation.
Resit: One 3 hour written examination (100%).
Formative Assessment and Feedback Information
A strong emphasis will be made throughout the course on informal verbal feedback during practical and presentation 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. 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 T Marshall
Pre-requisite(s): ZO 3304
Co-requisite(s): None
This course has three key objectives:
- to draw upon recent research that aims to improve our understanding of the ecology of commercial fisheries, deep sea fish species and marine mammals.
- to explore how quantitative data are incorporated into the management frameworks that have been developed to manage direct and indirect effects of commercial fisheries and other human activities.
- to encourage students to work in small groups to investigate a current topic relating to marine resource management, and to report back to your findings in the final weeks of the course.
3 two-hour lecture sessions/week plus 1 two-hour practical/week; total class contact time about 48 hours.
Six week course, weeks 30-35, thread 2.
1st Attempt: 100% continuous assessment. Continuous assessment made up of problem-based learning exercise (70%), two page briefing note (20%), participation in lectures, practicals and tutorials (10%).
Resit: Problem-based learning assessment (100%).
Formative Assessment and Feedback Information
A strong emphasis will be made throughout the course on informal verbal feedback during tutorials, discussions and lecture 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.
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 M Sternberg
Pre-requisite(s): ZO 3810
Co-requisite(s): None
Note(s): The course is available only to Honours candidates.
The course will explore recent developments in parasite biology and parasite-host interactions. In particular we will focus on the control of parasitic disease, the role of the immune system in defence and disease, and the host-parasite interactions which define the epidemiology of parasitic disease. We will illustrate the course with examples from both invertebrate and vertebrate hosts, although the emphasis of the course will be toward human parasitic diseases.
3 two hour classes per week, lectures are mainly seminar style.
six week course
1st Attempt: One three hour written exam (100%).
Resit: One three hour written exam (100%).
Formative Assessment and Feedback Information
A strong emphasis will be made throughout the course on informal verbal feedback during seminar sessions.
Students receive the mark from their exam; feedback on progress in understanding is provided informally during seminars.
Course Co-ordinator: Dr M Delibegovic
Pre-requisite(s): Acceptance on to an Honours programme administered by the School of Biological Sciences.
Co-requisite(s): None
Note(s): This is a six week course.
This course will introduce ethical thinking into the pursuit of science, particularly relating to biological issues. The nature of science, its role in culture and society, ethics and ethical debate will be considered. The view will be taken that scientists cannot distance themselves from the wider implications of their work. Lectures, discussions, case studies, will be used to debate current ethical topics, such as the ethics of animal research, xenotransplantion, genetic screening, etc.
2 two-hour lectures per week; 1 three-hour seminar/tutorial/practical per week. total contact hours approx 42 hours.
Six week course (weeks 36-44, thread 1).
1st Attempt: One 3-hour written examination (100%).
Resit: One 3-hour written examination (100%).
Formative Assessment and Feedback Information
A strong emphasis will be made throughout the course on informal verbal feedback during discussion sessions.
Discussion sessions will provide opportunity for student-student and student-tutor interaction. Formative assessment will be provided during this interaction and during tutor-led tutorials. Students receive a mark on their exam at the end of the course.
Course Co-ordinator: Professor D Hazlerigg
Pre-requisite(s): ZO 3509
Co-requisite(s): None
Note(s): Only available to students in level 4 Zoology, Biology and other Biological Sciences, Pre-requisite should be strictly adhered to.
The ability to control the timing of physiology and behaviour is a fundamental attribute of life, ranging from the cyanobacteria to man. Organisms have evolved complex mechanisms to take advantage of temporal cues present in the environment to synchronise endogenous "biological clocks". The course will explore the fundamental nature of these clocks, and their impact on the lives of animals and humans. Topics considered will include the evolutionary ecology of circadian rhythms, tidal rhythms, the role of biological timing in migration and seasonal rhythms, and the importance of circadian rhythms in humans - including the problems posed by the "24-hour society". Following initial revision & introductory lectures, the course wil take a strong "case studies" approach, with student led discussions of current literature. Data acquisition and handling aspects of research into biological rhythms will be covered through practicals - with an opportunity for students to monitor and analyse their own activity rhythms during the course.
2 two-hour seminar sessions plus 1 two-hour discussion / practical session per week. total class contact time about 36 hours.
Six week course, weeks 36-44, thread 2.
1st Attempt: 1 three-hour written examination (100%).
Resit: 1 three-hour written examination (100%).
Formative Assessment and Feedback Information
A strong emphasis will be made throughout the course on informal verbal feedback during practical and discussion sessions.
Students will receive feedback throughout the course in relation to their understanding through informal verbal feedback during discussions. Students who are identified as having difficulty in successfully engaging with material during class will be invited to meet members of the course team to identify difficulties and discuss solutions.
Exam results will be presented to the students at the end of the course.
Course Co-ordinator: Dr C Jones & Dr L Noble
Pre-requisite(s): BI 2001 and ZO 3010
Co-requisite(s): None
Molecular ecology is the application of molecular genetic markers to problems in ecology and evolution, encompassing studies on the genetic relationships among individuals, populations and species. The field covers population and evolutionary genetics, behavioural ecology, conservation biology, and genetic exchange within the natural environment. The course will introduce the genetic markers, the techniques and analysis commonly used in this field. Emphasis will be placed upon molecular data acquisition, and statistical or phylogenetic analyses to address questions related to population structure, genetic diversity, speciation, and historical factors that have shaped the distribution and abundance of organisms.
2 two-hour lectures and 1 two-three hour seminar/tutorial per week; total class contact hours approx 40 hours.
Six week course (weeks 36-44, thread 2).
1st Attempt: 3-hour written exam (80%) and continuous assessment (20%). Continuous assessment is based on an essay 4000 words.
Resit: One 3-hour written exam (100%).
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 informal feedback on their essay plan and written feedback and a mark on the essay that is submitted. Students also get a mark for the exam.
Course Co-ordinator: Dr S Martin
Pre-requisite(s): Acceptance on to an Honours programme administered by the School of Biological Sciences.
Co-requisite(s): None
Note(s): This is a six week course.
Over view of aquaculture and its global contribution marine food production:
- Nutrition: fish feeds, fish meal fish oil, global shortage, how to overcome this shortage with new diets (plant protein oils)
- Health of aquacultured animals: diseases, vaccination methods of controlling health, parasitic diseases interaction wild and farmed.
- Selective breeding, genetics, effects on wild populations - future genomic applications to aquaculture.
- Environmental impacts - ecological impacts of aquaculture, diversity and approaches to reduce environmental loading. Future directions of aquaculture.
Generally 3 or 4 two hour lectures, tutorials or student seminars per week, total class contact time approximately 37 hours.
There will be lectures at the start of each unit of the course. There will be use of primary literature which will be discussed at a tutorial discussion group at the end of the week. There will study time during weeks 5 and 6 at the end of which an essay and
seminar will be presented.
1st Attempt: One 3-hour written examination (50%) and continuous assessment (50%). Continuous assessment comprises a seminar (20%) and an essay 3000 words (30%).
Resit: One 3-hour written examination.
Formative Assessment and Feedback Information
A strong emphasis will be made throughout the course on informal verbal feedback during tutorial and seminar sessions.
Students get verbal feedback on their seminars and written feedback on their essays.
Course Co-ordinator: Dr J M Sternberg
Pre-requisite(s): Only open to non-graduating Erasmus students.
Co-requisite(s): None
Note(s): This course runs for one semester and can be taken in either the first or second semester.
An independent research project under the supervision of a member of staff. The candidate is required to submit a thesis.
Independent work although meetings with supervisor are expected to be held regularly during the project development, implementation and write-up.
1st Attempt: Written thesis (100%); the thesis should be approximately 10,000 words.
Resit: Resubmission of thesis (100%); the thesis should be approximately 10,000 words.
Formative Assessment and Feedback Information
Students will get informal feedback from project supervisor during meetings and through feedback on project proposals. In addition, students will get written feedback on a draft of their project prior to submission.
Students receive verbal and written formative feedback, and feedback for the summative assessment is verbal, with a summary of strengths and weaknesses, along with the mark.
Course Co-ordinator: Dr J M Sternberg
Pre-requisite(s): Only available to non-graduating Erasmus students.
Co-requisite(s): None
Note(s): This course is meant to run for six months, running across the two semesters with a flexible start time.
An independent research project under the supervision of a member of staff. The candidate is required to submit a thesis.
Independent work although meetings with supervisor are expected to be held regularly during the project development, implementation and write-up.
1st Attempt: Written thesis (100%); the thesis should be approximately 15,000 words.
Resit: Resubmission of thesis (100%); the thesis should be approximately 15,000 words.
Formative Assessment and Feedback Information
Students will get informal feedback from project supervisor during meetings and through feedback on project proposals. In addition, students will get written feedback on a draft of their project prior to submission.
Students receive verbal and written formative feedback, and feedback for the summative assessment is verbal, with a summary of strengths and weaknesses, along with the mark.
Course Co-ordinator: Dr J M Sternberg
Pre-requisite(s): Only open to non-graduating Erasmus students.
Co-requisite(s): None
Note(s): This course runs for over two semesters.
An independent research project under the supervision of a member of staff. The candidate is required to submit a thesis.
Independent work although meetings with supervisor are expected to be held regularly during the project development, implementation and write-up.
1st Attempt: Written thesis (100%); the thesis should be approximately 20,000 words.
Resit: Resubmission of written thesis (100%); the thesis should be approximately 20,000 words.
Formative Assessment and Feedback Information
Students will get informal feedback from project supervisor during meetings and through feedback on project proposals. In addition, students will get written feedback on a draft of their project prior to submission.
Students receive verbal and written formative feedback, and feedback for the summative assessment is verbal, with a summary of strengths and weaknesses, along with the mark.