Biology

Credit Points

5

Course Coordinator

Dr Graeme Paton and Dr Zachary Hickman

Pre-requisites

None

Co-requisites

None

Notes

Overview

Course Aims: To give students enhanced research and personal development skills, and to introudce relevant and imperative tools and proficiencies to aid their MSc progress.

Main Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this course, the student should have a greater understanding of:

1. The requirements of the MSc programme, including timetabling and programme overview, use of Web-CT and University support services and how to use them effectively
2. University regulations, including plagiarism and use of Turnitin
3. Computer software packages including Powerpoint, Excel and statistical programmes
4. Referencing styles and requirements, reference search engines, use of journals for scientific writing
5. Enhanced scientific writing and presentation skills.

Structure

Weeks 12-14 inclusive:
Two 1-hour lectures per week
One 1-hour presentation tutorial per week
One 2-hour computer practical per week.

Assessment

Continual assessment: One 10 minute Powerpoint presentation (100%)

Credit Points

5

Course Coordinator

Dr Graeme Paton and programme coordinators

Pre-requisites

None

Co-requisites

None

Notes

Overview

Course Aims: To enable students to increase and enhance their ability to plan and execute experimental designs, and to statistically assess their data. These will be important issues throughout their entire MSc.

Main Learning Outcomes: By the end of this course, the student should have a greater understanding of:
1. Experimental design, including how to create a robust experimental set-up
2. The importance of data handling, analysis and presentation
3. Statistical tests and computer programs
4. The variety of ways in which data can be tested, and interpretation of the results

Structure

Weeks 15-17 inclusive:
Two 1-hour lectures per week
Two 3-hour computer practicals per week
Four day intensive data handling course

Assessment

Continual Assessment:
1 statistical analysis report (50%)
1 worked example (50%)

Credit Points

7.5

Course Coordinator

Dr Ben Davies

Pre-requisites

Available to all MSc and MRes students in applied Marine and Fishweries Ecology, Ecology, and Environmental Science

Co-requisites

x

Notes

Overview

The course will be based around three themes:

- The bio-economic modelling of fisheries
- The analysis and design of governance instituitions
- The role of human values and valuation in environmental decision making

These themes will be addressed through study of a series of core concepts:

- Rationality and behavioural assumptions in economic analysis
- The dynamics of resource exploitation and human behaviour
- Coupling of models of socio-economic and biological (fisheries) systems
- The assessment of insitutional structures and functions
- Governance approaches to the management of complex systems
- The meaning and interpretation of concepts of 'value'
- Ethical foundations and environmental decision making criteria
- Strengths and weaknesses of methods of resource valuation
- Practical and policy issues in managing socio-ecological systems

Structure

- Three 1-hour lectures each week (thread II)
- Three 2-hour tutorials each week (thread II)

Assessment

The module will be assessed based on one short (30%) and one long (70%) written assignment.

Credit Points

15

Course Coordinator

Dr Chris Wilcock

Pre-requisites

N/A

Overview

Aims: To explore the evolution and diversity of interactions of both mammals and insects with angiosperms; to describe the interactions between these organisms in terms of their ecology, behaviour and physiology; to discuss the under-lying evolutionary processes involved.

Learning Objectives
To provide an appreciation and awareness of:

1. the complexities of interactions of mammals and insects with plants.

2. the difficulties of interpreting observed inter-actions in the light of evolutionary theories.

3. the importance of experimental design, observation and interpretation in under-standing the interactions.

Structure

Normally 24 lectures and 1 - 2 seminar and practical sessions.

Assessment

Continuous assessment based on one essay, one seminar and one practical report.

Credit Points

15

Course Coordinator

Dr Jo Smith

Pre-requisites

N/A

Overview

Aims: To provide the student with the skills to understand and learn how to use techniques for Ecological and Environmental modelling, including model design and evaluation.

Learning Objectives: By the end of this course you should be able to:

1. understand the criteria for design or choice of models, and the use of models in relation to selected policy issues;

2. use Excel for model development, use a number of dedicated models, and apply statistical methods to evaluate models;

3. choose appropriate models for a given application; develop a model and use it to critically assess and ecological/environmental issue; critically assess limitations reliability and applicability of models; and, formulate scientific concepts in a mathematical form.

Structure

A total of 7 one-hour lectures, 3 three-hour computer classes and 3 one-hour tutorials.

Assessment

Continuous assessment by written problem-solving assignments.

Credit Points

7.5

Course Coordinator

Dr Michelle Pinard

Pre-requisites

x

Overview

How to plan a project; how to write a research proposal

Structure

There will be one 3-hour session in each of the three weeks where the class meets with the co-ordinator. The other contact time will be arranged with project supervisors within the School. These contact hours with staff occur informally currently; this course would only serve to formalise the arrangements and provide a structured assessment to assist the students to progress with their project planning.

Assessment

100% continuous assessment in the form of a proposal