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BI25F3: PARASITOLOGY (2021-2022)

Last modified: 31 May 2022 13:05


Course Overview

Residential field course designed to introduce you to the main groups of parasitic invertebrates and protozoa in our indigenous wildlife and provide you with training in field identification and sampling techniques.

Field work provides opportunities to observe, identify and collect host and intermediate host species, and training in field identification and sampling techniques.

Lab work provides for the morphological and molecular identification of parasites, and experiments on parasite physiology and manipulation of host behaviour.

Group based project work provides skills in team working, data collection, analysis and presentation.

We aim to pack as much experience into this course as we can in 6 days, so we work long and quite intensive days to allow you to develop deep understanding of parasitology, but there is always time at the end of the day to unwind with peers and staff in the excellent social facilities and to enjoy the unique environment of the Isle of Cumbrae.

In 2021/22 this course will run from 20th-27th May 2022 inclusive. 

Please note that the information provided is subject to change due to the ongoing Covid-19 government guidelines

Course Details

Study Type Undergraduate Level 2
Session Second Sub Session Credit Points 15 credits (7.5 ECTS credits)
Campus Aberdeen Sustained Study No
Co-ordinators
  • Dr Jeremy Sternberg
  • Dr Sharon E. Mitchell

What courses & programmes must have been taken before this course?

  • Either Programme Level 2 or Programme Level 3
  • One of BSc Biology or BSc Conservation Biology or BSc Zoology or BSc Marine Biology or BSc Animal Behaviour or BSc Biological Sciences (Honours) or BSc Ecology

What other courses must be taken with this course?

None.

What courses cannot be taken with this course?

Are there a limited number of places available?

No

Course Description

Parasitism is to be found all around us and we (humans living in the developed world) are exceptional in generally not harbouring a diverse parasite fauna. This course will introduce the diversity of parasites and exquisite complexity of their life cycles in our indigenous wildlife. A central theme will be understanding the ecological relationships in life cycles and transmission strategies, and for this reason much of the time will be spent in the field, observing, identifying and collecting hosts and intermediate host species. These will include fish, small mammals, amphibians and invertebrates. To place parasites in the context of host ecology, there will be an opportunity to apply ecological survey methods in both terrestrial, marine and freshwater habitats. Laboratory work will allow exploration and discovery of parasites in the context of host anatomy and physiology. Group projects allow the development of skills in experimental design, data analysis and hypothesis testing. We also will introduce you to the field application of molecular approaches such as DNA bar-coding to identify species in different helminth taxa.

For this academic year we will be running the course at Millport Field Centre on the Isle of Cumbrae. This offers us unparalleled access to marine, intertidal, freshwater and terrestrial habitats, all within a radius of just a few km. The Centre offers comfortable accommodation, and is fully catered. It has great lab facilities,  an excellent natural history library, aquarium, and social facilities.

Associated Costs

DescriptionValue
Course cost GBP 230.00

Contact Teaching Time

Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.

Teaching Breakdown

More Information about Week Numbers


Details, including assessments, may be subject to change until 31 August 2023 for 1st half-session courses and 22 December 2023 for 2nd half-session courses.

Summative Assessments

Design Project: Group

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 50
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

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Feedback

students will receive oral feedback following the presentation

Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
Sorry, we don't have this information available just now. Please check the course guide on MyAberdeen or with the Course Coordinator

Field Trip Log

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 50
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

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Feedback

individualised written feedback;in common with all field courses there is a high level of interaction between staff and students and formative assessment in the form of informal feedback will be given based on close observation of field work skills, lab skills and critical interpretative skills and general level of application effort.

Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
Sorry, we don't have this information available just now. Please check the course guide on MyAberdeen or with the Course Coordinator

Formative Assessment

There are no assessments for this course.

Course Learning Outcomes

Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
ProceduralApplyTo learn to conduct field work in the context of parasite ecology

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