- Course Code
- BI 1509
- Credit Points
- 15
- Course Coordinator
- Mrs C Dennis and Dr S McMellor
Pre-requisites
None
Co-requisites
None
Overview
The study of ecology and environmental issues requires us to integrate information from many different subject areas.
This course is designed to give you an introduction to how the Earth functions, in terms of both geography and biology, and then goes on to look at current issues that are affecting those functions.
This course achieves this with an exciting multidisciplinary approach, combining key topics from biology, ecology, environmental science and the earth sciences.
By the end of the course, students should have
- a sound basic knowledge of how an integrated approach to studying topics from biology, chemistry, ecology and environmental science contributes towards an understanding of how terrestrial and marine systems are sustained.
- an appreciation of important spatial and temporal aspects of ecology and environmental science and why these are important to the management of natural systems.
- an ability to carry out and report on basic experimental measurements and data analysis pertaining to aspects of ecology and environmental science.
Structure
Twelve-week course in second half-session. Three 1-h lectures per week and one 3-h laboratory practical or seminar every second week (but only six practicals in total; some practicals are tutorial-based). Total contact hours: 36 lectures and five practicals; in total, 54 hours.
Assessment
1st Attempt: 1 two-hour MCQ exam (60%) and in-course assessment (40%).
To pass this course, a pass must be achieved in both the theory exam and the in-course assessment.
Resit: 1 two-hour MCQ exam in the same format as the main exam. The resit paper may contain questions pertaining to both the practical and lecture components of the course.
Formative Assessment
There is no formal formative assessment but students will be expected to engage in tutorial-type discussions which will allow them to assess their own understanding of the course content.
Feedback
The main source of feedback will be regular written comment on practical reports. These comments will be made available to students in advance of the next practical class.