University Marine Biological Station Millport
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Marine Mammal & Turtle Biology
A 10-day residential course
Group 1: 3–13 July 2013
Group 2: 7–17 July 2013
(including days of arrival and departure)
FULLY BOOKED
This course is now fully booked, but a reserve list is being maintained
Please contact Tracy Price (details below) for further information and to check availability
This is a ten day, residential course suitable for undergraduates, M.Sc. students and individuals who want to learn from experts about whales, dolphins, seals and marine turtles.
The course includes lectures and field work on research vessels in the Firth of Clyde and on whale-watching boats off the west coast of Scotland, offering participants excellent opportunities to see whales, porpoises, dolphins, seals, basking shark and a variety of seabirds, such as gannets, puffins and shearwaters. The course is run by the University Marine Biological Station Millport, and includes periods at UMBSM on the Isle of Cumbrae and at Tobermory, on the Isle of Mull.
The course examines the diversity, behaviour, ecology, physiology, conservation and management of cetaceans (whales and dolphins), seals and marine turtles. It focuses on issues such as the diving ability and behaviour of seals, the social behaviour of dolphins, the conservation of whales and the life history and migrations of turtles. It also includes an introduction to seabirds and basking sharks that are normally seen during field excursions.
This is a university-accredited course and is intended for students in the summer vacation and for enthusiastic individuals with a keen interest in the marine environment. It is also suitable for graduate students with relevant background and interests.
Prerequisites:
University level 3 students should have taken an introductory course in vertebrate biology or marine biology. Students at other levels should have some general knowledge and understanding of marine life; some experience of vertebrate biology is desirable.
Assessment
The course is open to students from different universities, with course work and the marking of assignments and exams being set by the participants' home institutions (though UMBSM can advise on this). The weighting of different elements of assessment may therefore vary among institutions. If you wish to gain academic credit towards a degree course, you must confirm details of assessment with your own institution prior to the start of the course. Typically, assessment is based on a daily journal, recording activities undertaken and key findings from the course, an essay and an examination.
Course organisers:
- Dr Dominic McCafferty, University of Glasgow
- Dr Phillip Cowie (Co-Coordinator), University Marine Biological Station Millport
Course tutors:
- Dr Andrew Campbell, Queen Mary & Westfield College, University of London
- Dr Chris Parsons, George Mason University, Virginia, USA
Costs:
The course fee in 2013 is £899
including full board & lodging at UMBSM; self-catering at Arle Lodge near Tobermory, Isle of Mull; boat trips; and travel between Millport and Tobermory.
Special dietary requirements can be catered for (including accommodating common food allergies) at UMBSM, but requests for special diets – other than the vegetarian option – must be accompanied by medical evidence of need, otherwise a surcharge of £4 per person per day will be payable.
For additional information on accommodation in Tobermory, click here.
Travel notes
Group 1 will depart for Mull from the University of Glasgow at noon on Wednesday, 4 July 2012. Participants travelling to Glasgow by air or rail on that day should ensure that they leave sufficient time to get from the airport or rail station to the University by 11:30 at the latest.
We remind all participants that the University Marine Biological Station Millport is on an island! When making travel arrangements for your outbound and return journeys, please check the ferry timetable. The ferry crossing is short (about 10 minutes) and frequent (15 minute intervals for most of the day), but the times of the first and last ferries affect which flights and rail services it is possible to use. The last ferry of the day from Largs to Cumbrae leaves at 20:15 (later sailings on Fridays) and the first ferry of the morning leaves Largs at 06:45 (09:15 on Sundays). The ferry departs Cumbrae 15 minutes after leaving Largs. For further details on travel to UMBSM, please see our information about getting here.
For additional information
Please contact Tracy Price at UMBSM: