Zoology, Marine & Freshwater Biology, Animal Biology and Aquatic Biology 

Introduction

Welcome to Year 3 of your programme. Courses at this level should be rewarding and enjoyable, but they require a clear commitment from you and your active participation and attendance.

We recommend that you read this Course Information Document at the start of Year 3.

In addition, there is important information about regulations, assessment and progression (including DD to Honours progression) in the Life Sciences Handbook: Regulations & Advice (available on the Life Sciences Moodle Hub); again, you should read this document at the start of the year and you must refer to it as necessary.

Please keep this Course Information Document for future reference after you graduate; you may need to provide course details for further study or other training.

While the information contained in the document is correct at the time of printing, it may be necessary to make changes. Check your online timetable, Moodle, Teams and your email messages regularly.

Course Contacts

Course Coordinator for Year 3 

Zoology, Marine & Freshwater Biology, Animal Biology, Aquatic Biology  – Dr Ashley Le-Vin
Email: Ashley.Le-Vin@glasgow.ac.uk

Deputy: Dr Victoria Paterson
Email: Victoria.Paterson@glasgow.ac.uk

Programme Coordinator for Final Year

Coordinator: Dr Jan Lindstrom
Email: Jan.Lindstrom@glasgow.ac.uk

Deputy: Dr Sofie Spatharis
Email: Sofie.Spatharis@glasgow.ac.uk

Teaching Staff

External Examiner

Professor Mark Davies, University of Sunderland

Life Sciences Office

The Life Sciences Office is located in Room 354 of the Sir James Black Building. Opening hours for enquiries are: Monday to Friday: 9:30am to 4:30pm.

Course Summaries - Marine and Freshwater 3A & 3B and Aquatic Biology 3A & 3B

Aquatic Biology 3A

Course Code

BIOL3029

Course Title

Aquatic Biology 3A

Academic Session

2023-24

Credits

60

Short Description of the Course

This course will present a broad coverage of Aquatic Biology in relation to the field of Marine and Freshwater Biology. Specific topics may include:

·         field work on terrestrial and aquatic habitats

·         invertebrate and vertebrate biology

·         marine and freshwater ecology

·         molecular techniques

·         scientific writing

·         ecological applications and tools

Requirements of Entry

Normally, this course is only open to students admitted to Level-3 of a programme for which this is a compulsory course. The course may also be available to visiting students, at the discretion of the Life Sciences Chief Adviser and the Course Coordinator.

Associated Programmes

This is a compulsory course for the BSc in Aquatic Biology

Available to visiting students

Yes

Available to Erasmus students

Yes

Typically offered

Semester 1

Timetable

The course will consist of lectures, laboratories and tutorials as arranged (the timetable varies from week to week).

In addition, there are two field courses in September and October – these will have residential aspects.

Course Aims

The aims of the course are:

·         To provide students with a broad-based knowledge and understanding of Aquatic Biology in relation to the field of Marine and Freshwater Biology;

·         To develop skills in laboratory and field techniques in Aquatic Biology;

·         To develop skills relating to the systematic acquisition of factual information and data;

·         To provide opportunities to improve written and oral communication skills.

 Intended Learning Outcomes of Course

By the end of this course students will be able to:

·         Demonstrate a broad understanding of the central facts and the experimental basis of modern Aquatic Biology in relation to the field of Marine and Freshwater Biology;

·         Solve problems of a logical nature in the context of this understanding;

·         Apply practical skills in fundamental techniques in Aquatic Biology and analyse and interpret results obtained from using these techniques;

·         Demonstrate proficient communication skills by giving well-constructed oral and written presentations;

·         Appraise original scientific literature and promote critical thinking in relation to information obtained and communicated.

Minimum Requirements for Award of Credits

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course’s summative assessment.

Description of Summative Assessment

The course will be assessed by means of a 3-hour examination paper (60%) and in-course assessment (40%). The in-course assessment will include a class test, laboratory/fieldwork report/presentation, a poster presentation, an essay and a reflective statement.

Formative Assessment and Feedback

Students are assessed formatively on group presentations (both lab and field-based) and within tutorials. Feedback is provided on all summative assessments to students verbally and/or written. 

Examination Diet

April/May

Total Exam Duration

180 minutes

Aquatic Biology 3B

Course Code

BIOL3030

Course Title

Aquatic Biology 3B

Academic Session

2023-24

Credits

60

Short Description of the Course

This course will present a broad coverage of Aquatic Biology. Specific topics may include:

·         animal physiology

·         parasite biology

·         ecological and developmental biology

·         quantitative approaches to ecology including experimental design and data analysis

·         designing and implementing a mini research project

Requirements of Entry

Normally, this course is only open to students admitted to Level-3 of a programme for which this is a compulsory course. The course may also be available to visiting students, at the discretion of the Life Sciences Chief Adviser and the Course Coordinator.

Associated Programmes

This is a compulsory course for the BSc in Aquatic Biology.

Available to visiting students

Yes

Available to Erasmus students

Yes

Typically offered

Semester 2

Timetable

The course will consist of lectures, field work, laboratories and tutorials as arranged (the timetable varies from week to week).

There will be a short residential field course in March.

Course Aims

The aims of the course are:

·         To provide students with a broad-based knowledge and understanding of Aquatic Biology in relation to the field of Marine and Freshwater Biology;

·         To further advance laboratory and field techniques in Aquatic Biology in relation to the field of Marine and Freshwater Biology;

·         To develop skills relating to independent and critical thinking and forming research hypotheses;

·         To provide opportunities to further improve written and oral communication skills;

·         To advance skills related to quantitative analysis of data relevant to Aquatic Biology in relation to the field of Marine and Freshwater Biology.

Intended Learning Outcomes of Course

By the end of this course students will be able to:

·         Demonstrate a broad understanding of the central facts and the experimental basis of modern Aquatic Biology in relation to the field of Marine and Freshwater Biology;

·         Solve problems of a numerical or logical nature in the context of this understanding;

·         Apply practical skills in fundamental techniques in Aquatic Biology and analyse and interpret results obtained from using these techniques;

·         Demonstrate proficient communication skills by giving well-constructed oral and written presentations;

·         Appraise original scientific literature and promote critical thinking in relation to information obtained and communicated;

·         Form a research question on an Aquatic Biology related topic;

·         Design and carry out a small scale research project.

Minimum Requirements for Award of Credits

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course’s summative assessment.

Description of Summative Assessment

The course will be assessed by means of a 3-hour examination paper (60%) and in-course assessment (40%). The in-course assessment will include research papers, a poster presentation and an oral research proposal.

Formative Assessment and Feedback

Students are assessed formatively on group presentations and within tutorials. Feedback is provided on all summative assessments to students verbally and/or written. 

Examination Diet

April/May

Total Exam Duration

180 minutes

Marine & Freshwater Biology 3A

Course Code

BIOL4065

Course Title

Marine & Freshwater Biology 3A

Academic Session

2023-24

Credits

60

Short Description of the Course

This course will present a broad coverage of Marine & Freshwater Biology. Specific topics may include:

·         field work on aquatic habitats

·         invertebrate and vertebrate biology

·         marine and freshwater ecology

·         molecular techniques

·         scientific writing

·         ecological applications and tools

Requirements of Entry

Normally, this course is only open to students admitted to Level-3 of a programme for which this is a compulsory course. The course may also be available to visiting students, at the discretion of the Life Sciences Chief Adviser and the Course Coordinator.

Associated Programmes

This is a compulsory course for BSc Honours in Marine & Freshwater Biology and MSci in Marine & Freshwater Biology.

Available to visiting students

Yes

Available to Erasmus students

Yes

Typically offered

Semester 1

Timetable

The course will consist of lectures, laboratories and tutorials as arranged (the timetable varies from week to week).

In addition, there are two field courses in September and October – these will have residential aspects.

Course Aims

The aims of the course are:

·         To provide students with a broad-based knowledge and understanding of Marine & Freshwater Biology;

·         To develop skills in laboratory and field techniques in Marine & Freshwater Biology;

·         To develop skills relating to the systematic acquisition of factual information and data;

·         To provide opportunities to improve written and oral communication skills.

Intended Learning Outcomes of Course

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

·         demonstrate a broad understanding of the central facts and the experimental basis of modern Marine & Freshwater Biology;

·         solve problems of a logical nature in the context of this understanding;

·         apply practical skills in fundamental techniques in Marine & Freshwater Biology and analyse and interpret results obtained from using these techniques;

·         demonstrate proficient communication skills by giving well-constructed oral and written presentations;

·         appraise original scientific literature and promote critical thinking in relation to information obtained and communicated.

Minimum Requirements for Award of Credits

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course’s summative assessment.

Description of Summative Assessment

The course will be assessed by means of a 3-hour examination paper (60%) and in-course assessment (40%). The in-course assessment will include a class test, laboratory/fieldwork report/presentation, a poster presentation, an essay and a reflective statement.

Formative Assessment and Feedback

Students are assessed formatively on group presentations (both lab and field-based) and within tutorials. Feedback is provided on all summative assessments to students verbally and/or written. 

Examination Diet

April/May

Total Exam Duration

180 minutes

Marine & Freshwater Biology 3B

Course Code

BIOL4066

Course Title

Marine & Freshwater Biology 3B

Academic Session

2023-24

Credits

60

Short Description of the Course

This course will present a broad coverage of Marine & Freshwater Biology. Specific topics may include:

·         animal physiology

·         parasite biology

·         ecological and developmental biology

·         quantitative approaches to ecology including experimental design and data analysis

·         designing and implementing a mini research project relative to aquatic ecosystems

Requirements of Entry

Normally, this course is only open to students admitted to Level-3 of a programme for which this is a compulsory course. The course may also be available to visiting students, at the discretion of the Life Sciences Chief Adviser and the Course Coordinator.

Associated Programmes

This is a compulsory course for BSc Honours in Marine & Freshwater Biology and MSci in Marine & Freshwater Biology.

Available to visiting students

Yes

Available to Erasmus students

Yes

Typically offered

Semester 2

Timetable

The course will consist of lectures, laboratories, and tutorials as arranged (the timetable varies from week to week).

There will be a short residential field course in March.

Course Aims

The aims of the course are:

·         To provide students with a broad-based knowledge and understanding of Marine & Freshwater Biology;

·         To further advance laboratory and field techniques in Marine & Freshwater Biology;

·         To develop skills relating to independent and critical thinking and forming research hypotheses;

·         To provide opportunities to further improve written and oral communication skills;

·         To advance skills related to quantitative analysis of data relevant to Marine & Freshwater Biology.

Intended Learning Outcomes of Course

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

·         Demonstrate a broad understanding of the central facts and the experimental basis of modern Marine & Freshwater Biology;

·         Solve problems of a numerical or logical nature in the context of this understanding;

·         Apply practical skills in fundamental techniques in Marine & Freshwater Biology and analyse and interpret results obtained from using these techniques;

·         Demonstrate proficient communication skills by giving well-constructed oral and written presentations;

·         Appraise original scientific literature and promote critical thinking in relation to information obtained and communicated;

·         Form a research question on a Marine & Freshwater Biology related topic;

·         Design and carry out a small scale research project.

Minimum Requirements for Award of Credits

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course’s summative assessment.

Description of Summative Assessment

The course will be assessed by means of a 3-hour examination paper (60%) and in-course assessment (40%). The in-course assessment will include research papers, a poster presentation and an oral research proposal.

Formative Assessment and Feedback

Students are assessed formatively on group presentations and within tutorials. Feedback is provided on all summative assessments to students verbally and/or written. 

Examination Diet

April/May

Total Exam Duration

180 minutes

Course Summary - Zoology 3A & 3B and Animal Biology 3A & 3B

Animal Biology 3A

Course Code

BIOL3001

Course Title

Animal Biology 3A

Academic Session

2023-24

Credits

60

Short Description of the Course

This course will present a broad coverage of Animal Biology in relation to the field of Zoology. Specific topics may include:

·         field work on terrestrial and aquatic habitats

·         invertebrate and vertebrate biology

·         marine and freshwater ecology

·         molecular techniques

·         scientific writing

·         ecological applications and tools

Requirements of Entry

Normally, this course is only open to students admitted to Level-3 of a programme for which this is a compulsory course. The course may also be available to visiting students, at the discretion of the Life Sciences Chief Adviser and the Course Coordinator.

Associated Programmes

This is a compulsory course for the BSc in Animal Biology.

Available to visiting students

Yes

Available to Erasmus students

Yes

Typically offered

Semester 1

Timetable

The course will consist of lectures, laboratories and tutorials as arranged (the timetable varies from week to week).

In addition, there are two field courses in September and October – these will have residential aspects.

Course Aims

The aims of the course are:

·         To provide students with a broad-based knowledge and understanding of Animal Biology in relation to the field of Zoology;

·         To develop skills in laboratory and field techniques in Animal Biology;

·         To develop skills relating to the systematic acquisition of factual information and data;

·         To provide opportunities to improve written and oral communication skills.

Intended Learning Outcomes of Course

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

·         Demonstrate a broad understanding of the central facts and the experimental basis of modern Animal Biology in relation to the field of Zoology;

·         Solve problems of a logical nature in the context of this understanding;

·         Apply practical skills in fundamental techniques in Animal Biology and analyse and interpret results obtained from using these techniques;

·         Demonstrate proficient communication skills by giving well-constructed oral and written presentations;

·         Appraise original scientific literature and promote critical thinking in relation to information obtained and communicated.

Minimum Requirements for Award of Credits

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course’s summative assessment.

Description of Summative Assessment

The course will be assessed by means of a 3-hour examination paper (60%) and in-course assessment (40%). The in-course assessment will include a class test, laboratory/fieldwork report/presentation, a poster presentation, an essay and a reflective statement.

Formative Assessment and Feedback

Students are assessed formatively on group presentations (both lab and field-based) and within tutorials. Feedback is provided on all summative assessments to students verbally and/or written. 

Examination Diet

April/May

Total Exam Duration

180 minutes

Animal Biology 3B

Course Code

BIOL3002

Course Title

Animal Biology 3B

Academic Session

2023-24

Credits

60

Short Description of the Course

This course will present a broad coverage of Animal Biology. Specific topics may include:

·         animal physiology

·         parasite biology

·         ecological and developmental biology

·         quantitative approaches to ecology including experimental design and data analysis

·         designing and implementing a mini research project

Requirements of Entry

Normally, this course is only open to students admitted to Level-3 of a programme for which this is a compulsory course. The course may also be available to visiting students, at the discretion of the Life Sciences Chief Adviser and the Course Coordinator.

Associated Programmes

This is a compulsory course for the BSc in Animal Biology.

Available to visiting students

Yes

Available to Erasmus students

Yes

Typically offered

Semester 2

Timetable

The course will consist of lectures, field work, laboratories and tutorials as arranged (the timetable varies from week to week).

Course Aims

The aims of the course are:

To provide students with a broad-based knowledge and understanding of Animal Biology in relation to the field of Zoology;

To further advance laboratory and field techniques in Animal Biology in relation to the field of Zoology;

To develop skills relating to independent and critical thinking and forming research hypotheses;

To provide opportunities to further improve written and oral communication skills;

To advance skills related to quantitative analysis of data relevant to Animal Biology in relation to the field of Zoology.

Intended Learning Outcomes of Course

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

·         Demonstrate a broad understanding of the central facts and the experimental basis of modern Animal Biology in relation to the field of Zoology;

·         Solve problems of a numerical or logical nature in the context of this understanding;

·         Apply practical skills in fundamental techniques in Animal Biology and analyse and interpret results obtained from using these techniques;

·         Demonstrate proficient communication skills by giving well-constructed oral and written presentations;

·         Appraise original scientific literature and promote critical thinking in relation to information obtained and communicated;

·         Form a research question on an Animal Biology related topic;

·         Design and carry out a small scale research project.

Minimum Requirements for Award of Credits

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course’s summative assessment.

Description of Summative Assessment

The course will be assessed by means of a 3-hour examination paper (60%) and in-course assessment (40%). The in-course assessment will include research papers, a poster presentation, and an oral research proposal.

Formative Assessment and Feedback

Students are assessed formatively via an online quiz and on group presentations and within tutorials. Feedback is provided on all summative assessments to students verbally and/or written. 

Examination Diet

April/May

Total Exam Duration

180 minutes

Zoology 3A

Course Code

BIOL4137

Course Title

Zoology 3A

Academic Session

2023-24

Credits

60

Short Description of the Course

This course will present a broad coverage of Zoology. Specific topics may include:

·         field work on terrestrial and aquatic habitats

·         invertebrate and vertebrate biology

·         marine and freshwater ecology

·         molecular techniques

·         scientific writing

·         ecological applications and tools

Requirements of Entry

Normally, this course is only open to students admitted to Level-3 of a programme for which this is a compulsory course. The course may also be available to visiting students, at the discretion of the Life Sciences Chief Adviser and the Course Coordinator.

Associated Programmes

This is a compulsory course for BSc Honours in Zoology and MSci in Zoology

Available to visiting students

Yes

Available to Erasmus students

Yes

Typically offered

Semester 1

Timetable

The course will consist of lectures, laboratories and tutorials as arranged (the timetable varies from week to week).

In addition, there are two field courses in September and October – these will have residential aspects.

Course Aims

The aims of the course are:

·         To provide students with a broad-based knowledge and understanding of Zoology;

·         To develop skills in laboratory and field techniques in Zoology;

·         To develop skills relating to the systematic acquisition of factual information and data;

·         To provide opportunities to improve written and oral communication skills.

Intended Learning Outcomes of Course

By the end of this course students will be able to:

·         Demonstrate a broad understanding of the central facts and the experimental basis of modern Zoology;

·         Solve problems of a logical nature in the context of this understanding;

·         Apply practical skills in fundamental techniques in Zoology and analyse and interpret results obtained from using these techniques;

·         Demonstrate proficient communication skills by giving well-constructed oral and written presentations;

·         Appraise original scientific literature and promote critical thinking in relation to information obtained and communicated.

Minimum Requirements for Award of Credits

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course’s summative assessment.

Description of Summative Assessment

The course will be assessed by means of a 3-hour examination paper (60%) and in-course assessment (40%). The in-course assessment will include a class test, laboratory/fieldwork report/presentation, a poster presentation, an essay and a reflective statement.

Formative Assessment and Feedback

Students are assessed formatively on group presentations (both lab and field-based) and within tutorials. Feedback is provided on all summative assessments to students verbally and/or written. 

Examination Diet

April/May

Total Exam Duration

180 minutes

Zoology 3B

Course Code

BIOL4138

Course Title

Zoology 3B

Academic Session

2023-24

Credits

60

Short Description of the Course

This course will present a broad coverage of Zoology. Specific topics may include:

·         animal physiology

·         parasite biology

·         ecological and developmental biology

·         quantitative approaches to ecology including experimental design and data analysis

·         designing and implementing a mini research project

Requirements of Entry

Normally, this course is only open to students admitted to Level-3 of a programme for which this is a compulsory course. The course may also be available to visiting students, at the discretion of the Life Sciences Chief Adviser and the Course Coordinator.

Associated Programmes

This is a compulsory course for BSc Honours in Zoology and MSci in Zoology

Available to visiting students

Yes

Available to Erasmus students

Yes

Typically offered

Semester 2

Timetable

The course will consist of lectures, laboratories, field work, and tutorials as arranged (the timetable varies from week to week).

Course Aims

The aims of the course are:

·         To provide students with a broad-based knowledge and understanding of Zoology;

·         To further advance laboratory and field techniques in Zoology;

·         To develop skills relating to independent and critical thinking and forming research hypotheses;

·         To provide opportunities to further improve written and oral communication skills;

·         To advance skills related to quantitative analysis of data relevant to Zoology.

Intended Learning Outcomes of Course

By the end of this course students will be able to:

·         Demonstrate a broad understanding of the central facts and the experimental basis of modern Zoology;

·         Solve problems of a numerical or logical nature in the context of this understanding;

·         Apply practical skills in fundamental techniques in Zoology and analyse and interpret results obtained from using these techniques;

·         Demonstrate proficient communication skills by giving well-constructed oral and written presentations;

·         Appraise original scientific literature and promote critical thinking in relation to information obtained and communicated;

·         Form a research question on a Zoology related topic;

·         Design and carry out a small scale research project.

Minimum Requirements for Award of Credits

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course’s summative assessment.

Description of Summative Assessment

The course will be assessed by means of a 3-hour examination paper (60%) and in-course assessment (40%). The in-course assessment will include research papers, a poster presentation and an oral research proposal.

Formative Assessment and Feedback

Students are assessed formatively via an online quiz and on group presentations and within tutorials. Feedback is provided on all summative assessments to students verbally and/or written. 

Examination Diet

April/May

Total Exam Duration

180 minutes

Course Information

Block Synopsis

Ecology Field Course, SCENE, Rowardennan, Loch Lomond - FOR ZOOLOGY AND ANIMAL BIOLOGY STUDENTS ONLY

Drs S White (Coordinator), C Easton, V Paterson, A Le Vin, O  Brattstrom, Professor CE Adams & Ms J Robinson

The Level-3 Zoology / Animal Biology programme is a 7 day residential field course. The field course includes a mix of lectures, labs and fieldwork on ecological theory, fieldwork covering techniques that field biologists use to sample the physical nature of the environment and the animal populations and communities that live there. 

Freshwater Field Course, SCENE, Rowardennan, Loch Lomond - FOR MARINE & FRESHWATER AND AQUATIC BIOLOGY STUDENTS ONLY

Dr O Brattstrom (Coordinator), Professors CE Adams, C Bean, NB Metcalfe

The Year 3 Marine & Freshwater Biology/Aquatic Biology programme begins with a 7-day residential Freshwater field course. The field course includes a mix of lectures, labs and fieldwork covering physical and chemical properties of the aquatic environment; limnology of Loch Lomond; physical processes of streams; aquatic plant communities; plankton communities; macroinvertebrate community structure; fish populations. 

Core Skills in Animal Biology

Drs A Le Vin (Coordinator), J Lindstrom, R Nager, S Spatharis, V Paterson, M Llewellyn, A McGregor

The study of biology requires a particular set of generic skills. This course aims to develop the students’ core skills through a number of areas including the consideration of ethical issues covering the use of animals in scientific research, wildlife conservation and professional ethics. Additionally, teaching will cover accurate and detailed record keeping and report writing, graph drawing/data analysis refresher and essay writing with one-to-one feedback on this process.

Aquatic Ecosystems

Drs A McGregor (Coordinator), D Bailey, S Spatharis, L De Clippele

Aquatic environments cover 70% of the Earth’s surface, presenting substantial amounts of space for life. However they contain considerable challenges to organisms trying to exploit the area and productivity that is possible. This module will provide students with an overview to the aquatic environment and the animals that inhabit it, covering lectures on the physical aspects of water movement, primary productivity, phytoplankton, zooplankton, macroalgae, and larger animals in the pelagic and benthic regions.

Marine Biology Field Course, FSC Millport

Drs A McGregor (Coordinator), S Spatharis

Scotland has a diverse array of coastal habitats and its seas are incredibly productive because of long summer day lengths and cold water temperatures. During this online and face to face residential field course, students will gain first-hand knowledge of the habitats, animals and dynamics in a unique part of the Clyde Estuary. This course will also provide an introduction to sampling techniques and equipment used in the study of marine biology and ecology. Students will learn about surveys of intertidal animals in both rocky and sandy habitats, boat-based sampling of plankton and a variety of other techniques important in studying coastal ecosystems.

Full room & board are provided during the field course and information on the plans for the face to face sessions will follow. Vegetarian and special diets can be catered for but you must inform the block Coordinator (Anna.McGregor@glasgow.ac.uk) in advance. Requests for special diets without medical evidence will incur an additional charge. FSC Millport operates a strict no-drinking policy on the premises—you MUST NOT bring alcohol with you to the field course. You will need to bring outdoor waterproof clothing, and wellingtons or stout boots and writing material for lectures and field and laboratory notes.

Invertebrate Biology

Drs V Paterson (Coordinator), A Le Vin, A McGregor, Prof R Page, Ms J Robinson

This module covers the exciting and often overlooked invertebrates that are found across nearly every conceivable habitat. We will start taxonomically with Protozoa and work our way through the invertebrate Phylum dazzling you with wonders of the world of invertebrates! This module is a mix of lectures and labs that will allow you to explore invertebrates closely and appreciate the evolutionary achievements they have made.

Applied Evolution

Professor B Mable & Dr K Parsons (Coordinators), Dr N Veitch, Professors J Cotton & R Biek

Understanding the process of evolution can provide important insights into a range of practical problems. This can include conservation issues whereby evolution can explain the outcome of human practises, or provide a predictive framework for management. Further, human health can benefit from an evolutionary perspective such as how diseases may change, but also through an understanding of the genetic basis of adaptive traits that mimic human’s disorders. This course will provide students with a range of perspectives and examples that demonstrate the utility of evolutionary theory to resolve and understand real world problems.

Vertebrate Life

Drs J Boonekamp  (Coordinator), A Le Vin (Co –Coordinator) & further lecturers.

This course will introduce you to main themes in Animal Biology. We will address the central topics of Diversifying, Reproducing, Socialising, Surviving, and Biological and Anthropogenic Threats. This will be done in blocks of lectures of experts who will look at them from different perspectives and present you with case studies on fish, herptiles, birds and mammals. The course also includes analysing behavioural studies of animals based at Calderglen zoo. 

Applications and Careers Week

Drs A Le Vin (Coordinator), W Yeomans, M Llewellyn, D Reid, O Brattstrom, L De Clippele, Prof NB Metcalfe and Miss F Stubbs

The applications and careers module aims to provide students with a range of labs highlighting and teaching practical skills in zoology/marine and freshwater biology. Additionally, lectures will supplement the labs giving a range of information relevant to workplace and research situations.
Finally, the module will end with a series of alumni talks linked to careers undertaken by graduates of the animal biology degrees allowing students time to reflect and gain information on planning their future career. 

Animal Physiology

Professor C Selman (Coordinator), Drs A Le Vin (Coordinator), F Baldini, V Paterson, Profs T Stevenson, S Killen.

This module will give you an introduction to the comparative physiology of animals. It will increase your understanding of the functional properties of living systems from the level of the cell, through tissues and organs to ultimately how they interact at the level of the whole organism. You will also gain knowledge on how these physiological systems enable animals to interact successfully with their environment. Gas exchange and transport, aerobic and anaerobic metabolism and the regulation of ion and water concentrations will be examined. Additionally, focus will be given to muscle structure and function. Additionally, you will examine physiological responses to challenging environments, including hypoxia, migration, diving at depth and reproduction. You will also examine how animals cope with changing environments over daily and annual cycles, and how an animal’s neuronal and endocrine systems can modulate their behaviour. 

Parasite Biology

Drs V Paterson (Coordinator), M Llewellyn, W Yeomans, S Babayan, Profs M Barrett, R Page 

This module will delve into the fascinating parasitological world of parasites, their life cycles, behaviour altering ways  and complex interactions with their host. We hope that you enjoy this module that provides a mixture of lectures, a hands on lab that looks at parasites within a fish host and allows the use of a large data set, plus tutorials to aid in assessments.

Ecological and Developmental Biology

Dr K Parsons (Coordinator)

This module will provide students with a basic understanding of vertebrate development and how it relates to conservation, ecology, medicine, and evolutionary biology. This module will involve lab experiments and the collection of empirical data for analysis. Areas that will be covered include: Developmental stages and embryogenesis, the impact of ecology on development, toolkit genes and morphogenesis, teratogens and emryogenesis, evolution and development, experimental embryology, epigenetics in human health.

Quantitative Skills

Drs S Spatharis (Coordinator of data analysis), A Le Vin (Coordinator of experimental design), A McGregor, V Paterson. Prof H Ferguson

The block contains two elements that are closely dependent on each other: experimental design and data analysis. The data analysis part will focus on a particular form of statistical model known as the General Linear Model (GLM) – which provides a synthetic understanding of a large range of Common statistical methods that includes classical Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), and Regression. In lectures and associated lab sessions you have an opportunity to develop a mastery of this basic approach, and break the association many people make between statistics and ‘difficulty’.

The ability to design effective experiments is essential to L3 & L4 Zoology and Marine & Freshwater Biology, and is considered a key skill for a scientific career. We teach experimental design through discussion groups which require students to have read and answered questions on a textbook on the subject. The specific book is:

Experimental Design for the Life Sciences
Graeme D. Ruxton & Nick Colegrave
Oxford University Press
ISBN 978-0-19-956912-0

Lectures and Labs

We expect you to attend all timetabled parts of the programme. Only by attending the lecture course can you learn a particular lecturer’s viewpoint and the emphasis given to a specific topic. Lectures are also intended to act as a guide through the enormous quantity of published scientific literature in that area. They should provide you with the central facts of the subject.

All these factors mean that your lecture notes are a particularly important source of information for answering examination questions. Remember it can be difficult enough to interpret your own lecture notes, so it is generally very unwise to rely on notes copied from a classmate. Keep them safe!

Safety in the laboratory and field is of key importance. Notes on safe practice are contained in the specific blocks laboratory manuals. Read these carefully. We require you to follow the practices given and any further instructions given during the laboratory. You must bring a lab coat to each lab.

The University, and everyone who works in it, has legal obligations to develop safe working practices. Safety is a basic aspect of scientific work, not an afterthought or optional extra, and learning how to cope with hazards is one of the basic skills required of a zoology/marine or freshwater biologist, both in the laboratory and in the field.

Before you start any piece of work you must consider with your supervisor the safety implications and consider if any of the materials you are to handle are potentially hazardous in any way. You must then develop a safe method of handling the material, and this involves making written declarations. If you are carrying out a class exercise in a laboratory, your supervisor will give you instructions on how to work safely and make these declarations for you. But if you have to carry out any individual project work either in the laboratory or the field you must discuss the safety implications carefully with your supervisor before you start. The Graham Kerr Building has rules for safe practice that are outlined in the SLS Safety Handbook (copy available in laboratories) and the Building Local Safety Regulations booklet, 8 copies of which are available in the Graham Kerr library and in the divisional office. If you have any doubts about safety in the laboratory or in field situations you must consult your supervisor or the University Safety & Environmental Protection Service (safety@glasgow.ac.uk).

Assessment and Feedback

Coursework Assessment

You will be awarded a separate grade for each of the two component courses (3A & 3B) that make up the Year 3 programme. Your result for each course is based on the items of assessment detailed below.

For Zoology, Marine & Freshwater Biology, Animal Biology and Aquatic Biology 3A the relative weighting of assessment is 60% exam & 40% continuous assessment. The final exam will be on the following teaching blocks: Ecology Field course (Zoology/Animal Biology ONLY),  Freshwater Field course (Marine and Freshwater Biology/Aquatic Biology ONLY), Invertebrate Biology, Vertebrate Life, Applied Evolution, Aquatic Ecosystems. The relative weighting of the different in-course continuous assessment items is shown in the table below:

For Zoology, Marine & Freshwater Biology, Animal Biology, and Aquatic Biology 3B the relative weighting of assessment is 60% exam & 40% continuous assessment. The final exam will be on the following teaching blocks: Animal Physiology, Parasite Biology, Quantitative skills (Data analysis and Experimental design)& Ecological & Developmental Biology. The relative weighting of the different in-course continuous assessment items is shown in the table below:

¹ an extension (of up to 5 days) is possible after discussion with the course block Coordinator and suitable evidence given. A late submission can be granted only if a Good Cause application has been approved by the School. Please refer to the Student Handbook for more information on Good Cause.

² Student needs to have attended course

³ Only replicable if student has attended other labs/sessions to write up

⁴ Only if a Good Cause application has been approved by the School.

Note that the grades you obtain for Year 3 will be used for writing references, for example for Masters and/or  PhD and other job applications and also as a guide to your ability if special circumstances affect your Year 4 result. It will also be one of the factors considered when allocating final-year projects and Honours options.

End of course Examinations

There will be one 3-hour examination for Zoology, Marine & Freshwater Biology, Animal Biology and Aquatic Biology 3A and another 3-hour examination for Zoology, Marine & Freshwater Biology, Animal Biology and Aquatic Biology 3B. Exams take place in April/May.

The examination of the course for Zoology, Marine & Freshwater Biology, Animal Biology and Aquatic Biology 3A accounts for 60% of the course grade and will cover the following teaching blocks: Ecology OR Freshwater field course, Invertebrate Biology, Applied Evolution, Vertebrate Life, Aquatic Ecosystems. The examination of the course for Zoology, Marine & Freshwater Biology, Animal Biology and Aquatic Biology 3B accounts for 60% of the course grade and will cover the following teaching blocks: Animal Physiology, Parasite Biology, Quantitative Skills, Ecological & Developmental Biology.

The exams paper includes essay questions, short answer questions and problem solving questions covering the material taught in the teaching blocks. There is no separate practical paper. Although practical work will not be examined formally in the May diet, we expect students to be able to enhance many of their answers with references to material covered in practical classes. Practical skills will be noted as part of the online practical skills trackers - details will follow on skills to be tested.

Class Test

There will be a Class Test in December covering the work of Semester 1. This will assess the following teaching blocks: Invertebrate Biology, Vertebrate Life, Applied Evolution, Aquatic Ecosystems (including Millport field course). This will contain essay, short answer and problem solving questions. Valuable feedback will be given that will aid you with revision for your end of course examinations.

Continuous Assessments

Detailed instructions on individual pieces of coursework will be provided within the block CIDs provided by the block Coordinators before the beginning of each block.

Assessment and Feedback Calendar

Final Year Structure

Component courses

The five component courses which make up the final year of your programme are:

·           1 x project or dissertation course (40 credits)

·           1 x the core course for your programme (20 credits)

·           3 x Honours options (3 x 20-credits)

Scheduling

Taught courses (core course and options)

Project

You should devote THREE days per week to the research phase of the project, normally all day Tuesday, Wednesday AM and all day Thursday during 10 weeks of Semester 1. The remaining half day can be undertaken Monday and/or Friday and/or Wednesday PM, depending on your own taught course timetable and the nature of your project.

Honours Options

You take three Honours options in total: one in Semester 1 and two in Semester 2.

The Semester 1 options are usually taught on Fridays and you choose one option from the 4Y list.

Semester 2 options are arranged in five blocks, one for each day of the week (4A, 4B, 4C, 4D and 4E options). You choose two options from these five blocks, but no more than one for any block.

Once enrolment opens in August, you choose the options that you wish to study in final year. Please note that the list of offered Honours options changes slightly each year as options are introduced, withdrawn or moved to a different block; therefore, options you see in your MyCampus My Requirements report may not be available for you to choose when you reach final year.

Available option choices:

You do not have a free choice when choosing options. The following factors determine which options you can take.

1.         Each programme specifies which options are compulsory and recommended for that programme. You must choose options which satisfy the stated Requirements for your programme.

2.         In addition, each option specifies restrictions on admission (“Requirements of Entry” or “Enrolment Requirements”) to ensure that only students with the necessary academic background can enrol on that option. A few options allow any School of Life Sciences final-year student to enrol while other options only accept enrolment from students registered for a particular programme or set of programmes (for example Behavioural Ecology 4B option specifies the following: “Normally, only available to final-year School of Life Sciences students in a Degree Group A (Animal Biology group) programme”).

3.         A few options require you to apply in advance during Year 3. You cannot take one of these options if you have not been approved in advance. Currently, these are:

·           Investigating Biological Function option

·           Marine Mammal Biology option

4.         Most options limit the number of students that may enrol. For many options, the limit is around 30 students but some options have a lower or higher limit on class size. Enrolment is on a first-come, first-served basis.

5.         An option may be cancelled if too few students wish to do it or if there are other circumstances which mean an option cannot run.

Honours Project or Dissertation

You undertake a piece of independent work in final year, either a project or a dissertation. University regulations stipulate that you MUST obtain at least D3 in the “independent work” course for an Honours degree to be awarded.

During Year 3, you choose which type of final-year project you would like to do. The School offers four types of project:

·           Investigative (both laboratory-based “wet” projects and traditional “dry” projects)

·           Dissertation

·           Outreach (both School and Public Engagement)

·           Internship *

* Although the Internship type of project is available in theory to students on any programme, this will depend on internships being offered which are suitable to the programme. Until now, internships have only been available to students in Physiology & Sports Science.

The type of project you are allocated determines which project course you enrol on in MyCampus.

It may not be possible to allocate projects in line with your aspirations but staff seek to maximise each student’s preference. Your grades from Year 3 may be taken into account when project allocations are being made.

If you are a student in the Animal Biology Degree Group (Marine & Freshwater Biology or Zoology), you are encouraged to think up possible projects yourself. However, you must find a member of staff willing to act as your supervisor.

Please refer to the Project Course Information Document for more information.

Enrolling on appropriate final-year courses

The structure of the final-year curriculum is more complex than Year 3. Therefore, it is very important that you use the guidance in MyCampus My Requirements to enrol on appropriate courses. Read the information carefully and ensure than none of the sections on My Requirements are labelled “Not Satisfied”.