Ecology Field Course - BIO00084H
Module summary
Please change to: The module will provide an opportunity to
experience a variety of habitats of conservation significance and to
learn and implement ecological fieldwork at an advanced level. In the
process, students will gain relevant research and employability skills
for the sector. The module is focussed on designing and implementing
individual field projects that test ecological theory.
Taught sessions will introduce students to the ecology and
significance of the habitats in which they can conduct field projects.
Workshop activities will support students in developing their project
ideas and preparing them for the assessments. Field trips and
practicals will give students hands-on experience of different
habitats, sampling techniques, and the generation and analysis of
field data. The module will be assessed by two written submissions: a
project plan during semester, followed by the results of their project
along with a reflection on their field skills development, to be
submitted after their project completion.
The core activity
of the module is a residential field course, with an alternative local
option available for those who are unable to travel.
NOTE:
The field course will take place in the Semester 2 Common Assessment
Period (CAP) and therefore students will be limited to option modules
that have a coursework assessment. The list of permitted option
modules will be communicated to students when they make their option
module choices.
Related modules
Pre-requisite modules
Module will run
| Occurrence | Teaching period |
|---|---|
| A | Semester 2 2026-27 |
Module aims
The module builds on knowledge and skills from Stage 1 and Stage 2 modules covering ecological topics, and Becoming a Bioscientist skills modules. Students will gain experience and confidence in field ecology, and an understanding of a range of important habitats. They will learn how to conduct an independent field project and reflect on their skills development. The acquisition of field, practical and analytical skills, alongside the assessment for this module will also support relevant research projects in Stage 3 and 4.
Module learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete this module will be able to:
Design effective and robust ecological investigations.
Access and critically evaluate literature relevant to their investigation.
Demonstrate appropriate selection and use of statistical and analysis frameworks for ecological datasets.
Solve problems and challenges of experimental design, data collection and analysis, ethics and safety.
Design effective and robust ecological investigations.
Reflect effectively on their field skills development over the module.
Indicative assessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 50.0 |
| Essay/coursework | 50.0 |
Special assessment rules
None
Indicative reassessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 50.0 |
| Essay/coursework | 50.0 |
Module feedback
Marks for all summative assessments will be made available to you and
your supervisor via e:vision. Feedback will be either individual or
cohort-level, depending on the assessment format. You should take the
opportunity to discuss your marks and feedback with your
supervisor.
For exam-style summative assessment, model
answers will be provided for all questions along with cohort-level
feedback indicating how students answered questions in general. Marks
achieved per question will be added to your script.
For
coursework assessments (eg. reports or essays) you will receive
individual feedback on your work. This will usually be in the form of
a feedback sheet that will include suggestions for further
improvement.
During the teaching of the module you will
receive formative feedback that may be at a whole class or individual
level. Such feedback may include: model answers and discussion of
workshop questions, summaries of performance in practicals, VLE-based
quizzes, individual spoken comments during workshops, individual
written comments on formative work.
Indicative reading
These are available through the VLE module site.