School of Medicine

Programme Organisers:

Dr Bill Hughes:
Email: w.o.h.hughes@leeds.ac.uk

Objectives

This programme provides a selection of Zoological modules for students who have completed at least the first two years of a medical or veterinary science degree and wish to intercalate into Zoology to obtain a BSc in Zoology. The objectives are to give these students an overview of zoological techniques in understanding the physiology, behaviour and interactions of a wide range of organisms outside those they would have encountered during their main degree. It also provides them with experience in designing, running and interpreting experiments, and the interpretation of experimental data.

Structure of the Programme

Students spend about half their time undertaking a research project which is usually laboratory-based but may be field based.  The other half of the programme is directed to the study of selected courses covering a range of zoological topics.

Learning takes place in lectures, practical classes and one-to-one with the research project supervisor.

Feedback

Student feedback is encouraged at all stages.  Programme performance is reported to the School of Biology Quality Management Committee via the programme manager.

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Programme content (120 level 3 credits)

Students will take a compulsory 40 credit Research project Module, and a further 80 credits from the following list:

Compulsory modules	Credits
Research Project	40
Optional Modules
Evolution BLGY2113	20
Animal Behaviour BLGY2222	10
Conservation Biology BLGY3241	10
Applied Animal Science BLGY3104	20
Social Insect Biology BLGY3213	10
Bats: Biology and Behaviour BLGY3121	10
Bioacoustics BLGY3125	10
Advanced Topics in Ecology BLGY3133	20
Human Populations and Evolution BLGY3141	20
Animal Metabolism and Nutrition BLGY3271	20
Current Topics in Evolution BLGY3185	20
Animal Developmental Biology BLGY3251	10
Animal Energetics BLGY3242	10

Note that students may not take both Evolution and Animal Behaviour as these are level 2 modules.

Research project

Students undertake a research project of six months' duration, which is usually laboratory-based, but may be field based.  Before students are allocated to a project the student is encouraged to meet potential supervisors and to discuss the research work.  A wide range of research topics is available on (for example) parasite-host interactions, field ecology and animal behaviour.

Assessment

The taught modules are assessed by a combination of course work (reports, essays, paper criticisms) and written examinations.

There is a staged assessment for the Research Project.  Most experimental work is completed by the end of the first semester, with analysis and writing up completed in the second semester.

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