Undergraduate Course: Conservation Science (ECSC10035)
Course Outline
| School | School of Geosciences |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 4 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 10 |
ECTS Credits | 5 |
| Summary | This course will introduce the field of conservation science focussing on changes in biodiversity, threats to biodiversity, protected area management, and people-focused conservation. The course will involve introductions to concepts, critical assessment of the literature, and discussion of current issues in conservation. |
| Course description |
Week 1: Introduction to conservation science
Week 2: Patterns of biodiversity
Weekend fieldtrip to the Cairngorms: Conservation management in practice
Week 3: Background population ecology for conservation
Week 4: Threats to biodiversity
Week 5: Why do we conserve biodiversity?
Week 6: Conservation Science Mid-term Conference
Week 7: Protected areas
Week 8: People-focused conservation
Week 9: Applied techniques in conservation: GIS
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
Students MUST have passed:
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | Successful completion of Ecology and Environmental Science first and second year. |
| Additional Costs | Cost of field trip to Cairngorms (approx £25) |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Academic year 2015/16, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: 35 |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
100
(
Lecture Hours 15,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 15,
Fieldwork Hours 20,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
48 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
|
| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Coursework (100%):
Presentation (10%)
Opinion piece (60%)
Blog post (5%)
POST Note (25%) |
| Feedback |
Formative feedback will be given throughout the course during tutorial sessions. Combination formative/summative/peer feedback during the session in Week 5. Feedback will be given on summative assessment at the end of the course and all students will be invited to an examination feedback session following release of course results. Examples of feedback can be found here: http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/geosciences/teaching-organisation/staff/feedback-and-marking |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Give an oral presentation, write an opinion piece and construct a blog on a selected topic in the field of conservation science.
- Understand the concept of biodiversity change and identify threats to global biodiversity.
- Understand how and why we conserve ecosystems and populations.
- Understand people-focused conservation.
- Use ecological and social science methods in relation to collected conservation data and write a POST Note.
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Reading List
| Scientific papers for compulsory and additional reading will be provided to the students in advance of each lecture. |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Communication skills, oral presentations, social media, opinion writing, critical thinking, discussion |
| Keywords | Conservation,biodiversity,land-use change,protected areas,ecosystem services,people |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Isla Myers-Smith
Tel: (0131 6)50 7251
Email: Isla.Myers-Smith@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Christine Lee
Tel: (0131 6)50 5430
Email: Christine.Lee@ed.ac.uk |
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