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DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2021/2022

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Biological Sciences : Postgraduate

Postgraduate Course: Quantitative Genetics (PGBI11125)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Biological Sciences CollegeCollege of Science and Engineering
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) AvailabilityNot available to visiting students
SCQF Credits20 ECTS Credits10
SummaryIntroductory sessions will cover basic material in biology and genetics and algebra revision.
Students will go on to learn about the origin of variation from mutation, how allele frequencies change and how variation can be maintained by natural selection, the interaction between mutation and selection, genetic load, the genetics of finite populations including the coalescent process, molecular evolution and variation, and the evolutionary implications of linkage disequilibrium. The course will expose students to algebraic reasoning in an applied biological setting, problem solving, logic, attention to detail in calculations, oral paper presentation and scientific report writing summarising the work of others. Teaching is via lectures and associated question and answer sessions, tutorials and problem sessions and group discussions of recent key scientific papers on relevant and interesting topics.
Course description The first week will focus on the fundamental concepts in population genetics, including mutation, selection and genetic drift, which are required for the study of quantitative variation. Students will then learn about the importance of quantitative variation, how variation can be explained by simple genetic models, causes of resemblance between relatives, kinships and relationships, heritability and selection response, correlated characters, consequences and management of inbreeding, and variation in natural populations The course will expose students to statistical reasoning within the setting of the analysis of continuously variable traits, problem solving, logic, attention to detail in calculations, oral paper presentation and scientific report writing summarising the work of others. Teaching is via lectures and associated question and answer sessions, tutorials and problem sessions and group discussions of recent key scientific papers on relevant and interesting topics.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2021/22, Not available to visiting students (SS1) Quota:  30
Course Start Block 2 (Sem 1)
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 200 ( Lecture Hours 50, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 146 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 50 %, Coursework 50 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment) ICA 1: problems (25%).
ICA 2: essay (25%)
Exam: problems + 1 essay or paper summary (50%)
Feedback Marks and feedback for the ICAs will be made available shortly after each week's submission deadline. Feedback will also be received via a formative assessment essay, and participation in Q&A sessions and tutorials, where the students will be asked to solve problems.
Exam Information
Exam Diet Paper Name Hours & Minutes
Main Exam Diet S1 (December)2:00
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. To have a thorough understanding of the general concepts in quantitative genetics.
  2. To have the foundation for advanced studies in semester 2 in evolutionary, human and animal breeding genetics.
Reading List
None
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Cognitive skills (evaluation & critical analysis and logical decomposition of problems)
Numeracy and IT skills (mathematical/statistical analysis, bioinformatic workflows and simulation algorithms needed to solve complex data analysis)
Autonomy, accountability and working with others
KeywordsQuantitative Genetics,Genetics,Biology,Quantitative Genetics and Genome Analysis
Contacts
Course organiserProf Peter Keightley
Tel: (0131 6)50 5443
Email: Peter.Keightley@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMiss Zofia Bekas
Tel: (0131 6)50 5513
Email: zofia.bekas@ed.ac.uk
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