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DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2024/2025

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Geosciences : Ecological Science

Undergraduate Course: Critical Thinking in Ecological and Environmental Sciences (ECSC09007)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Geosciences CollegeCollege of Science and Engineering
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 9 (Year 3 Undergraduate) AvailabilityNot available to visiting students
SCQF Credits20 ECTS Credits10
SummaryTopics covered in lectures and discussions will include a broad range of current issues including: tropical ecology, climate change, species diversity and marine ecology, technology in the environmental sciences, oceanography and hydrology.
Course description Each week consists of two contact sessions: The first is a 2-hour session consisting of a guest lecture on a current issue in EES, and an associated activity. The second is a 1-hour small-group tutorial on two journal articles relating to the guest lecture topic.

Academic teaching staff and guest lecturers run the Monday lecture and activity sessions; PDRAs run the Friday tutorial sessions. Group size for tutorials is 5-6 students.

The tutorial format consists of an initial introduction of the two articles by the tutorial leader, rigorous (evidence-based) discussion and critique of the articles by the group, and a final summary statement by the tutorial leader. From weeks 1-3, the tutorial will be led by course teachers; from week 4 onwards, each student in the tutorial group will lead a tutorial on one of the guest lecture topics; they have a free choice of topic and topics can be repeated within tutorial groups (though not discussion questions or articles). As there are 7 guest lectures and 5-6 students per tutorial group, there will be 1-2 guest-lecture linked tutorials which will be staff-led.

The CO will recommend articles and discussion questions for staff-led tutorials; in student-led tutorials the tutorial leader will select the two articles and discussion questions.

Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements Students should be enrolled on the Ecology and Environmental Sciences degree programme.
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2024/25, Available to all students (SV1) Quota:  None
Course Start Semester 2
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 200 ( Lecture Hours 20, Seminar/Tutorial Hours 10, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 166 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 100 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Feedback Not entered
No Exam Information
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. Describe the scientific publishing landscape and types of scientific writing, and recognize how scientific ideas gain influence in academia and other sectors.
  2. Critique and discuss ideas on a range of current issues in ecological and environmental sciences, particularly those researched within the School of GeoSciences and its partner institutions.
  3. Formulate their own scientific questions, and synthesise evidence from scientific literature to arrive at conclusions.
Reading List
None
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Research and enquiry: Problem solving, analytical thinking, critical thinking, independent research, handling complexity and ambiguity.

Personal and intellectual autonomy: Independent learning and development, creativity and inventive thinking, decision making.

Personal effectiveness: Leadership, team working, assertiveness and confidence.

Communication: Verbal communication and presentation, written communication, including scientific communication.
Keywordsecological and environmental sciences
Contacts
Course organiserDr Saran Sohi
Tel: (0131 6)51 4471
Email: saran.sohi@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMiss Francesca Nadal Finnegan
Tel: (0131 6)50 4842
Email: Francesca.Finnegan@ed.ac.uk
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