Programme Specifications

With Integrated Year in Industry

Biosciences with consideration of Environmental Sciences

September 2023

The course will provide students with the necessary theoretical and practical knowledge underpinning the broad field of wildlife conservation and management. Core modules will ensure that students have a firm grounding in conservation biology, including aspects of policy and habitat management, but focused primarily on ecology / whole-organism biology. Optional modules will offer students the chance to specialize in specific areas of wildlife conservation.

Subject specific skills

• To provide students with knowledge of the importance of Planet Earth as the background to biodiversity and conservation. Students will gain an understanding of the geological and evolutionary processes that have shaped key habitats and the interactions between these habitats and the wildlife they support.

• An appreciation of the importance of conserving biodiversity and a range of scales, from genetic diversity to biomes and ecosystems.

• An understanding of approaches to conserving species, habitats and ecosystems.

• An understanding of the relevant policy that underlies biological conservation and environmental management.

• An awareness of the legal, moral, ethical and social elements of conservation alongside other human activities including leisure and agriculture.
  
  

Generic and graduate skills

• To develop a critical and analytical approach in all aspects of study and problem solving, including the ability to deal with complex issues both systematically and creatively and be able to communicate their understanding.

• To enable and develop effective teamwork and communication skills, particularly via field and laboratory activities

• To engender a confidence to learn by responding positively and proactively to feedback provided.

• To develop strong communication skills both orally and in writing.

• To show awareness of associated industries, stakeholders needs and impacts

The alternative schemes have specific learning outcomes, and therefore subject knowledge, remain unchanged. However, students will be able to demonstrate additional outcomes as a result of undertaking the year in industry. These additional outcomes provide an enhanced student experience and allow students to develop knowledge of their subject areas in applied contexts and to develop work experience and thus enhance their employability. Specifically, the proposed degree aims to advantage students in the following additional ways:

• To apply approaches, concepts, skills, methods and/or theories in a work-based context relevant to their scheme.

• To develop highly valued transferable and professional skills during a work placement, providing a competitive edge in the graduate job market.

• To enable students to learn about an organization and its area of work, providing an excellent opportunity to evaluate future career paths.

Subject specific skills (with Integrated Year in Industry)

The Subject specific skills of the schemes will not change. Nevertheless, on the completion of their degree, students on these four year versions of the schemes will have gained a valuable insight in to a field of employment relating to their subject area in the biological sciences, developing the associated skills and enhancing their employability / networking / establishing industry links.

Generic and graduate skills (with Integrated Year in Industry)

The generic and graduate skills of the schemes will not change. However, the four year version of the schemes ‘with a year in Industry’ will likely develop the skills listed below, though the nature and emphasis will depend on the exact employment; not all of these will be assessed, though most are likely to form part of the employer’s assessment of the student:

• Working independently

• Working as part of a team

• Respecting the views, beliefs, opinions and values of others

• Listening to, and engaging with, other speakers

• Effective verbal communication in a range of settings, including group discussions and debates and formal presentations

• Effective written communication in a variety of forms

• Use of information technologies to process, store, present and communicate information, including spreadsheets, databases, word processing, e-mail and the world-wide web

• Identifying, retrieving, sorting and handling information from conventional and electronic sources, including libraries, CD-ROMs, on-line computer resources and the world-wide web

• Time management and self-regulation of work regimes

• Research issues and solve problems

• Adapting to change

• Reading comprehension and interpretation of a range of written material

• Observational skills

• Collating, processing, interpreting and presenting numerical data

• Identifying appropriate career pathways and developing the capacity to compete

Overall aim of the scheme

The overarching objective of the degree is to give students an holistic course that covers all aspects of wildlife conservation. The programme will be grounded firmly in the background scientific knowledge and ecological concepts that need to be applied to the conservation of endangered flora and fauna.

Overall aim of the scheme

The overall aims of the schemes will not change. Additionally, the aim of the four year versions of the schemes will aim to develop graduate level skills, as described in the Generic and Graduate level skills section above.

By the end of their programme, all students are expected to be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

A1 Planet Earth as the background to biodiversity and conservation

A2 Evolution and diversity of organisms, habitats and ecosystems

A3 In situ and ex situ approaches to conservation

A4 Conservation at both global and local scales

A5 Relevant policy that underlies biological conservation and environmental management

Learning and Teaching

• Lectures

• Tutorials

• Case-studies

• Fieldwork

• Laboratory practicals

• Literature-based research

• Computer-assisted learning

• Active and interactive learning

• Research leading to a Dissertation

Assessment Strategies and Methods

Written examinations and coursework, including:

• Multiple-choice examination questions

• Short-answer examination questions

• Essay-style examination questions

• Oral and poster presentations

• Article and report writing

• Practical write-ups

• Submission of a Dissertation

The scheme provides opportunities for students to develop and demonstrate knowledge and understanding, skills, qualities and other attributes in the additional following areas:

• A6 Demonstrate a range of transferable skills including initiative, independence and commercial awareness.

Learning and Teaching (with Integrated Year in Industry)

During their integrated year in industry students will embed themselves within a working environment, allowing for the development of a range of transferable and life skills commensurate with the above. Furthermore, students on this scheme will have the potential to utilise the knowledge and skills associated with other outcomes developed in years 1 and 2. This will be in part dependent on the nature of the organization their position is based with.

Assessment Strategies and Methods (with Integrated Year in Industry)

Students on the integrated industrial year will be required to register for the modules BRS0000, BRS0060, BRS0100, and BRS0160. During the integrated Year in Industry, students will be required to submit an Introductory Report (worth 30% of the Industrial Year mark) on the organization that they are working for, its structure, aims and operation; and a Workplace investigation, to investigate a technical aspect of the work that they are doing (worth 40% of the Industrial Year mark). Finally, there will be an AU staff assessment of the final student self-evaluation and employer’s report. These will be marked in order to assess the student’s achievement of learning outcome 10.1 above as well as the other learning outcomes of their scheme.

10.2.1 Intellectual Skills

By the end of their programme, all students are expected to be able to demonstrate the following:

• B1 Skills needed for academic study and enquiry

• B2 The scientific method, formulation of hypotheses and experimental design

• B3 The application of appropriate analytical methods
  
  

Learning and Teaching

• Lectures

• Tutorials

• Case-studies

• Fieldwork

• Laboratory practicals

• Literature-based research

• Computer-assisted learning

• Active and interactive learning

• Research leading to a Dissertation

Assessment Strategies and Methods

• Written examinations and coursework, including:

• Multiple-choice examination questions

• Short-answer examination questions

• Essay-style examination questions

• Oral and poster presentations

• Article and report writing

• Practical write-ups

• Submission of a Dissertation

10.2.2 Professional practical skills (where applicable)

By the end of their programme, all students are expected to be able to:

• C1 Design and apply various appropriate approaches to scientific study

• C2 Conduct and report on field and laboratory investigations

• C3 Identify relevant issues pertaining to health and safety, legislation and ethics

• C4 Design appropriate conservation and management strategies and plans

• C5 Write for a range of audiences, including academics, practitioners, stakeholders and public

Learning and Teaching

• Laboratory practicals

• Fieldwork

• Class activities / case-studies

• Research leading to a Dissertation

Assessment Strategies and Methods

• Oral and poster presentations

• Article and report writing

• Practical write-ups

• Submission of a Dissertation

10.2.1 Intellectual Skills (with Integrated Year in Industry)

By the end of their programme, all students are expected to be able to demonstrate THE FOLLOWING ADDITIONAL LEARNING OUTCOME:

• B4 Demonstrate experience of working in a professional environment

Learning and Teaching

Outcome 10.2.1 will be achieved through completing an extended integrated Year in Industry position at a suitable workplace.

Assessment Strategies and Methods

Evidence of outcome 10.2.1 will be secured through the completion of the assessment strategy described in 10.1 above.

10.2.2 Professional practical skills (where applicable) (with Integrated Year in Industry)

By the end of their programme, all students are expected to be able to demonstrate THE FOLLOWING ADDITIONAL LEARNING OUTCOME:

• C6 Applying principles, methods, approaches, concepts, skills and/or theories appropriate to the relevant biological sciences scheme in a professional context, as well as understanding the challenges of working in a professional environment.

Learning and Teaching

The professional skills identified in 10.2.2 will be primarily developed through spending a year in industry

Assessment Strategies and Methods

10.2.2 will be evidenced by the completion of the assessment strategy described in 10.1 above, detailing experiences of a year in industry, as well as reports on associated technical information.

By the end of their programme, all students are expected to be able to demonstrate the following key skills:

• D1 Problem solving

• D2 General research skills

• D3 Communication

• D4 Personal development, including study skills and career planning

• D5 Teamwork

• D6 Information Technology

Learning and Teaching

Transferable key skills are an integral component of many modules and related to relevant assessments, including:

• Tutorials / seminars

• Problem-based learning

• Self-directed learning

• Written work

• Individual and group-based project work

• Oral and poster presentation

Assessment Strategies and Methods

Transferable / key skills are embedded throughout the various assessments. Generic skills include note taking, researching, problem solving, report writing, oral presentation, interview and communication skills.

By the end of their programme, all students are expected to be able to demonstrate THE FOLLOWING ADDITIONAL LEARNING OUTCOME:

• D7 Professionalism and an understanding of commercial pressures

Learning and Teaching

Skill 10.3 will be developed through undertaking the year in industry component. In addition, and dependent upon the nature of the position undertaken, the year in industry has the potential to further enhance the other generic skills detailed in Section 9 above.

Assessment Strategies and Methods

10.3 will be evidenced by the completion of the assessment strategy described in 10.1 above, but primarily through the AU staff assessment of the final student self-evaluation and employer’s report