Programme Specifications

With Integrated Year in Industry

Biosciences 2015

September 2017

Students will develop their interest and knowledge in the biological sciences with specialisation in Zoology.

Subject specific skills

Develop the intellectual and practical skills of the student in preparation for employment in the zoological sciences and the wider range of disciplines open to the graduate biologist.

Generic and graduate skills

Provide the skills necessary to allow students to adapt and respond to change, and to engage in life-long learning.

Develop in students an appreciation of the social responsibilities of graduates in biological sciences in general, and in the zoological sciences in particular.

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 aim of the scheme is to provide graduates with the skills and knowledge to meet and exceed the generic standards given in the QAA Biosciences Benchmark Statement, with a particular focus on the subject specific statements relating primarily to organisms but also including statements from ecology and environmental biology.

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:

• The ability to explain biological phenomena at a variety of levels (from molecular to ecological systems) and the importance of evolutionary theory in driving pattern and interactions in the natural world.

• How organisms are classified and have an appreciation of both morphometric and molecular approaches to organismal identification.

• Knowledge of the diversity of organisms in the natural world as well as their form and function.

• Knowledge of physiology and how it enables organisms to reside within their respective environment.

• An appreciation of metabolism at the cellular and organism level.

• Knowledge of the basic genetic principles relating to, and the evolution of, a variety of study organisms.

• Knowledge of the structure, distribution, and diversity of natural populations and communities in relation to biotic and abiotic factors.

• Awareness of human interactions with natural populations, communities and ecosystems as well as the significance of species both as resources and potential harmful organisms.

• Knowledge of ‘behaviour’, its importance, and the processes responsible for the evolution, and the molecular basis of behavioural patterns.

• An appreciation of the ethical issues related to biosciences as well as the impact that the biosciences have on society including recent advances in understanding.

Learning and Teaching

Elements of these skills are embedded in all modules and are taught/learned through a variety of methods including: lectures; laboratory/field practicals; workshops; seminars; tutorials; problem based learning scenarios and case studies; self-directed study and research; oral and poster presentations; research projects; peer and collaborative learning; feedback from coursework assignments.

Assessment Strategies and Methods

Unseen and seen examinations; laboratory and field reports; dissertation thesis; essays; data interpretation exercises; oral and poster presentations.

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

• 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:

• Experience and competence in a broad range of practical skills and techniques used in the biosciences.

• The application of scientific method including the development of hypotheses, appropriate practical experimental design, data collection, data analysis and presentation and the ability to critically evaluate the results in the light of current scientific understanding.

• The ability to record data accurately and to carry out basic data manipulation, including statistical analysis.

• The ability to plan, execute a body of work within a framework in which qualities such as time management, problem solving and independence are evident.

• The ability to synthesise and critically evaluate biosciences literature (particularly that related to zoology) from a variety of sources and communicate the principles through written and oral means using appropriate citations, ensuring the academic integrity and the avoidance of plagiarism whether intentional or not.

Learning and Teaching

Elements of these skills are embedded in all modules and are taught/learned through a variety of methods including: lectures; laboratory/field practicals; workshops; seminars; tutorials; problem based learning scenarios and case studies; self-directed study and research; oral and poster presentations; research projects; peer and collaborative learning; feedback from coursework assignments.

Assessment Strategies and Methods

Unseen and seen examinations; laboratory and fieldwork reports; dissertation thesis; essays; data interpretation exercises; oral and poster presentations; online activities.

10.2.2 Professional practical skills (where applicable)

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

• Safe, ethical working practices, including the completion of risk assessments and a consideration of animal welfare, in the laboratory and field.

• A wide variety of laboratory of field skills and techniques used by professionals working within the field of zoology.

• An ability to identify organisms, either via own knowledge, dichotomous keys and/or molecular techniques.

Learning and Teaching

Elements of these skills are embedded in all modules and are taught/learned through a variety of methods including: laboratory/field practicals; oral and poster presentations; research projects and dissertation; feedback from coursework assignments.

Assessment Strategies and Methods

Laboratory and fieldwork reports; dissertation thesis; oral and poster presentations.

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:

• 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:

• 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 skills for independent life-long working e.g. time management, independent and group working, critical analysis, problem solving, good written and spoken communication skills, organization and knowledge transfer/exchange skills.

• The ability to identify and work towards targets for personal and professional career development.

• The use of the internet and other electronic sources to identify, critically evaluate and communicate source of information.

Learning and Teaching

Elements of these skills are embedded in all modules and are taught/learned through a variety of methods including: unseen and seen examinations; laboratory/field reports; data interpretation exercises; oral and poster presentations; research dissertation; essays; self-directed study and research.

Assessment Strategies and Methods

Unseen and seen examinations; laboratory and fieldwork reports; dissertation thesis; essays; data interpretation exercises; oral and poster presentations; online activities.

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

• 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