BB546: Behavioural Biology
Study Board of Science
Teaching language: English
EKA: N100024112, N100024102
Assessment: Second examiner: None, Second examiner: Internal
Grading: Pass/Fail, 7-point grading scale
Offered in: Odense
Offered in: Autumn
Level: Bachelor
STADS ID (UVA): N100024101
ECTS value: 5
Date of Approval: 28-03-2018
Duration: 1 semester
Version: Archive
Comment
Students who have previously attended and passed BB809 can not follow this course BB546.
This BA course can exceptionally be chosen by graduate students who have not taken the course on their bachelor's degree.
This BA course can exceptionally be chosen by graduate students who have not taken the course on their bachelor's degree.
Entry requirements
Academic preconditions
Course introduction
The aim of this course is to give students heading for a Master’s degree in Biology and an introduction into and a broad overview on Behavioural Biology. Students interested in the field are given the chance to gain insights into major breakthroughs in Behavioural Biology, training in relating to currently debated topics, and an orientation about interesting questions for future projects.
The course gives an academic basis for studying the topics in behavioural biology and neuroscience.
In relation to the competence profile of the degree it is the explicit focus of the course to:
- Give the competence to read original research literature covering behavioural biology
- Give skills to make unbiased observations and quantification of animal behaviour.
- Give knowledge and understanding of basic terminology and state of the art methodologies in behavioural biology.
Expected learning outcome
The learning objectives of the course are that the student demonstrates the ability to:
- structure the presented overview on behavioural biology
- argue on the basis of the acquired knowledge about behavioural biology
- relate examples presented to basic concepts of behavioural biology
- analyze a new problem presented in a journal article on a behavioural biological subject
- classify exemplary methods according to the approaches presented in a behavioural biological study
- use systematic methods to quantify animal behaviour
Content
The course covers a wide variety of topics in Behavioural Biology.
The lecture topics are:
The lecture topics are:
- History of Behavioural Biology and modern approaches
- Sensory systems and cognitive mechanisms
- Learning and animal culture
- Orientation and habitat selection
- Foraging and antipredator behaviour
- Communication and aggression
- Mating systems and kinship
- Social behaviour and human behaviour
- The students are presented with the practical use of behavioural biology through field assignments and an excursion that will give insights into ongoing scientific projects in a zoo.
Literature
Examination regulations
Prerequisites for participating in the exam a)
Timing
Autumn
Tests
Active participation
EKA
N100024112
Assessment
Second examiner: None
Grading
Pass/Fail
Identification
Full name and SDU username
Language
Normally, the same as teaching language
Examination aids
To be announced during the course
ECTS value
0
Additional information
Active participation in field trip.
The prerequisite examination is a prerequisite for participation in exam element a).
The prerequisite examination is a prerequisite for participation in exam element a).
Exam element a)
Timing
Fall
Prerequisites
| Type | Prerequisite name | Prerequisite course |
|---|---|---|
| Examination part | Prerequisites for participating in the exam a) | N100024101, BB546: Behavioural Biology |
Tests
Portfolio
EKA
N100024102
Assessment
Second examiner: Internal
Grading
7-point grading scale
Identification
Full name and SDU username
Language
Normally, the same as teaching language
Examination aids
To be announced during the course
ECTS value
5
Additional information
Portfolio with:
- written assignment on animal behaviour
- oral presentation of seminar
In the literature seminars each student must choose a recent journal article on a Behavioural Biology topic. She/he is asked to prepare a short presentation and discussion of the work, which is presented and discussed in plenum. Two students are pre-assigned to be discussion opponents and have to prepare critical questions to the presenters.
Overall assessment.
Reexam in the same exam period or immediately thereafter. The mode of exam at the re-examination may differ from the mode of exam at the ordinary exam.
Indicative number of lessons
Teaching Method
At the faculty of science, teaching is organized after the three-phase model ie. intro, training and study phase.
Activities during the study phase:
- Reading scientific article
- Critical reflection / commentary
- Preparation for plenum presentation