1. GATHER, SYNTHESISE, SUMMARISE AND CRITICALLY EVALUATE INFORMATION AND EVIDENCE INCLUDING CURRENT BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH AND THEN USE THAT INFORMATION TO SUPPORT AND DEVELOP ARGUMENTS
a) Knowledge & Understanding
b) Learning

2. SAFELY AND ETHICALLY EXECUTE APPROPRIATE PRACTICAL TECHNIQUES TO CONDUCT A BIOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION WITH MINIMAL GUIDANCE AND INDIRECT SUPERVISION
a) Application
b) Enquiry
c) Reflection

3. EXPLAIN THE SCIENTIFIC PRINCIPLES UNDERLYING THE METHODS AND TECHNIQUES USED AND EVALUATE THEIR LIMITATIONS AND ALTERNATIVES INCLUDING CONSIDERATION OF RELEVANT SAFETY AND ETHICAL ISSUES
a) Knowledge & Understanding
b) Learning
c) Application

4. APPLY APPROPRIATE STATISTICAL TECHNIQUES TO TEST BIOLOGICAL HYPOTHESES AND DEMONSTRATE AN AWARENESS OF THEIR ASSUMPTIONS AND THE LIMITATIONS OF THE TESTS USED a) Application
b) Enquiry
c) Problem Solving

5. CONFIDENTLY AND PROACTIVELY EMPLOY IT SKILLS AS AN INTEGRAL TOOL TO SUPPORT LEARNING a) Enquiry

6. COMMUNICATE IN THE FORMAT AND STYLE APPROPRIATE TO A PROFESSIONAL BIOLOGICAL SCIENTIST a) Communication

The project is designed to allow you to demonstrate your development as a scientific practitioner in the pathway of your choice and is viewed as a culmination of your discipline expertise and professionalism.

This substantial project provides the opportunity for you to draw together all the practical experience, knowledge and critical understanding your pathway has provided.

You are required to study a topic relevant to your Course and pathway from an idea generated by yourself in discussion with an academic adviser.

The project is seen by professional bodies as a cap-stone experience providing real-world experience of project design , implementation and delivery.

• Barnard, C.J., Gilbert, F.S. and McGregor, P.K. (2007). Asking Questions in Biology. Pearson Education Ltd, Harlow.
• Knisely, K. (2009). A Student handbook for Writing in Biology. Sinauer Associates, Inc., Massachusetts.
• Luck, M. (1999). Your Student Research Project. Gower Publishing Ltd, Aldershot.
• Jones, A.M, Reed, R. and Weyers, J.D.B. (2003). Practical Skills in Biology. Pearson Education Ltd, Harlow.

A minimum of 40% in BOTH summative assessments is required to pass the module.

1. A 5000-word research project thesis (Learning outcomes 1, 4, 5, 6) Weighting 70%
2. A 20-minute viva voce examination (Learning outcomes 2, 3, 6) weighting 30%

The research thesis will present the project methodology, data and outcomes in a professional style allowing for their integration within the context of other published studies.

The viva voce examination will focus on the student's rationale for the particular practical approaches that they adopted, any particular practical difficulties encountered and how they circumvented them. They will do this in front of an A1 sized poster highlighting the key findings(s) from their project work.

4 hours of workshop to highlight specific logistically important components of the module
16 hours of individual supervisory tutorials to provide practical work guidance, to develop practical, data analysis, data presentation and data interpretation skills and to provide feedback and guidance concerning the summative assessments
12 hours participation in an end of year capstone student conference event (BioEXPO, GradEx)
142 hours of indirectly supervised practical work
34 hours of tutor guided reading indicated in the lectures and supervisory tutorials
100 hours of independent analysis and interpretation of practical findings involving a mixture of data handling activity, self-directed reading and reflective writing
94 hours assessment preparation involving a mixture of self-directed reading, note taking and scientific writing including your submission of a poster to support the viva


Technology enhanced learning: All module material will be made available electronically on a Microsoft Teams based virtual learning environment. This will include the ability for students to access some lectures remotely - either live or via asynchronous delivery of voiced over slides, screen capture demonstrations or in house produced training videos. This will also allow formative tasks and in class exercises to be completed and reviewed live. It will allow the linking of technology based supplementary material including, but not limited to, journal links, live seminars and conferences, you tube videos, animal live webcams at zoos and wild areas, online software such as Google Map layers and MINITAB. Use of collaborative learning platforms (e.g. Google whiteboard), Quizizz and other interactive learning, progress and assessment tools and the internet in general will also be used to enhance learning. The college has bookable laptops for student use in all teaching blocks for students that do not have their own hardware to access this material in classroom-based sessions. Students will also have their own ProPortal page that can be used to monitor and track their pastoral and academic progress, career development and personal targets and is managed by the tutor through ProMonitor.

Networked PCs with the current student image and access to Blackboard.
University Library and the Sciences Learning Resource Centre.
Appropriately equipped laboratory
Access to Animal Zone and a range of appropriate species
~150-hectare managed college owned estate of mixed arable and livestock farmland, ancient woodland, wetlands, ponds, pools and grasslands

N/A