BIOS4221 – Biodiversity Field Research
Course content
This course will allow students to gain training in international collaboration while performing fieldwork and other aspects of current biodiversity research. Countries visited and specific research activities may change from year to year. Students will also learn how to translate what they have learned into outreach activities aimed at scientists and at the general public.
Learning outcome
After this course, you will have:
- Good insight into the biodiversity and ecology of micro- and macro-organisms and ecological communities in a region outside of Norway.
- Practice in designing and implementing field studies with minimal prior knowledge and logistic support.
- Experience with relevant approaches for the use of DNA sequencing technologies or other field-based biodiversity monitoring methods.
- Experience with collaboration across different cultural and educational backgrounds.
- Experience with scientific communication, both written and verbal, to different target groups.
Admission to the course
Students admitted at UiO must?apply for courses?in Studentweb. Students enrolled in other Master's Degree Programmes can, on application, be admitted to the course if this is cleared by their own study programme.
If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about?admission requirements and procedures for international applicants.
Applicants are ranked by the following criteria:
- Master's students at the MN faculty who have the course as part of their approved curriculum. Master students at the Department of Biosciences, programme options Biodiversity and Systematics, and Ecology and Evolution are given priority in this order.
- Students enrolled in other Master's Degree Programmes at UiO.
- Students with admission to single courses on master’s level.
Applicants are ranked by credits in each group; all applicants within 1st rank before applicants in 2nd etc.
In addition, students must have a background in biodiversity, ecology, and evolution. Students must be able to travel internationally and actively participate in fieldwork.
If the number of applicants within a group exceeds the course capacity, priority will be given to students whose master's projects most closely align with that year's course topic.
All applicants are required to send their project description for theirs master's thesis to?micah.dunthorn@nhm.uio.no.
Formal prerequisite knowledge
Recommended previous knowledge
Basic knowledge in biodiversity and ecology
Teaching
There will be a mandatory meeting in the spring semester, either in person or online, which is required for students to qualify for participation in the field component of the course.
The field part of the course will be up to two weeks in another country, and attendance during both weeks is mandatory. Students must attend lectures, field sampling, laboratory experiments, analyse their data and present them.
Examination
As a final exam, there will be an oral presentation of the results for different target audiences.
Examination support material
All examination support material is allowed.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a pass/fail scale. Read more about?the grading system.
More about examinations at UiO
- Use of sources and citations
- How to use AI as a student
- Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
- Withdrawal from an exam
- Illness at exams / postponed exams
- Explanation of grades and appeals
- Resitting an exam
- Cheating/attempted cheating
You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.