Module Catalogue 2024/25

Pre Requisite Comment

These modules provide the foundation skills and knowledge necessary for undertaking the research vessel and field course elements of this module

Co Requisite Comment

N/A

Aims

Develop and appreciation of the global context of a student's marine skills and knowledge and to apply those skills an knowledge in a new environment or to address key questions of current relevance in the marine sector.

Outline Of Syllabus

For the field course: 

Residential field course involving a range of laboratory, shore based and in/on-water tasks. The exact location of the course may vary from year to year. Students will be assessed on their ability to work both in teams and independently on project-related tasks. Lectures, discussion seminars and workshops will provide grounding in the ecology of the location, and provide opportunities for building team skills. Following their return, tutorial project clinics will provide opportunities for reflection on learning outcomes, data analysis and report writing. 
 

Research vessel practicals:

Culmination of a stage-by-stage progression in the students’ use of the vessel for undertaking data collections. These sessions will introduce students to working offshore on a research vessel with activities targeted specifically around the local fishery and associated littoral habitats. They will gain a wider appreciation and experience of sing new sampling methodologies to address key ecological and practical management questions.

Seminar Series:  

Invited speakers from the UK and overseas, will share their research experiences, and illuminate global marine science issues. Students will be encouraged to use these seminars as a starting point for extended reading on current topical areas of global marine science research.

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

At the end of the module a student will be able to demonstrate advanced knowledge of appropriate analytical techniques, in laboratory, field and research vessel environments, and apply them to their own individual research projects across a both a range of habitats and within field, laboratory, and desk-based scenarios.

Intended Skill Outcomes

At the end of the module it is expected students will be able to:
1.       Work in small teams to develop new practical skills to survey an unfamiliar environment overseas, and
draw conclusions about those ecosystems based on their findings
2.       Conduct an independent research investigation, based on their own formulated hypotheses, and present
their statistical analyses and conclusions in the form of a scientific paper
3.       Competency and confidence in applying a range of new analytical techniques to asking questions of their
scientific data and the associated software used to perform these analyses
4. Competency and confidence in applying a range of new sampling techniques to assess variability in
sublittoral marine habitats and fauna.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Lectures will provide briefings to inform students of the format of their field course and their final field course project report.   

The residential field course provides training in and experience of field work, new biogeographic regions and research project skills. Clinics will be held following the field course to inform students of the format of their project report, and provide one-to-one support with data analysis and report writing.  

The research vessel practical will build upon the skills and knowledge gained at stage 1 (MST1205) and stage 2 (MST2205) of their programme and allow them to marry this with the introduction and experience of new sampling methodologies to conduct assessments of marine habitats and fauna in an offshore North Sea setting.

The seminar series, both in person and via online synchronous sessions, and extended reading encourages the students to consider the integration of their programme of study to the wider field of marine sciences and to be able to draw on a range of information sources delivered in a wide range of styles. 

Assessment preparation and completion will allow students to fully prepare for their summative assessments. Through this and independent study students will have the opportunity to consolidate and build upon knowledge gained throughout their degree programmes.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The assessed field course report will be in the form of a scientific paper manuscript, which will examine the student’s ability to design, execute and write-up components of a research study, including presentation and interpretation of appropriate statistical techniques and discussion of the key findings using the primary literature. It will also highlight their ability to clearly plan, execute and succinctly describe their research undertaken the field. (this builds substantially on key training at stage 2; MST2205 and MST2204)

 
The exam will be a general paper with questions focussed on the big issues and challenges in marine science allowing students to draw upon their collective knowledge obtained throughout the programme alongside their wider studies, attendance at research seminars, and general knowledge.

General Notes

N/A