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Module

NES3501 : Advanced Marine Research Topics I

  • Offered for Year: 2024/25
  • Module Leader(s): Professor Sam Wilson
  • Lecturer: Professor Grant Burgess, Dr Marco Fusi
  • Owning School: Natural and Environmental Sciences
  • Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
  • Capacity limit: 85 student places
Semesters

Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.

Semester 1 Credit Value: 20
ECTS Credits: 10.0
European Credit Transfer System

Aims

This module provides a 'finishing course' for students with interests in postgraduate studies in Marine Biology, and will provide insights into various topics at the forefront of contemporary research in this science area. Study units will include blocks of eight lectures and workshop-type teaching. The overall goal of the module is to illustrate modern, multidisciplinary research across a range of marine sciences reflecting active Marine Biology research areas in the School.

Outline Of Syllabus

Three x 8 hour blocks based on current themes in Marine Science linked to academic staff research interests. Content will be drawn from themes such as:

Marine Chemical Ecology

Marine Biotechnology

Coral Reef Ecology and Restoration

Marine Remote Sensing

Public Engagement with Science

Biological Nitrogen Fixation

Oceanographic Modelling

Global Sea Levels and Circulation

Estuarine Biogeochemistry

Teaching Methods

Teaching Activities
Category Activity Number Length Student Hours Comment
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesLecture11:001:00Supervised revision session
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesLecture241:0024:00Core content lectures. 8 x 1hr per ‘theme’
Guided Independent StudyAssessment preparation and completion13:003:00Completion of written exercise - open book online exam, to be completed in five day period
Guided Independent StudyAssessment preparation and completion242:0048:00Revision for assessment
Guided Independent StudyDirected research and reading241:0024:00Lecture follow up: ReCap
Guided Independent StudyDirected research and reading244:10100:00Lecture follow up: reading
Total200:00
Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Lectures will present relevant, research-focused course material, allowing students to gain a greater appreciation of the research activities undertaken by academic staff. Students will be further encouraged to develop their critical thinking skills.
Directed research and reading will support the information received through formal lectures by guided independent study using key papers from primary literature. Students build upon the independent learning skills developed at Levels 4 and 5.
Assessment preparation and completion will allow students to fully prepare for the online examination. They will have the opportunity to consolidate and build upon knowledge gained in the taught sessions.

Assessment Methods

The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners

Exams
Description Length Semester When Set Percentage Comment
Digital Examination9991A10024 hour take home exam. Students will spend 3 hours completing this exam. INSPERA
Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The written exercise will be an online exam. It will assess the level of knowledge and understanding of all aspects of the module, including student reading. The online examination will present students with two questions from each of the three topics, and students will answer one question per topic using a maximum of 1000 words per essay. This online examination will be completed over twenty four hours within the assessment period.

Reading Lists

Timetable