Entry requirements

Bachelor's degree, and in addition at least 30 credits of courses in biology at advanced level, including courses at advanced level that are necessary for the project. Admission requires a project plan accepted by the department.

Learning outcomes

On completion of the course, the student should be able to:

• show a deep knowledge within the chosen field of biology
• search and in a critical way interpret and compile relevant scientific literature
• delimit a scientific problem, plan a scientific study, choose appropriate methods, carry out the study, interpret and evaluate the results and, if applicable, generate falsifiable a hypotheses to explain the observations, within given time frames
• present the results in a correct and relevant language for different target groups both in scientific and in popular forms
• give constructive criticism on texts within the study field

Content

An independent project is carried out, where the knowledge from earlier completed courses are applied. The project is guided by a supervisor in close connection to ongoing projects in research or development.

To achieve the objectives, the student shall

• under supervision delimit a scientific problem, investigate it, interpret and evaluate the results and present the project in oral and written form
• search, evaluate and compile information relevant for the chosen problem
• actively participate in seminars and other activities at the department where the project is carried out
• comment and give constructive criticism on another student's project (opposition)

Course modules: Midterm report 15 credits; Final report 30 credits.

Instruction

The teaching is devised individually dependent on the direction of the project. Supervision is provided individually or in group.

Assessment

Midterm report is examined by oral and/or a short written report. Final report is examined by oral presentation as well as written reporting. To pass, a passed oral and written presentation of the degree project is required. The written presentation should consist of a scientific report, a popular summary and a summary in English. To pass, the student must also act as opponent on another degree project within same main area or have participated actively at a research seminar.

If there are special reasons for doing so, an examiner may make an exception from the method of assessment indicated and allow a student to be assessed by another method. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding special pedagogical support from the disability coordinator of the university.