Høst 2020

BIO-3014 Biological Rhythms - 10 stp

The course is administrated by

Institutt for arktisk og marin biologi

Type of course

Master course for biology students - principally aimed at MSc-students specializing in "Arctic Animal Physiology". The course is available as a singular course.

Course contents

This course focuses on biological timekeeping (chronobiology) in animals, covering time-scales from hours to years. It covers the eco-evolutionary and biomedical importance of innate timing processes, the formalisms necessary for their study and the physiological mechanisms through which biological timekeeping is achieved.

Application deadline

Concerns only admission to singular courses: Applicants from Nordic countries: 1 June for the autumn semester and 1 December for the spring semester. Exchange students and Fulbright students: 1 October for the spring semester and 15 April for the autumn semester.

Admission requirements

Local admission, application code 9371 - - Master`s level singular course.

Admission requires a Bachelor`s degree (180 ECTS) or equivalent qualification, with a major in biology of minimum 80 ECTS.

Objective of the course

Knowledge and skills:

The key principles and intellectual formalisms of chronobiology
The evolutionary origins and ecological importance of biological timekeeping, and its relevance in biomedical contexts
The mechanistic basis to biological timekeeping at levels from the genetics to the whole organism

General skills:

Understanding the process of generating scientific knowledge
Science communication, orally and in writing
Review and extraction of relevant information from scientific research papers
Critical analysis of scientific literature
Presentation of scientific content clearly and in logical order while using language appropriate for the audience and occasion
Proposing, discussing and evaluating hypotheses

Language of instruction

English

Teaching methods

Seminars (2 hrs per week) including student-led presentations and discussions. Practical classes (4-h) will be held on two occasions during the course.

Assessment

3 h final written exam. A graded scale of five marks from A to E for pass and F for fail.

Coursework requirements:
One oral presentation on a prepared topic and participation in two practical activities including written reports- all must be approved in order to be able to sit the exam.

Re-sit exam:
There will be a re-sit examination for students that did not pass the previous ordinary examination.

Date for examination

Written exam 03.12.2020

The date for the exam can be changed. The final date will be announced at your faculty early in May and early in November.