Bachelor of Science (Ecology)

2008 Course Handbook

2008 Undergraduate Courses

2008 Postgraduate Courses

The University has one of the strongest ecological research groups in Australia working in marine, freshwater and terrestrial ecology, tropical and temperate ecosystems. Study areas include applications of remote sensing and geographical information systems (GIS), the use of molecular genetics in conservation biology, biodiversity assessment/ sampling, environmental impact assessment and experimental ecology. Organisms studied include: endangered plants, marsupial pollinators, marine and arid land birds, invertebrates - from corals to ants and marine and freshwater fish. This is a prescribed program of study comprising core and optional subjects as set out below.


Subjects		Session	Credit Points
First Year
BIOL104	Evolution, Biodiversity and Environment	Autumn	6
BIOL103	Molecules, Cells and Organisms	Spring	6
EESC102	Earth Environments and Resources	Spring	6
EESC103	Landscape Change and Climatology	Autumn	6
MATH187	Mathematics 1A, Part 1 (or MATH141 or MATH161)	Autumn	6
MATH188	Mathematics 1A, Part 2 (or MATH142 or MATH162)	Spring	6
Plus 12 credit points of electives to be approved by the Coordinator. Students are strongly encouraged to complete first year Chemistry (CHEM101 and CHEM102) for their elective subjects.
Second Year
BIOL240	Functional Biology of Plants and Animals	Autumn	6
BIOL241	Biodiversity: Classification and Sampling	Spring	6
BIOL251	Principles of Ecology and Evolution	Autumn	6
EESC203	Biogeography and Environmental Change	Autumn	6
EESC204	Introductory Spatial Science	Spring	6
MATH111	Applied Mathematical Modelling 1	Spring	6
STAT231	Probability and Random Variables	Autumn	6
STAT232	Estimation and Hypothesis Testing	Spring	6
One 6 credit point elective subject may be approved by the Coordinator if MATH111 is taken in 1st year.
Third Year
Core
BIOL351	Conservation Biology: Marine and Terrestrial Populations	Autumn	8
BIOL355	Marine and Terrestrial Ecology	Spring	8
EESC304	Geographic Information Science	Spring	8
EESC305	Remote Sensing of the Environment	Autumn	8
STAT355	Sample Surveys and Experimental Design (with project)	Autumn	8
Options
Plus one of the following
BIOL332	Ecology and Evolutionary Physiology	Autumn	8
BIOL392	Advanced Biology	Autumn, Spring or Summer	8
MARE300	Fisheries and Aquaculture	Spring	8
EESC302	Coastal Environments: Process and Management	Spring	8
Or other subjects approved by the Coordinator.
Entry to BIOL392 would be subject to the student having a distinction average or higher performance in subjects pertinent to the intended area of research, as approved by the Head of School, and availability of a research supervisor.

Honours

Students with a good academic record, particularly in third year, are encouraged to proceed to the Honours year in the discipline of their major. The Honours year is a fourth year of study that provides training in independent research.