3 ECTS credits
90 h study time

Offer 1 with catalog number 4018297DNR for all students in the 2nd semester at a (D) Master - preliminary level.

Semester
2nd semester
Enrollment based on exam contract
Impossible
Grading method
Grading (scale from 0 to 20)
Can retake in second session
Yes
Taught in
English
Partnership Agreement
Under interuniversity agreement for degree program
Faculty
Faculty of Sciences and Bioengineering Sciences
Department
Biology
Educational team
Karolien Van Puyvelde
Lieven Bervoets
Marc Kochzius (course titular)
Activities and contact hours
90 contact hours Seminar, Exercises or Practicals
Course Content

The excursions focus on the ecology of three different types of coastal habitats: beach, rocky shore, and estuary at the French coast of the English Channel.

Fieldwork during the excursion will take place at the Marine Station of the University of Lille in Wimereux at the French coast of the English Channel. Here, you will conduct small research projects in groups of 3-4 students on ecological problems (zonation, community structure) of a beach, rocky shore, and estuarine fauna, as well as physiology of macro-invertebrates.

You will report your results in various ways, for example by presenting a scientific report, a poster or a power point presentation. Throughout the course of the field work, you will become a more and more autonomous researcher, gaining more expertise in designing your own experiments and sampling, in interpreting and presenting your results and in playing your part in environmental management.

Course material
Digital course material (Required) : Lecture slides and scientific publications will be provided by the lecturers, Learning platform
Additional info

The excursion can take place during weekends and holidays.

The excursion fee: maximum 370 €.

Learning Outcomes

General Competencies

This course explicitly contributes to the following competences of the curriculum of Master of Marine and Lacustrine Science and Marine Management:

General

- Developing the own learning process
- Learning to work in a team
- Searching for data sources
- Analysing and synthesising the learning material
- Presenting and transferring the acquired knowledge

Domain specific

- Gaining fundamental scientific knowledge and insight in marine sciences
- Developing laboratory skills
- Planning and conducting marine research in an autonomous way
- Understanding, judging and interpreting research results
- Analytical and problem-solving thinking
- Using research supporting tools (e.g. Biostatistics, GIS etc.)

Learning targets and goals

After finishing this course, the student should:

  1. be able to determine an optimal sampling strategy and experimental design to investigate a given marine ecological problem and to carry out research autonomously
  2. identify marine fauna and flora based on identification guides
  3. be able to analyse the data obtained with the appropriate tools (e.g. statistical analysis) and critically discuss and report the results (both written and oral)

Grading

The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
LEC Presentation determines 100% of the final mark.

Within the LEC Presentation category, the following assignments need to be completed:

  • presentation with a relative weight of 1 which comprises 100% of the final mark.

Additional info regarding evaluation

Presentation of results.

Allowed unsatisfactory mark
The supplementary Teaching and Examination Regulations of your faculty stipulate whether an allowed unsatisfactory mark for this programme unit is permitted.

Academic context

This offer is part of the following study plans:
Master of Marine and Lacustrine Science and Management: Standaard traject