Learning outcome

After completing the course the students should have the following qualifications regarding knowledge, skills and general competence:

* The students should have become familiar with common groups of plants and animals.

* The students should have been introduced to species evolution and development, life-cycles and ecology.

* Knowledge of biosystematics and taxonomy, the Norwegian red list and the Norwegian black list, and the Norwegian Biodiversity Information Centre.

* Knowledge of important plant- and animal groups, including indicator-, red list- and black list species, and knowledge on how to identify different species and groups.

Course Description

Main topics:

* Plant- and animal species: systematics, morphology, structure and reproduction.

* Evolution, development and ecology (behavioural ecology).

* Red listed and black listed species, indicator species and the Norwegian Biodiversity Information Centre.

Teaching and Learning Methods

The teaching format will be lectures and field excursions. During the mandatory lectures 400 plant species and 400 animal species/groups will be examined, and there will be several excursions to learn different plant- and animal species (i.e. a trip to a beaver tarn and/or a beaver safari, a bird excursion, and visits to botanical localities around Bø).

Students need to participate on at least 80% of the mandatory lectures and excursions. A five days mandatory field trip will be held in the beginning/middle of June. For the field trip to be approved the student has to be present on all five days! An individual species exam will be held shortly after the field trip.

For participation on the field trip the student will have to pay approximately NOK 1100,-. Included in this price is housing and meals for five days. More information will be given at the beginning of the semester. In addition, each student will have to pay NOK 130,- (mandatory cost) for field equipment used during the field trip and the exam (e.g. tweezers, magnifying glass, scalpel, etc.).

Assessment Methods

Grades will be assigned A - F for two exams: one written exam that counts 40% and one species exam that counts 60% of the final grade. The species exam will also be divided in two separate exams, one in botany and one in zoology, and both has to be passed in order to receive a grade. To receive a final grade for the course, both the written exam and the species exam must receive passing grades. In addition, a satisfactory attendance record of at least 80% for the mandatory lectures and the field excursions, along with the completion of the 5-days field trip, are needed in order to pass the course.

Minor adjustments may occur during the academic year, subject to the decision of the Dean