Postgraduate Course: Evolution of Plants (PLSC11002)

Course Outline
School	School of Biological Sciences	College	College of Science and Engineering
Credit level (Normal year taken)	SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate)	Availability	Not available to visiting students
SCQF Credits	10	ECTS Credits	5
Summary	The course aims to present the major events in plant evolution and to give an introduction to the origins and diversification of the most important groups of plants.
Course description	The course aims to present the major events in plant evolution and to give an introduction to the origins and diversification of the most important groups of plants. Emphasis is placed on the evolutionary significance of innovations that have led to the diversification of plants, such as eukaryote cell formation, the advent of chlorophyll, colonisation of the land, and the evolution of reproductive cycles culminating with seed formation. The evolution of different life-forms is investigated in major groups, including extinct groups represented by fossils, giving an overview of their major characteristics and relationships. A basic introduction is given for the classification and relationships of different plant groups, with a strong emphasis on the phylogeny of the angiosperms.

Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites		Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations		Other requirements	None

Course Delivery Information

Academic year 2023/24, Not available to visiting students (SS1)		Quota: None
Course Start	Block 1 (Sem 1)
Timetable	Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info)	Total Hours: 100 ( Lecture Hours 25, Seminar/Tutorial Hours 10, Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 5, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 58 )
Assessment (Further Info)	Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 100 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment)	The course is assessed by an essay, of up to 5,000 words, chosen from a list of possible topics (e.g. considering the evolution of a particular plant taxon or an evolutionary process across a wider range of taxa).
Feedback	All of the marks for this course are awarded for an essay. Students receive training in essay writing techniques, which includes feedback on written exercises. They also get feedback on intended essay content and structure from their tutors.
No Exam Information

Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to: Explain the major events in plant evolution, place them in chronological order and relate them to other events in Earth¿s history. Discuss the evolutionary processes that have given rise to plant diversity and evaluate the evidence for each. Identify the processes that might have given rise to observed diversity within any group of plants, and interpret homology from morphological data. Apply knowledge and skills to assign any plant to a broad taxonomic group (e.g., family) on the basis of its morphology.