Undergraduate Course: Critical Thinking in Ecological and Environmental Sciences (ECSC09007)
Course Outline
| School | School of Geosciences |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 9 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | Topics covered in lectures and discussions will include a broad range of current issues including: tropical ecology, climate change, species diversity and marine ecology, technology in the environmental sciences, oceanography and hydrology. |
| Course description |
Each week consists of two contact sessions: The first is a 2-hour session consisting of a guest lecture on a current issue in EES, and an associated activity. The second is a 1-hour small-group tutorial on two journal articles relating to the guest lecture topic.
Academic teaching staff and guest lecturers run the Monday lecture and activity sessions; PDRAs run the Friday tutorial sessions. Group size for tutorials is 5-6 students.
The tutorial format consists of an initial introduction of the two articles by the tutorial leader, rigorous (evidence-based) discussion and critique of the articles by the group, and a final summary statement by the tutorial leader. From weeks 1-3, the tutorial will be led by course teachers; from week 4 onwards, each student in the tutorial group will lead a tutorial on one of the guest lecture topics; they have a free choice of topic and topics can be repeated within tutorial groups (though not discussion questions or articles). As there are 7 guest lectures and 5-6 students per tutorial group, there will be 1-2 guest-lecture linked tutorials which will be staff-led.
The CO will recommend articles and discussion questions for staff-led tutorials; in student-led tutorials the tutorial leader will select the two articles and discussion questions.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | Students should be enrolled on the Ecology and Environmental Sciences degree programme. |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2025/26, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 20,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 10,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
166 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Feedback |
Not entered |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Describe the scientific publishing landscape and types of scientific writing, and recognize how scientific ideas gain influence in academia and other sectors.
- Critique and discuss ideas on a range of current issues in ecological and environmental sciences, particularly those researched within the School of GeoSciences and its partner institutions.
- Formulate their own scientific questions, and synthesise evidence from scientific literature to arrive at conclusions.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Research and enquiry: Problem solving, analytical thinking, critical thinking, independent research, handling complexity and ambiguity.
Personal and intellectual autonomy: Independent learning and development, creativity and inventive thinking, decision making.
Personal effectiveness: Leadership, team working, assertiveness and confidence.
Communication: Verbal communication and presentation, written communication, including scientific communication. |
| Keywords | ecological and environmental sciences |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Saran Sohi
Tel: (0131 6)51 4471
Email: |
Course secretary | Miss Francesca Nadal Finnegan
Tel: (0131 6)50 4842
Email: |
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