GEO4212 – Paleozoology, Systematics and Evolution
Course description
Schedule, syllabus and examination date
Course content
The course shall give the student an introduction to paleobiology, systematics and morphology of fossil taxa as tools for classification and biostratigraphy. Furthermore, this course gives detailed knowledge of evolutionary theory and theories of extinction, macroevolution, advanced paleoecology and biogeography.
Learning outcome
After taking this course, you will know
- what identifies and differentiates the main invertebrate and vertebrate groups in the fossil record
- key principles for studying fossil organisms
- how taphonomy affects fossilization in different groups
- evolution of selected groups in the fossil record
- paleontological modelling and data analysis using Python, R and other software
Admission to the course
Students admitted at UiO must?apply for courses?in Studentweb. Students enrolled in other Master's Degree Programmes can, on application, be admitted to the course if this is cleared by their own study programme.
Nordic citizens and applicants residing in the Nordic countries may?apply to take this course as a single course student.
If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about?admission requirements and procedures for international applicants.
Formal prerequisite knowledge
The course includes a compulsory field course and excursions. A health and safety course for safety in the field must be passed before you can go on these:
Recommended previous knowledge
- GEO2120 – Sedimentology /?GEL2120 – Sedimentology, paleontology and stratigraphy (discontinued)?
- GEO2160 – Paleontology and Paleoecology
Overlapping courses
- 10 credits overlap with GEO4730 – Palaeozoology I (continued).
Teaching
Teaching consists of lectures and practicals 2 x 2 hours per week. Practicals?with?studies of fossils are mandatory and will be carried out in the Natural History Museum's collections at ?kern.
There are two mandatory home assignments that shall be presented orally in the class during the course. One of the assignments consists of a small programming project about the modelling of paleontological processes. Participation in studies of fossils and presentations of home assignments must be approved before the final exam.
One compulsory 1-day excursion in the Oslo field. A field report must be written from the excursion, handed in and approved.
Attendance at the first lecture is compulsory. Students who fail to meet are considered to have withdrawn from the course unless they have previously given notice to the Student administration (studieinfo@geo.uio.no).?
We reserve the right to change the teaching?form and examination of the course in semesters where 5 or fewer students have been admitted.
General information about excursions at the Department?of Geosciences
As?the?teaching involves laboratory and/or fieldwork, you should consider taking out separate travel and personal risk insurance.?Read about your insurance coverage as a student.
Examination
- Participation in mandatory studies of fossils, excursion, presentation of the two mandatory home assignments in the class, as well as the field report must have been approved before the final examination.
- A final oral examination counts 100% towards the final grade.
Mandatory assignments are valid for 5 semesters starting from the semester they were approved the first time.
When writing your exercises make sure to familiarize yourself with the rules for use of sources and citations. Breach of these rules may lead to suspicion of attempted cheating.
It is possible to take the exam up to 3 times. If you?withdraw from the exam?after the deadline or during the exam, this will be counted as an examination attempt.
It will also be counted as 1 of the 3 attempts to sit the exam for this course if you sit the exam for the following course:
Examination support material
Language of examination
Courses taught in English will only offer the exam paper in English. You may write your examination paper in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.
Resit an examination
Students who can document a valid reason for absence from the regular examination are offered a postponed examination at the beginning of the next semester.
Re-scheduled examinations are not offered to students who withdraw during, or did not pass, the original examination.
More about examinations at UiO
- Use of sources and citations
- Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
- Withdrawal from an exam
- Illness at exams / postponed exams
- Explanation of grades and appeals
- Resitting an exam
- Cheating/attempted cheating
You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.