BIOS4100 – Evolution
Course description
Schedule, syllabus and examination date
Course content
The course provides a thorough introduction to modern evolutionary science, with an emphasis on phenotypic evolution, life history theory, adaptation, speciation and macroevolution.
Learning outcome
After completing the course you have:
- Good understanding of basic concepts within the theory of evolution such as phylogeny, natural selection, fitness, plasticity, adaptation, speciation, inheritance and genetic variation.
- Good understanding of the main principles of quantitative genetics so that you can perform calculations of the evolution of phenotypic characters.
- Knowledge of how different life history strategies (organism growth, development and reproduction) can be explained through adaptation and natural selection.
- Knowledge of the processes that give rise to new species, the main features of the evolution of life on Earth and the factors that determine the geographic distribution of organisms.
- Insight into how evolution takes place over different time scales, and how micro- and macroevolution is linked.
- Gained experience in finding, acquainting yourself with, critically evaluating and disseminating research literature in writing and orally.
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.
Applicants are ranked by the following criteria:
1. Master students at the MN faculty who have the course as part of the approved curriculum.
2. Students with admission to single courses on master’s level and exchange students
3. Applicants are ranked by credits in each group; all applicants within 1st rank before applicants in 2nd etc. If admission is limited to a fixed number of participants, admission will be decided by drawing lots for students who are ranked equally
Recommended previous knowledge
BIOS1140 – Evolusjon og genetikk
Overlapping courses
- 10 credits overlap with BIOS3100 – Evolution.
- 6 credits overlap with BIO2120 – Evolutionary Biology (discontinued).
Teaching
Lectures
Colloquia
Seminars with calculations
Mandatory assignments
Essay Writing (mandatory). More pages are required than in BIOS3100 – Evolution.?
Attendance to the first lecture is mandatory, also for those on the waiting list. If you are unable to attend the first lecture you will lose your seat on the course if you do not inform the student administration?studieinfo@ibv.uio.no?prior to the first lecture.
Mandatory course work must be approved before the student can attend the exam.
Attendance to the first lecture is mandatory.?If you are unable to attend the first lecture you will lose your seat on the course if you do not inform the student administration?studieinfo@ibv.uio.no?prior to the first lecture.
Approved mandatory course work is valid for 3 years.
Access to teaching
A student who has completed compulsory instruction and coursework and has had these approved, is not entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework. A student who has been admitted to a course, but who has not completed compulsory instruction and coursework or had these approved, is entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework, depending on available capacity.
Examination
Mandatory essay counts 30% towards the final mark. You submit your essay in the exam system Inspera.?Read more about how to submit assignments in Inspera.??When writing your essay?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.
Final written exam?which counts 70% towards?the final mark.
Mandatory course work must be approved before the student can attend the exam.
Approved mandatory course work are valid for 3 years.?New essay must be submitted each semester.
It will also be counted as one of the three attempts to sit the exam for this course, if you sit the exam for one of the following BIOS3100 – Evolution.
Examination support material
Calculator will be available in Inspera during the exam.
Language of examination
You may submit your response 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
This course offers both postponed and resit of examination. Read more:
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.