University home > Unit and programme catalogues in 2021/22 > Programme catalogue > Faculty of Science > School of Earth Sciences > Palaeontology and Evolution (MSci) > Specification
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Programme code | 2GELY011U |
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Programme type | Single Honours |
Programme director(s) |
John Cunningham
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Faculty | Faculty of Science |
School/department | School of Earth Sciences |
Teaching institution | University of Bristol |
Awarding institution | University of Bristol |
Relevant QAA subject benchmark groups | Earth sciences, environmental sciences and environmental studies (2019) (benchmark statement) |
Mode of study | Full Time |
Programme length | 4 years (full time) |
This programme aims to develop the student's interest in and knowledge and understanding of palaeontology, by these means:
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes | Learning and Teaching Methods |
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Acquisition of knowledge and understanding is through a combination of lectures, supervised practicals, coursework, field work and ICT-based support materials. Throughout students are provided with, and encouraged/required to undertake independent learning through reading and field and class tasks, so as to consolidate and broaden their knowledge and understanding of the subject and their local environment.
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Methods of Assessment | |
The knowledge and understanding base is assessed via a combination of closed examinations and assessed coursework, class tests, coursework projects and presentations.
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Programme Intended Learning Outcomes | Learning and Teaching Methods |
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Cognitive skills are promoted through all parts of the teaching programme with analysis, synthesis and evaluation of topics and concepts, but these are gained particularly in Earth Sciences, via supervised and independent field classes. |
Methods of Assessment | |
All assessment tasks are designed to test skills of analysis, synthesis and evaluation, but these skills are particularly evident in assessments of coursework in the laboratory and in the field. |
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes | Learning and Teaching Methods |
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Acquisition of subject-specific skills is through a combination of supervised practicals, coursework, field and project work. In addition students are provided with, and encourage/required to undertake self-learning field tasks to consolidate and broaden their knowledge of the subject and their local environment.
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Methods of Assessment | |
Subject specific skills are assessed mainly via coursework presentations (laboratory & field classes), plus examinations. Self-assessment of an individual's progress is encouraged through the provision of self-led field tasks with solutions. Key skills are a part of all forms of assessment. Professional/self management skills are not formally assessed as part of an end-of-year mark, but via tutorial contact, and self evaluation. A diverse range of Teaching and Learning methods and assessment methods are utilised in the programme. |
Statement of expectations from the students at each level of the programme as it/they develop year on year.
Level C/4 - Certificate |
Students will be expected to have a sound and broad-based knowledge and understanding of the integrated manner of the working of palaeontology and evolution. To develop an introductory ability to apply their understanding of fossils and evolution to wider issues. Work will be extensively directed by staff, but will have an introductory understanding of the need for self-evaluation and self-direction of learning. |
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Level I/5 - Intermediate |
At Level I/5, students are expected to have developed a modern, solid foundation of subject specific skills underpinned by the interdisciplinary, scientific principles (quantitative, bio- physico-chemico) underlying palaeontology and evolution. Students will be able to apply the principles widely and undertake more in-depth analysis, and be able to communicate with others in a sound scientific manner. Students will be more at ease in being able to guide themselves in analysis of their own performance, and of setting and achieving their aims. |
Level H/6 - Honours |
At Level H/6, students will have an expanded range and depth of subject specific knowledge, through the study of core, and option units specific to their aims. Major independent work will have allowed students to become confident in the ability to collect, synthesis, and evaluate data, so as to be able to communicate and defend their own ideas and interpretation of the work. |
Level M/7 - Masters |
Most of the work undertaken at this level will be at, or informed by the latest research findings and concepts, and will provide an opportunity to work closely with the international research community within the Earth Sciences School. This will enable the student to be fully conversant with the principles of a research-led learning environment. Students will undertake planning, management and data collection for a research project, and communicate the results and interpretation in a mature manner to a scientific audience. |
The intended learning outcome mapping document shows which mandatory units contribute towards each programme intended learning outcome.
For information on the admissions requirements for this programme please see details in the undergraduate prospectus at http://www.bristol.ac.uk/prospectus/undergraduate/ or contact the relevant academic department.
UG Workload Statement
Success as an undergraduate student depends on you being able to make the transition to self-motivated, independent learning. Programmes are designed to assist you in this development, in many cases by starting with units in which timetabled teaching, such as lectures and practical classes, provides the foundations of knowledge and skills in a subject, moving on to individual research-based work. Over time you will be expected to take increasing responsibility for your own learning, guided by the feedback on your work that you will receive. At the heart of your studies at every level there must be regular and disciplined individual reading, reflection and writing and it is this skill of independent studies, above all others, that will serve you best when you leave the University.
Most programmes use credits and a 20 credit unit broadly equates to about 200 hours of student input. This includes all activities related to the teaching, learning and assessment of taught units.
A component of this is the time that you spend in class, in contact with the teaching staff, which includes activities such as lectures, laboratories, tutorials and fieldwork. Some of this activity may be online and could consist of activity that is synchronous (using real-time environments such as Blackboard Collaborate) or asynchronous (using tools such as tutor moderated discussion forums, blogs or wikis).
In some programmes there are field courses and/or placements that will take place in concentrated periods of time.
Outside scheduled activities you are expected to pursue your own independent learning to build your knowledge and understanding of the subjects you are studying. Such independent activities include, reviewing lecture material, reading textbooks, working on examples sheets, completing coursework, writing up laboratory notes, preparing for in-class progress tests and revising for examinations.
We recognise that many students undertake paid employment. To achieve a sensible balance between work and study, you are advised to undertake paid work for no more than 15 hours per week in term-time.
Professional Programmes
Many undergraduates in the Faculty of Health Sciences will be following the professional programmes of:
For these professional programmes, full time attendance is compulsory unless absence is formally approved. Academic activities are timetabled throughout the 5-day week and student workload is around 40 hours per week on average. Where possible, students in the early years are permitted Wednesday afternoons for sport and extra-curriculum activities. This may not be available in later years of professional programmes as when a student progresses through the curricula there is an increasing exposure to clinical and professional activities. Students in clinic or on placements may need to stay later than core times of 08.00 – 18.00 or even overnight to observe out-of-hours activities. This increasing exposure to clinical activities means that students on these professional programmes often have longer term dates than the University standard. Individual years within programmes are likely to vary in length (for example because of the timings of placements) and further information on this will be found in individual programme regulations. Another important point to note is that many of the assessments sit outside of the standard University examination timetable and are likely to be more frequent meaning that students will more oftentimes be engaged in revision activities and self-directed learning.
Faculty of Health Sciences
Faculty Assessment and Feedback Statement for Undergraduate Students. University of Bristol access only.
Students in the fourth year will be eligible for grant support for fieldwork and museum visits from the Bob Savage Memorial Fund.
For general undergraduate enquiries please email earth-undergrad@bristol.ac.uk
Students will be offered a blended educational experience with a mix of in person and online teaching. The in person teaching will consist of small group work, laboratory practicals and field work/alternative activities. To achieve the intended learning outcomes across the programme and to satisfy any accreditation requirements, students will be expected to undertake some in person teaching.
This integrated Masters programme has been designated as type II: Specialised or Advanced Masters in accordance with the QAA Degree Characteristics Statement. Please see the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes for further information on this type of programme.
EASC10001, BIOL10010 and BIOL10007 are must pass units.
For the definition of a must pass unit please see the Glossary of Terms from Annex 1 to the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes at http://www.bristol.ac.uk/esu/assessment/annex/glossary.html
Unit Name | Unit Code | Credit Points | Status | |
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Geology 1 | EASC10001 | 40 | Mandatory | TB-4 |
Physics and Chemistry for Earth Scientists | EASC10006 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-4 |
Computing for Earth Scientists | EASC10007 | 10 | Mandatory | TB-2 |
Introduction to Field Skills in Earth Sciences | EASC10008 | 10 | Mandatory | AYEAR |
Diversity of Life Part A | BIOL10010 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-1 |
Diversity of Life Part B | BIOL10007 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-2 |
Certificate of Higher Education | 120 |
This integrated Masters programme has been designated as type II: Specialised or Advanced Masters in accordance with the QAA Degree Characteristics Statement. Please see the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes for further information on this type of programme.
All units in this year are must pass units. For the definition of must pass units please see the Glossary of Terms from Annex 1 to the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
Students will be offered a blended educational experience with a mix of in person and online teaching. The in person teaching will consist of small group work, laboratory practicals and field work/alternative activities. To achieve the intended learning outcomes across the programme and to satisfy any accreditation requirements, students will be expected to undertake some in person teaching.
Unit Name | Unit Code | Credit Points | Status | |
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Sedimentology | EASC20007 | 10 | Mandatory | TB-1A |
Geobiology | EASC20024 | 10 | Mandatory | TB-2C |
Stratigraphy and palaeontology fieldwork | EASC20047 | 10 | Mandatory | AYEAR |
Introduction to Field Mapping | EASC20029 | 10 | Mandatory | AYEAR |
Palaeobiology | EASC20044 | 10 | Mandatory | TB-2C |
Mapping, Tectonics and Remote Sensing | EASC20045 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-1 |
Evolutionary Biology | BIOL20212 | 10 | Mandatory | TB-1B |
Quantitative and Computational Methods | BIOL20020 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-1 |
Ecology and Conservation | BIOL20025 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-2 |
Diploma of Higher Education | 120 |
This integrated Masters programme has been designated as type II: Specialised or Advanced Masters in accordance with the QAA Degree Characteristics Statement. Please see the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes for further information on this type of programme.
All units taken in this year are must pass. For the definition of must pass units please see the Glossary of Terms from Annex 1 to the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
Unit Name | Unit Code | Credit Points | Status | |
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Palaeontology and Evolution Research Project | EASC30073 | 30 | Mandatory | TB-4 |
The Cambrian Explosion - the origin of animal body plans | EASC30052 | 10 | Mandatory | TB-2C |
Vertebrate Palaeobiology and Biomechanics | EASC30068 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-1 |
Evolutionary Palaeoecology in the field | EASC30070 | 10 | Mandatory | AYEAR |
Dynamics of Macroevolution | EASC30077 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-4 |
30cp from the optional unit lists below (maximum of 20cp of non-core options permitted): | ||||
Core options recommended for this programme: | ||||
Basins and Reservoirs | EASC30072 | 10 | Optional | TB-1B |
Evolution: from Genomes to Biodiversity | BIOL30021 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Non-core options (choice is subject to timetabling constraints): | ||||
Geomicrobiology | EASC30051 | 10 | Optional | TB-1B |
Oceans and Climates | EASC30071 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Blue Planet | BIOL30020 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
The Future of the Green Planet | BIOL30022 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
BSc | 120 |
This integrated Masters programme has been designated as type II: Specialised or Advanced Masters in accordance with the QAA Degree Characteristics Statement. Please see the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes for further information on this type of programme.
All mandatory units in this year are must pass. For the definition of must pass units please see the Glossary of Terms from Annex 1 to the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
Unit Name | Unit Code | Credit Points | Status | |
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Frontiers in Earth Science | EASCM0061 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-1 |
Earth Science Research Methods | EASCM0063 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-1 |
Earth Science Research Project | EASCM0010 | 60 | Mandatory | AYEAR |
Select 20cp from: | ||||
Advanced Palaeobiology fieldwork | EASCM0062 | 20 | Optional | AYEAR |
Industrial Geoscience | EASCM0071 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Palaeontology and Evolution (MSci) | 120 |
Unit Pass Mark for Undergraduate Programmes:
For details on the weightings for classifying undergraduate degrees, please see the Agreed Weightings, by Faculty, to be applied for the Purposes of Calculating the Final Programme Mark and Degree Classification in Undergraduate Programmes.
For detailed rules on progression please see the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes and the relevant faculty handbook.
Please refer to the specific progression/award requirements for programmes with a preliminary year of study, the Gateway programmes and International Foundation programmes.
All undergraduate degree programmes allow the opportunity for a student to exit from a programme with a Diploma or Certificate of Higher Education.
Integrated Master's degrees may also allow the opportunity for a student to exit from the programme with an equivalent Bachelor's degree where a student has achieved 360 credit points, of which 90 must be at level 6, and has successfully met any additional criteria as described in the programme specification.
The opportunities for a student to exit from one of the professional programmes in Veterinary Science, Medicine, and Dentistry with an Award is outlined in the relevant Programme Regulations (which are available as an annex in the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes).
An Ordinary degree can be awarded if a student has successfully completed at least 300 credits with a minimum of 60 credits at Level 6.
The pass mark for the professional programmes in Veterinary Science, Medicine and Dentistry is 50 out of 100. The classification of a degree in the professional programmes in Veterinary Science, Medicine, and Dentistry is provided in the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
The alternative classified honours degree of Science (Palaeontology and Evolution) (MSci) may be awarded on this programme. For further details please see the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes
Please note: This specification provides a concise summary of the main features of the programme and the learning outcomes that a typical student might reasonably be expected to achieve and demonstrate if he/she takes full advantage of the learning opportunities that are provided.
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