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BIO3081 - Animal Behaviour 1

Course content

The first half of the course will give an introduction to ethological terminology and proximate mechanisms that are essential to understand the behaviour of animals (from protozoans to vertebrates). Genetical and physiological mechanisms and development of behaviour in the individual, the nuture-nature controversy, learning, motivation and communication will be treated. The second half of the course will concentrate on behaviour from an ecological and evolutionary perspective and cover reproduction, sexual selection, foraging and territoriality. Central to these subjects are terms like fitness, altruism, optimality, game theory and evolutionary stable strategies.

Learning outcomes

Knowledge about animal behaviour that is a requisite for doing a master on the subject. It wiill also give important insights for students in physiology, ecology and evolutionary biology. It is not meant as a course only for biology students, but also for students in medicine, psychology and philosophy.

Admission

Students at UiO must apply for courses in StudentWeb.

International applicants, if you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures for international applicants.

Prerequisites

Formal prerequisites

In addition to fulfilling the Higher Education Entrance Qualification, applicants have to meet the following special admission requirements:

One of these:

• Mathematics R1
• Mathematics (S1+S2)

And and in addition one of these:

• Mathematics (R1+R2)
• Physics (1+2)
• Chemistry (1+2)
• Biology (1+2)
• Information technology (1+2)
• Geosciences (1+2)
• Technology and theories of research (1+2)

The special admission requirements may also be covered by equivalent studies from Norwegian upper secondary school or by other equivalent studies. Read more about special admission requirements.

Recommended prior knowledge

It is an advantage with some biological background.

Overlap

10 credits against BIO4081 - Animal Behaviour 1.

Teaching

Lectures and colloquia.

Exam information

Two written exams. (Each 2 hours). Each exam is weighted 50%. The mid term exam has no continuation exam. The result of the mid
term exam wil be included in the total grade. Letter grade A-F.

This subject offer new examination in the beginning of the
subsequent term for candidates who withdraw during an ordinary
examination or fail an ordinary examination. For general information
about new examination, see
http://www.mn.uio.no/studier/admin/eksamen/utsatt-og-ny-eksamen/index.html
and http://www.matnat.uio.no/english/studies/examination/repeat.html

Assessment and grading

Course grades are awarded on a descending scale using alphabetic grades from A to E for passes and F for fail. Read more about the grading system .

Evaluation of this course

Feedback from our students is essential to us in our efforts to ensure and further improve the high quality of our programmes and courses. As a student at the University of Oslo you will therefore be asked to participate in various types of evaluation of our courses, facilities and services. All courses are subject to continuous evaluation. At regular intervals we also ask students on a particular course to participate in a more comprehensive, in-depth evaluation of this course, a so called "periodic evaluation".

Periodic evaluation Autumn 2010.

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