BIOS3300 – Marine Biology

After having completed the course, you have knowledge of:

• Mechanisms and driving forces for ocean currents
• Marine food chains, from phytoplankton to top predators
• Life history of important Norwegian fish species and how these are adapted to the physical and biological environment
• Environmental issues
• The most common methods for collection and sampling of marine organisms

The courses BIOS3300 and BIOS4300 have common admission. Applicants are ranked by the following criteria:

1. Bachelor´s programme students at the Department of Biosciences and master´s programme students at the MN Faculty who have the course approved in their study plan.

2. Other program students.

3. Single course students and exchange students.

Applicants are ranked by number of credits within each group; all applicants within the 1st group are ranked before applicants in the 2nd group etc. For students who have equal number of credits within one group, admission is determined by random selection.

The courses have a capacity of 40 students.

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

• Mathematics R1 (or Mathematics S1 and S2)

And in addition one of these:

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

Mathematics R2 was a requirement up until and including the study year 2021/2022, as part of a trial arrangement. From and including the study year 2022/2023, Mathematics R2 is no longer a requirement.

The special admission requirements may also be covered by equivalent studies from Norwegian upper secondary school or by other equivalent studies (in Norwegian).

The teaching consists of:

• Lectures
• Colloquiums
• Group seminars (mandatory)
• Field Trips (mandatory)

Mandatory course work must be approved to sit the exam. Approved mandatory course work is valid for 3 years.

Attendance is mandatory for the first lecture. This also applies to those on the waiting list. You will lose your seat on the course if notice is not given to the student administration studieinfo@ibv.uio.no prior to the first lecture.

As the teaching involves laboratory and/or field work, you should consider taking out a separate travel and personal risk insurance. Read about your insurance cover as a student . Read about how you are insured as a student .

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.

• Group seminar presentation which counts 30% towards the final grade.
• Final written exam which counts 70% towards the final grade.

This course has mandatory activities that must be approved before you can sit the final exam.

Students who attended the course up to and including 2024 can follow the earlier examination arrangement and earlier examination arrangement will be offered up to and including 2026. Students who attend the course from 2025 onwards must follow the new arrangement.

It will also be counted as one of the three attempts to sit the exam for this course if you sit the exam for the following course: BIOS4300 – Marine biology (discontinued)

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.