The Second Year aims to provide an introduction to ecology, the physical environment, and quantitative methods. Students have a considerable degree of choice in the set of subjects taken to make up the six required. In the third year more emphasis is given to the application of the general scientific and ecological principles established in the first two years. The interactions between organisms, the dynamics of populations, and the structuring and functioning of communities. The principles by which land use systems can be manipulated to achieve management objectives on a sustainable basis.
Teaching is largely by seminars, directed reading and individual or group projects.
The Honours Project represents a major piece of independent research work undertaken in the third term. Every student has a member of staff as supervisor and work for the project normally involves a combination of fieldwork, laboratory work, computing and data analysis. Projects are selected from a list of 40-50 titles representing the full range of research interests, or students may propose their own topics. Every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained above is correct. However, it will not form part of any contract between the University and a student or applicant and must be read in conjunction with the Terms and Conditions of Admission set out in the Undergraduate Prospectus.