StudyQA — Master: Ecology and Environmental Biology

Photos of university / #uofglasgow

Description Contents Requirements

Key facts

* MRes: 12 months full-time;
* PgDip9 months full-time;

Why Glasgow?

* The programme draws on the research expertise of a large number of University staff and allows you the chance to obtain experience in a wide range of modern research techniques.

* There is considerable expertise in this area of biology available at Glasgow, especially in ornithology, fish biology, aquatic ecosystems, and theoretical, physiological, molecular and evolutionary ecology.

* Excellent research and teaching facilities are available at the
* You will be encouraged to tailor the programme to your own specific requirements and interests, within the limitations of the courses and projects offered.

What our students say

Completing my MRes at the University of Glasgow was a wonderful experience and I recommend the program to students who wish to further their knowledge and research skills. Numerous learning opportunities were provided across a broad range of subjects and support and guidance from supervisors was invaluable. Completion of two separate research projects allowed me to explore different interests and I was able to complete a research project in temperate and tropical climates. The experience gained throughout my MRes studies contributed to my success in obtaining a PhD scholarship and publishing my results in a peer-reviewed journal.

Lindsay Mickelson (Canada): 2008

The MRes course also gave me an opportunity to organise an expedition to to study coral reefs in Nabq, South Sinai, Egypt. The training in underwater visual census techniques and the use of multi-variate statistical packages that I acquired during the study have been essential for my current job with an NGO in India, characterising the grouper fishery of the Andaman Islands. I would highly recommend this course for students who are interested in studying multiple aspects of marine and freshwater ecology and developing their research skills.

Sahir Advani (India): 2011

Projects/Dissertations

Examples of Projects undertaken on the MRes programme:

* Habitat use by Red Sea reef fish
* Immunisation of fish in aquaculture against infectious disease
* Impacts of oil pollution around a single-point mooring in Oman
* Homing behaviour of groupers in Nabq Protected Area, Egypt
* Spring growth of diatoms under the ice in Svalbard
* Ecology of basking sharks in the Clyde
* Mercury dynamics in Mediterranean marine foodwebs
* Shark distribution and abundance in the Red Sea
* Long-line bycatch mitigation in the Alaskan halibut fishery
* Evolutionary Biology and Systematics Cross-species utility of microsatellite markers in parasitic nematodes
* Co-evolution between sucking lice and rodents
* Racial distinctiveness of the subspecies of Starling in the Azores
* Aquatic macrophytes as indicators of the ecological status of Scottish lochs
* Co-evolution of albatrosses and their feather lice
* Mercury in feathers of seabirds from South Georgia
* Modelling thermoregulation in pupping seals
* Morphological plasticity in the red mangrove in Grand Cayman
* Interactions between yellow-legged gulls and roseate terns in the Azores
* Male phenotype, antioxidants and fertility in the zebra finch
* Great skua diets in Orkney and Shetland
* Stable isotopes, contaminants and antioxidants in sequentially laid eggs
* Porcupine feeding preferences in eastern Canada
* Tree-frog ecology in Trinidad

Career Prospects

The programme will provide an excellent training for those who want to undertake a PhD programme and enter ecological management or conservation businesses. It should also serve as an excellent introduction to research in the UK for overseas students intending to proceed to a PhD in this country.
Some of the Institutions/Organisations our M.Res students went on to:

* Bremen Institute for Tropical Marine Ecology (ZMT)
* Clyde River Foundation
* Dakshin Foundation, India
* Victoria University, Wellington (New Zealand)
* University of Glasgow
* Warwick University

Some of the more exotic locations for MRes projects in recent years have included southern Brazil, Trinidad, Tobago, Kuwait, Egypt, Svalbard (Norway), Canada, the Azores (Portugal), Oman, Cayman Islands, and The Philippines.

The programme consists of a taught component, and two research projects in individual laboratories and/or field based.

The taught component consists of core research skills and specialist option in analytical and sampling techniques.

The main part of the degree, however, is devoted to experience of research techniques. You will carry out two 20-week research projects with individual placements chosen to reflect your interests and the skills you wish to acquire. After each project, you will write a scientific report.

Core Courses Key Research Skills
The aims of this course are to ensure that all students receive advanced and evidence-based training in the key skills essential for any modern ecology/evolution-based research career and for the courses that they will take later in the programme. This includes principles of Scientific Writing and Effective Communication in English, Introduction to the Programming Environment R, Advanced Statistics, and Experimental Design and Power Analysis.
Research Project (x 2)
The aim of this course is to have students undertake a quantitatively orientated independent research project, in which they will use the knowledge gained in the Key Research Skills course to design a feasible experiment, undertake data collection, analyse and write a report.

Optional Courses
Programming in R (prerequisite for all modelling and epidemiology)
The aim of this course is to provide hands-on training in programming in the R environment, and teach students to use the data structures and libraries provided by the R project appropriately to solve problems.

Infectious Disease Ecology & the Dynamics of Emerging Disease
The aim of this course is to equip students with the mathematical and programming skills and theoretical background to be able to create simple epidemiological models, to interpret.
Single-species Models
This course will introduce students to the theory and practice of single-species population models. It will aim to introduce students to the different ways these models can be formulated in theory, and implemented in practice (this will be undertaken in the R programming environment). Students will be asked to review a range of previous uses of these forms of models, and be asked to develop critical views of them. Emphasis will be placed on identifying the key assumptions of these different models, and when different formulations are most appropriate.
Conservation Genetics & Phylodynamics
To provide students with the conceptual background and hands-on training required for analysing and interpreting genetic data to answer applied questions in ecology, conservation biology and epidemiology, through the use of relevant specialised computer software and critical evaluation of the scientific literature.
Freshwater Sampling Techniques
The aim of the course is to provide students with core hands-on training in the use of a wide range of sampling techniques currently available for invertebrate and vertebrate organisms in a freshwater environment.
Invertebrate Identification
The aim of this course is to provide students with in depth hands-on training to enable them to identify key vertebrate groups, using field guides, identification keys, and vocalizations, as required for assessment of biodiversity.
Molecular Analyses for DNA Barcoding and Biodiversity Measurement
To provide practical training in and the theoretical basis for basic molecular techniques used for identification and characterisation of biodiversity. Hands-on training will be integrated with the theoretical underpinning of the manipulation and analysis of DNA sequence and microsatellite genotype data, as applied to problems in the assessment of biodiversity. This will include approaches to DNA barcoding for identification and population genetics analyses of population structure and genetic history. The goal will be for students to learn these analyses at a level sufficient to perform independent analysis of their own data. The course will also highlight recent advances in sequencing technology and approaches to genotyping, along with the new challenges that this will bring for analytical approaches.
Phyloinformatics
To provide evidence-based advanced practical training in using web services to aggregate and visualise biodiversity data, using an interactive and open-access based approach.
Vertebrate Identification
The aim of the course is to provide students with core evidence-based training in techniques for identifying key vertebrate groups, including bird songs and mammalian scats.

A second class Honours degree or equivalent (eg GPA of 3.0 or above) in a relevant subject. Professional experience may be taken into account.In your application, please submit a statement (up to 200 words) outlining why you want to study this programme in particular and what you hope to get out of it.International students with academic qualifications below those required should contact our partner institution, Glasgow International College, who offer a range of pre-Masters courses. Further information regarding academic entry requirements:student.recruitment@glasgow.ac.uk English Language Requirements IELTS band: 6.5 CAE score: (read more) Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) is part of the Cambridge English suite and is targeted at a high level (IETLS 6.5-8.0). It is an international English language exam set at the right level for academic and professional success. Developed by Cambridge English Language Assessment - part of the University of Cambridge - it helps you stand out from the crowd as a high achiever. 75 (Grade B) TOEFL iBT® test: 92 IMPORTANT NOTE: Since April 2014 the ETS tests (including TOEFL and TOEIC) are no longer accepted for Tier 4 visa applications to the United Kingdom. The university might still accept these tests to admit you to the university, but if you require a Tier 4 visa to enter the UK and begin your degree programme, these tests will not be sufficient to obtain your Visa. The IELTS test is most widely accepted by universities and is also accepted for Tier 4 visas to the UK- learn more.