Program Overview
Program Overview
The University of Copenhagen offers a comprehensive program in Animal Diversity and Evolution, providing students with a broad perspective on the diversity and evolution of the Animal Kingdom.
Course Content
The course covers the entire spectrum of diversity, including marine, freshwater, and terrestrial organisms. Students will be instructed by experts from the Natural History Museum and the Department of Biology, and will participate in detailed and well-illustrated lectures, as well as hands-on practicals.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the course, students will gain:
- Knowledge of the diversity, anatomy, and evolution of the Kingdom of Animals
- The ability to compare and contrast the anatomy of focal animal groups
- The ability to discuss anatomical features relevant to the ecology of focal animal groups
- Understanding of convergent evolution and homology
Skills
By the end of the course, students should be able to:
- List and compare features that characterize focal animal groups
- Identify presented organisms to phylum-level or further, based on their knowledge
- Account for aspects of the morphological, fossil, and molecular background for current hypotheses concerning animal evolution and classification
- Explain convergent evolution and homology and hypothesize on the possible role of each in the generation of various functionally or anatomically similar structures
- Operate specialized equipment used in modern zoology and understand and analyze data or images from this equipment
- Dissect various organisms from across the Animalia, and identify their external as well as internal organs, and discuss their functional role and analogues/homologues in other taxa
Competences
The course provides students with:
- A broad perspective on the diversity and evolution of the Animal Kingdom, both modern and extinct
- Understanding of the context of modern diversity
- An overview of the latest research on a broad diversity of animals
- The ability to impress friends and strangers alike with an enormous array of random animal facts
Teaching and Learning Methods
The course consists of lectures and practical exercises.
Literature
Literature for the course can be found on Absalon.
Assessment
The course is assessed through an oral examination, 20 minutes (no preparation), with a 7-point grading scale. At least 80% participation in lectures, exercises, and presentations is required.
Course Type and Workload
The course is a single subject course (day) with a workload of:
- Lectures: 66 hours
- Preparation: 89 hours
- Practical exercises: 50 hours
- Exam: 1 hour
- Total: 206 hours
Language and Course Number
The course is taught in English, with the course number NNMK24000U.
ECTS and Programme Level
The course is worth 7.5 ECTS and is at the Full Degree Master level.
Duration and Placement
The course is 1 block, placed in Block 4, with a schedule group of A.
Capacity and Studyboard
The course has a capacity of 40 students, with the Study Board for the Biological Area.
Contracting Department and Faculty
The contracting department is the Natural History Museum of Denmark and the Department of Biology, with the contracting faculty being the Faculty of Science.
Course Coordinator and Teachers
The course coordinator is Jørgen Olesen, with teachers from the Natural History Museum of Denmark and the Department of Biology.