| Unit name | Evolutionary Biology |
|---|---|
| Unit code | BIOL20028 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | I/5 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Professor. Pisani |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None. |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
N/A |
| School/department | School of Biological Sciences |
| Faculty | Faculty of Life Sciences |
Why is this unit important?
It has been said that “nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution”. Evolutionary theory links molecular to organismal biology and explains how the differential selection of random variants in heritable traits (mutations in DNA sequences) shaped the emergence of biological diversity. Evolution explains how populations adapt to an ever-changing environment, and how this leads to the emergence of new species. Evolutionary Biology builds on this fundamental process to explain global patterns of biodiversity through space (biogeography) and time (palaeontology), down to the origin of life itself. By studying evolution, you will gain the knowledge necessary to understand biology thoroughly, answering questions as different as “How did life originate?” to “Why do women undergo menopause?” The unit is designed to complement all areas of biology and will provide you with the secure grounding for further studies in Biological Sciences.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study
Evolutionary Biology is a fundamental pillar in the study of Biological Sciences and is key to understanding Zoology, Plant Sciences and Biology more broadly. Evolutionary Biology will provide you with the ability to interpret every phenomenon you will be studying in other units, from Molecular Genetics, to Animal Communication and Cognition, and to Plants and Sustainable Food Production, just to cite a few examples. Evolutionary processes, from the emergence of random mutations to that of specific adaptations, shaped life as we know it and explains phenomena as different as cancer, superbugs, imprinting and pain. Understanding evolution is key for you to achieve a full understanding of Biological Sciences.
An overview of content
This unit will cover the origin of life, patterns in the history of life and the evolution of biological diversity. You will encounter studies from molecular genetics through to palaeontology and biogeography. Topics covered will likely include:
• Mutation, selection, adaptation, population genetics and genome evolution.
• The origin of life, phylogenetics and the tree of life.
• The origin of eukaryotes and the evolution of sex.
• Macroevolution: integrating paleontological evidence to understand the origin of major organismal lineages (e.g., the Cambrian explosion and the emergence of animals).
• Microevolution: The nature of species, speciation and adaptive radiation.
• Evolutionary biogeography, patterns in the evolution of biological diversity and evolution of the human condition.
The unit will also provide key training on critical writing, preparing high-quality infographics and using feedback to feed-forward effectively into future assignments.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
By the end of the unit, you will understand the fundamental importance of evolutionary biology and how it underpins all areas of biological sciences, and have developed a secure grounding for further studies. You will also have developed your ability to communicate science effectively: you will be able to evaluate critically the published literature to produce a high-quality literature review and be competent in designing professional infographics. You will be able to reflect and act on feedback to support your development as a self-regulated learner.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you should be able to:
1. Critically review recent research and produce a short literature review, citing published papers.
2. Summarise information efficiently using infographics.
3. Demonstrate effective self-regulation, including self-reflection, skills-gap analysis, time management, teamwork and forward planning.
4. Explain evolution and processes of evolutionary change with examples of evidence.
5. Recognise the interdisciplinary nature of modern evolutionary research supported by contemporary examples.
You will learn through a combination of teaching activities including lectures, directed reading, workshops and independent study. Core knowledge, including explanations of underpinning theory, research approaches and supporting evidence will be largely delivered by lectures. Each weekly topic has a separate area in the unit Blackboard course, where you can find resources related to the week’s content and information about directed reading, to support your independent learning.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
Formative infographic – at the start of the unit, you will prepare an infographic and present this as a poster by working in groups. You will receive peer-feedback on this task which you can use to inform the design of your infographic which is a required component of your summative literature review.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
| Weighting | Summative Assessment Information | Intended Learning Outcomes assessed |
| 60% | Exam: Written work in the form of an essay. | 4, 5 |
| 30% | Literature Review including a graphical summary (infographic) on a topic to be chosen from a set list. | 1, 2, 4, 5 |
| 10% | Reflective Assessment (Reflection and Action Plan): Reflections on Y1 feedback to feed-forward when planning your Literature Review and Infographic assessment. | 3 |
When assessment does not go to plan
Re-assessment of both the written work and exam will be conducted in the re-assessment period. Normally, if the written work is missed, the same assessment task will be set with an alternative question. If the exam is missed, an alternative paper will be set in the reassessment period such that the intended learning outcomes are met.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. BIOL20028).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
