NBIK14024U Arctic Field Course

Volume 2015/2016
Education

MSc Programme in Biology

Content

The course takes place at the Arctic Station, University of Copenhagen, in Qeqertarsuaq at Disko, West Greenland.
The participants apply for the opportunity to participate in the course by formulating an experimental project to be carried out during a two weeks stay in Greenland of which 10 days are at the Arctic Station. The application should include:

  • A description of the name of applicants, project, aim, working hypothesis and present knowledge
  • Description of the applicants (CV), the course portfolio and the grades
  • Provide a time plan and a budget for all known expenses
  • How to obtain external funding for the project

 

Each project must include two to three students. The successful students carry out their project with supervision of the involved teachers. These as well as details about the application procedure will be announced during autumn.
At the Arctic Station lectures are arranged in the evenings. The scientific leader of the station as well as guests and the teachers at the course are talking about their current projects.
During the travel to and back from Arctic Station shorter stays in Kangerlussuaq and Ilulissat are undertaken to get experiences of the different communities found there.

Learning Outcome

Knowledge:

  • Discuss and understand the scientific process from the idea of a project to completing a report of the study
  • Carry out practical field work under challenging conditions
  • Analyse accumulated data statistically
  • Apply general morphological, physiological and reproductive strategies in arctic organisms in the discussion of the acquired results
  • Apply general population dynamics in relation to environmental conditions
  • Apply general element cycling of the Arctic in the discussion of the acquired results.

 

Skills:

  • Include general knowledge on arctic abiotic conditions in the treatment of the results of the project
  • Mediate the ideas of the project and the acquired results in terms of a project report and in an oral presentation of the investigation.


Competences:

  • The ability to work in a group and to take responsiblity for preparing a report of a high standard

 

See Absalon.

It is a pre-request that the course Arctic Biology has been successfully passed either before or during the same year as the field course.
Experimental group projects with intensive guidance in connection with planning of project and execution of field work. The groups present their plan to the team.
Lectures from Department of Biology, The Natural History Museum of Denmark, Arctic Station and other institutions.
Note that all must send an application following a template that will be announced. Participation in the course is based on these criteria: relevance, project, feasibility, general skills, grades and motivation.

Each student must contribute with approx. 4-5000 Dkr. as co-financing.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Exam
  • 0,5
  • Excursions
  • 10
  • Guidance
  • 15
  • Lectures
  • 5
  • Practical exercises
  • 70
  • Preparation
  • 30,5
  • Project work
  • 75
  • Total
  • 206,0
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Written assignment
Oral examination
For each project students will write a report in English based on the results of their investigations. The report must follow the format of a scientific paper. Submission deadline is 15 September. The examination is a 20-minute oral examination where the students individually present their study and its results. The presentation is followed by questions to the report as well as relevant background literature to the project. This will take place in the "free week" between block 1 and 2. Finally an English report based on all project reports performed during the Arctic Field Course will be published on behalf of Arctic Station.
Exam registration requirements

It is a requirement that the student has participated in the field part in Greenland. If the requirement is not fulfilled, the student must take the course again the next year.

Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
One internal examiner.
Re-exam

Reexamination is possible if the student has participated in the field part in Greenland. The student must hand in a new report within the following block.

Criteria for exam assesment

A report paper incl. own results in relation to relevant literature.