Bachelor of Science (Honours) (Animal Behaviour) - 4 year program

To be read in conjunction with the program of study requirements for the Bachelor of Science (Honours) – 4 years.

The Animal Behaviour Specialisation is offered as part of the Bachelor of Science (Honours) and requires four years of full-time study (or the equivalent part-time). The Specialisation is offered by the School of Biological Sciences, within the Faculty of Science and Engineering.

Specialisations have different admission requirements to other programs of study available in the Bachelor of Science (Honours). In order to undertake a Specialisation students must be admitted to the Specialisation program.

There is an alternative 1 year program for the Bachelor of Science (Honours) for students who have successfully completed a Bachelor of Science.

• Admission requirements
• Aims
• Learning outcomes
• Program of study
• Combined degrees
  
  

Admission requirements

The minimum requirements for consideration for entry to all undergraduate courses are specified in detail in the University Entry Requirements.

Aims

The program of studies aims to provide students with a broad-based foundation in animal behaviour. The program will examine animal behaviour in captive and wild animals, and will promote an understanding of the role of animal behaviour for assessing animal welfare, survival, and evolution. The program also aims to develop a range of transferable research, analytical and communication skills including the capacity to:

• understand and apply relevant scientific principles in the area of animal behaviour
• retrieve and present information about animal behaviour effectively, communicate clearly with a variety of audiences in written and spoken forms
• critically analyse and evaluate information relevant to animal behaviour
• appreciate the multidisciplinary aspect of studies in animal behaviour and engage positively with people and ideas beyond the discipline
• work cooperatively and productively within a team
• work independently and take responsibility for updating and adapting their knowledge and skills
• appreciate the societal and ethical contexts of conservation biology, animal behavior, and animal welfare issues. 

The program of studies provides the foundations that will underpin ongoing professional development, preparing graduates for further study in biology or another science or non-science related discipline or for a career in a biology related field or in other areas where the range of skills and knowledge acquired is needed or desirable.

Learning outcomes

Graduates are expected to be able to:

• know and critically apply theories, subject content, professional methodologies and research procedures relevant to Animal Behaviour; for example focal sampling method, ethogram analysis, and experimental design
• understand and describe the processes through which current knowledge about the disciplines of animal behaviour, evolution, and sociobiology were developed
• be able to analyse and critically evaluate ideas/information/data and apply relevant scientific principles to solve problems by, for example, creating hypotheses, testing theories and predictions, designing and carrying out experiments and analysing reported data
• design and carry out experiments using appropriate techniques, protocols and appreciation of ethics
• be able to communicate their findings to lay, general scientific and specialised scientific audiences in written and spoken form
• appreciate that animal behaviour science is multidisciplinary and has connections to other science and non-science disciplines
• work and learn independently and appreciate the need for continuing professional development
• interact effectively as part of a team in order to achieve common goals.
  

Program of study

To qualify for the Bachelor of Science (Honours) (Animal Behaviour) specialisation a student must complete 144 units, with a grade of P or NGP or better in each topic, according to the Bachelor of Science (Honours) – 4 years program of study.  The program of study for the specialisation is detailed below:

Specialisation - Animal Behaviour - Year 1 topics

22.5 units comprising:

 BIOL1101  Evolution of Biological Diversity  (4.5 units)
 BIOL1102  Molecular Basis of Life  (4.5 units)
 BIOL1711  Introduction to Animal Behaviour##  (4.5 units)

plus either:

 CHEM1101  Chemistry 1A##  (4.5 units) AND
 CHEM1102  Chemistry 1B##  (4.5 units)

or

 CHEM1201  Introduction to Chemistry A##  (4.5 units) AND
 CHEM1202  Introduction to Chemistry B##  (4.5 units)

##Cognate studies

Specialisation - Animal Behaviour - Year 2 topics

27 units comprising:

 BIOL2701  Experimental Design and Statistics for Biology  (4.5 units)
 BIOL2702  Genetics, Evolution and Biodiversity  (4.5 units)
 BIOL2711  Ecology  (4.5 units)
 BIOL2712  Animal Diversity  (4.5 units)
 BIOL2721  Foundations of Animal Behaviour  (4.5 units)
 BIOL2722  Disease and Immunology  (4.5 units)

Specialisation - Animal Behaviour - Year 3 topics

27 units comprising:

 BIOL3701  Conservation Biology and Restoration Ecology  (4.5 units)
 BIOL3702  Marine and Freshwater Biology  (4.5 units)
 BIOL3711  Plant and Algal Diversity  (4.5 units)
 BIOL3712  Integrative Physiology of Animals and Plants  (4.5 units)
 BIOL3721  Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology  (4.5 units)
 BIOL3722  Conservation and Ecological Genetics  (4.5 units)

Core - Honours Year topics

36 units comprising:

 BIOL4700A  Biology Honours Research Project  (4.5/22.5 units)  
 BIOL4700B  Biology Honours Research Project  (4.5/22.5 units)  
 BIOL4700C  Biology Honours Research Project  (4.5/22.5 units)  
 BIOL4700D  Biology Honours Research Project  (4.5/22.5 units)  
 BIOL4700E  Biology Honours Research Project  (4.5/22.5 units)  
 BIOL4710  Honours Critical Readings  (4.5 units)
 BIOL4720  Honours Grant Writing Skills  (4.5 units)
 BIOL4730  Honours Scientific Methods and Data Presentation  (4.5 units)

Combined degrees

The Bachelor of Science (Honours) may also be studied in a combined degrees program with a:

• Bachelor of Business and Technology