BSc (Hons) Biological Science Bachelor's degree at Northampton

This module provides an introduction to the science of ecology. It considers fundamental ecological concepts and principles and focuses on individuals, populations, interactions (between species), communities and ecosystems.

This module provides students with specialist training in environmental and ecological practical techniques. Students will acquire the skills necessary to plan, conduct and report on environmental science investigations in both laboratory and field environments. Students will apply these skills on a residential field trip.

Major groups of living organisms will be reviewed, including higher plants, invertebrate and vertebrate animals. General taxonomy, body form, physiology and life history will be studied to give an appreciation of the multiple aspects of biodiversity. Students will also learn about the key features that define key groups and the role of those taxa in ecological processes.

The purpose of this module is to give level 4 students an introduction to human biochemistry and cell biology. You will study the molecules and chemical processes that occur in living organisms, and explore the structure and function of cells, their components, and their interactions with the external environment.

The purpose of this module is to provide an insight into how invading organisms can cause disease and relate human world health issues to populations. This module allows students to develop a broad understanding of infectious disease across the globe and the biology of the causative agents, as well as examining intrinsic & extrinsic strategies to combat microbial pathogens.

The purpose of this module is to give you an introduction to genetics and molecular biology. You will learn about the fundamental mechanisms of DNA replication, transcription and translation. You will also explore how the tools of molecular biology, including cloning and PCR, allow the manipulation and understanding of genes and the proteins they encode.

This module provides opportunities for a range of ecological and environmental field-based investigations. Students will be involved in more in-depth fieldwork activities than a standard module would allow. Data analysis, scientific reporting skills and specialist practical skills are developed, as are collaborative working skills as students work in teams to collect data in the field and to report on research. This module includes a residential field trip (e.g. Slapton Ley, Devon).

This module will start by introducing students to methodologies for data manipulation and analysis using a free to use platform in combination with MS Excel. The second part of the module will provide introductory training on the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and the role of geospatial technology in investigating biological and environmental problems. Students will be introduced to specialist software and complete practical IT sessions that demonstrate potential applications of the

The aim of this module is to enable students to study the techniques used in molecular biology and how they are used in the examination of cellular function and disease. Students will learn about the multiple approaches used to study human disease and human pathogens. Students will also learn how model organisms are exploited in vitro to aid these processes, as well as using public sequence databases to retrieve information.

Biogeography combines ecology and geography to help us understand global patterns of biodiversity. It is the study of distributions of organisms, habitats and biomes, both past and present, and of related patterns of variation over the earth in the numbers and kinds of living things.

The purpose of this ecology-oriented module is to enable students to explore behavioural, physiological and molecular mechanisms of adaptation to environmental stress. They will also examine the mechanisms that organisms can utilise to respond to changes occurring on varying timescales and over a wide range of geographic areas.

The purpose of this module is to explore the fundamentals of a range of terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems. Students will develop an understanding of the distinct characteristics that define these environments, evaluate factors that threaten them and explore principles of conservation.

The sequencing of the human genome has enhanced our understanding of the genetic basis of disease and led to the emerging fields of both bioinformatics and genomics. This module will extend the students' appreciation of molecular biology learnt in SLS1020 while introducing students to both genomics and bioinformatics. The focus will be on applications of genomics to human disease, forensics and sports science.

Students will develop an understanding of the biochemical, physiological, genetic and immunological mechanisms involved in disease processes. Although the topics covered seem to concentrate on disease rather than health, the approach will be to emphasise preventative interventions both at the individual and population level.

Students will draw on their acquired knowledge to explore current bioscience issues. Diverse aspects of biology will be considered, the impact on society, environment and governmental policies, taking a global perspective on issues in different habitats and countries and a range of management strategies (e.g. habitats, environment, quarantine, vaccines).

This module allows the student to formulate a research question and undertake independent research in a chosen topic area of Biology/Bioscience.

This module deals with theoretical aspects of measuring biodiversity and understanding patterns of its distribution. It also considers more practical elements in terms of the practice of wildlife conservation including the evaluation and assessment of biodiversity for conservation.

The module explores techniques used to document and understand changes occurring at the Earth's surface with a focus on the role of geospatial technology.