BSc (Hons) Biology Bachelor's degree at the University of Stirling

This module is designed to meet the needs of the future non-financial manager. It provides an introduction to those aspects of financial accounting, management accounting and financial management that are likely to be of importance to such managers. You'll start by learning the principal elements of the main accounting documents. You’ll learn that these documents provide the main vehicle by which the business entity discloses its performance, and you'll study techniques which enable a competent analysis of an entity’s performance, solvency, cashflow and investor attractiveness to be made. Attention then turns to management accounting, where you’ll learn essential aspects of: cost behaviour;

The marine and aquatic habitats of the natural world are hugely diverse, but also increasingly threatened. In this module, you'll consider aquatic environments from upland streams, descending through diverse freshwater environments (including lakes, rivers and wetlands), estuaries, the coast, and seas and oceans. On the way, you'll learn about such iconic environments and organisms as coral reefs, Antarctic fauna, and deep ocean vents. You'll explore: the range of aquatic habitats and the organisms that live there; how organisms are adapted for life in water; key biological concepts relevant to studying life in water such as natural selection and biological energy flow; how to communicate as

Ecology is essential to understanding the natural world. In this module you’ll study how plants and animals interact with their environment, and how they interact with each other. You’ll also explore how humans fit into these relationships, and how human actions impact ecosystems and the connections that underpin these ecosystems. Stirling is a hub for environmental conservation and a superb place to study ecology. On this module you’ll also learn a suite of practical analytical skills essential to answering important ecological questions. Specifically, you’ll learn how to: measure population size using a variety of techniques; calculate two different biodiversity indices and apply them to a

This module is intended for students who wish to acquire skills in computer programming and an understanding of the principles underlying computer systems and networks. It is compulsory for students entering degree programmes involving Computing Science, Software Engineering, Information Systems or Business Computing, but is available to all students. The goal of the module is to give you confidence in computational thinking and problem solving via programming. Lectures cover the basic principles of computer architecture, operating systems, and networks, and build an understanding of the multiple layers and levels of abstraction that allow computer systems to work. Computational thinking and

Economics is much more than measuring inflation and maximising profit. At its heart, economics is a way of understanding interactions in everyday life, both with each other and our natural environment. In this module, you will use real-world problems such as climate change and inequality to learn the key concepts in economics. This module, like all our introductory teaching of economics, uses the CORE project as its syllabus. This data-driven, interactive, interdisciplinary and modern economics syllabus empowers you to actually do economics, not just learn economics. This is combined with an immersive and technology-enabled learning experience using debates and class experiments. You’ll expl

School and education are often used interchangeably and yet school is an institution where students may not receive educational experiences. In this module, we make the familiar (school/education) strange by introducing you to education as a multi-disciplinary field of study drawing upon a range of knowledge traditions, including philosophy, psychology, sociology and history. You’ll gain an appreciation of the ways in which viewing education from the perspectives offered by these disciplines helps us to answer educational questions, for example: What are schools for? How do we best educate all people? Why are schools structured in the way that they are? The aims of this module are to develop

This module introduces you to the study of English literature, creative writing and publishing studies at undergraduate level, and explores the role that genre plays in shaping our experiences of literature. The module is designed to help you develop key skills in literary studies, including library use, research, close reading, essay writing, creative writing and publishing. You will explore how genres change over time, and compare and contrast the ways in which different texts engage with genre. You'll explore genres including: different types of poetry; tragedy; gothic; the short story. The module is taught through weekly lectures, weekly seminars and supporting online resources. This mod

The overall aim of Building Planet Earth (ENVU1BP) is to introduce you to geology. In doing so, you’ll gain a unique insight into how the Earth formed over billions of years. You’ll be introduced to the physical and geological processes have produced the planet that we live on today. Teaching will examine rock forming processes, plate tectonics, the evolution of life and the fossil record and geo-resources. Teaching materials will include cases studies of geological formations from across the planet and the module culminates in introducing you to the varied and interesting geology of Scotland. This module will introduce you to field data collection and the skill of field observations, record

Every day we are surrounded by media. There are now more ways to watch television than ever before, and popular films continue to be part of casual conversation and serious debate. We have access to almost limitless sources of news and are bombarded by advertising images in public and private settings. We also have increased means to discuss and contest these messages. In all of these cases, the images and messages we encounter are the product of complex industries. In order to understand how media practices are changing, we need to look at their underlying structures, including funding, regulation, work and equalities. This module will provide you with the tools and theoretical underpinning

Learning a language can change your life as it will unlock a world of travel destinations and global work opportunities. As you develop intercultural awareness, you will also learn more about your own language and culture. The module will also equip you with vital transferable skills including interpersonal and communication skills and critical analysis. This module will enable you to deepen your previous knowledge of the language in its global context. You will develop not only your understanding of a range of grammatical structures but also oral communication and listening skills in the target language to a good standard of proficiency, at A2 level within the CEFR (Common European Framewor

This is a Beginners course and will work with the language at A1 level in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. You will be working towards developing your language skills in four different areas: writing, listening, reading and speaking. This module is structured in multiple weekly language classes during which you will be exposed to the target language through activities involving grammar, phonetics, vocabulary, cultural bites, etc. in order to provide a variety of different learning opportunities for you to start an enjoyable and fruitful linguistic journey. There is also a weekly language workshop for all students on the module. Is this module right for you? Learning

This introductory, survey module aims to provide you with an overview of Scottish medieval history in the period c.1100-1542, through a variety of approaches to the past, in particular viewing Scotland as a European kingdom. You’ll explore topics including: the origins of the kingdom; the medieval church; the medieval economy and environment; the wars of independence; late medieval kingship; medieval cultures and courts; renaissance monarchy. Through twice-weekly lectures, weekly small group 2-hour seminars, optional field-walks, online exercises and reading, we’ll seek to deepen history-specific intellectual skills or enlighten those studying history as a discipline for the first time. Loca

Is this module right for you? If you have recently studied written subjects such as English, History, Modern Studies or similar, where you have developed your essay writing, this might be a good fit for you. This is our introductory British History module and one of our core non-advanced modules for those students who wish to go on to complete a single honours History or Scottish History degree or a combined honours degree with History and another subject. It is also popular as a third subject with students who want to learn about the history of the country in which they are studying and/or acquire core transferable skills of critical evaluation and how to develop and support an argument. HI

We live in a media-saturated world where the facts are debatable and the news is rarely impartial. How do you make sense of the world around you? What role does the news play in our everyday life? Why does journalism matter? What are the key challenges facing journalism today? These are some of the questions we'll discuss in Introduction to Journalism (JOUU9A1, or JA1). We will be talking about what makes and drives the news industry, how stories are created, told, and sold, and how you can sharpen your skills as a journalist through theory and practice. We will also look at contemporary challenges to news, from 'fake' stories (mis- and disinformation), and the underfunding of digital journa

How does the way we speak influence other people? Why do we judge people on the way they speak? How and why do languages change, and why does language change provoke resistance? Furthermore, what happens when speakers of different languages come into contact with each other? How do we signal our membership of social groups through language? Language and Society is a module which engages with all of these questions, exploring the crucial functions of language in social life and the ways we use language to demonstrate and negotiate our social identities. This module provides a versatile fit with many other arts, humanities and social science subjects (e.g. Modern Languages, English Studies, Re

Mathematics is at the heart of all quantitative subjects so a solid grasp of the fundamentals of mathematics is essential to success. This module will deepen your understanding of the mathematical basics learned in high school, recapping the fundamental concepts you've learned in limit theory and calculus while presenting them in a way that will broaden your understanding if these topics. You will explore: functions of real numbers and their limits, functions and calculus of single variables, use calculus to solve important optimisation problems; integration introduction to multi-variable calculus. If you have studied mathematics at Higher/A level or equivalent and have a knowledge of calcul

This first semester module is a core module for computing science students but is open to anyone with an interest in mathematics who has at least a standard grade (or equivalent in mathematics). You'll be introduced to some important concepts in mathematics, such as: set theory; number bases (such as binary, hexadecimal and conversion between bases); logic (such as truth table, switching circuits); Venn diagrams; proofs by induction, relations and functions; matrices; algorithms. These concepts play a fundamental role in today’s computing science, and provide a solid foundation for more advanced mathematics. Location/Method of Study Vietnam/International Stirling, On Campus/On Campus, UK Pla

All organisations operate within a business environment which is not static. Changes are constantly taking place and they are largely outside the organisation’s control. These shifts may be evolutionary, revolutionary or disruptive in nature. The changes and management responses ultimately shape organisational structures, behaviours and performance. To be successful, organisations need to identify, monitor and understand the most important trends within the business environment (for example: demographic, socio-economic, political, legal and technological change) and the links between them. In this module, you’ll explore: the different types and levels of change in the business environment; t

This is an introductory module to certain central questions of philosophy, including: What is my mind, and how does it relate to my body? Do I really have free will? Is morality the same in all times and places, or is morality different in different cultures and eras? Is there a moral difference between causing harm and merely letting harm happen? What is it to know something? And what do I really know? For example, do I really know that I am not a brain in a vat being fed experiences quite different from how things actually are? This module does not assume any prior knowledge or study of philosophy. Nor does it assume that you have studied essay-based subjects at higher/A-level. You only ne

Politics is about the use of power, and cooperation, to address conflict within countries or across the globe. It is essential to learn how governments work, how citizens can participate to influence political processes, and how political systems change (for better or worse). These questions are not only foundational to the study of Politics but also speak to concerns of interest to all citizens of modern liberal democracies such as the UK. You will explore topics including: how people participate in elections, political parties, groups, or protest; who has power, and how they are held to account; the role of governments and non-governmental organisations, from local to national and internat

Learning a language can change your life as it will unlock a world of travel destinations and global work opportunities. As you develop intercultural awareness, you will also learn more about your own language and culture. The module will also equip you with vital transferable skills including interpersonal and communication skills and critical analysis. This module will enable you to deepen your previous knowledge of t he language in its global context. You will develop not only your understanding of a range of gramma tical structures but also oral communicati on and listening skills in the target language to a good standard of proficiency, at A2 level within the CEFR (Common European Fram

This is a Beginners course and will work with the language at A1 level in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. You will be working towards developing your language skills in four different areas: writing, listening, reading and speaking. This module is structured in multiple weekly sessions during which you will be exposed to the target language through activities involving grammar, phonetics, vocabulary, cultural bites, etc. in order to provide a variety of different learning opportunities for you to start an enjoyable and fruitful linguistic journey. Is this module right for you? Learning Spanish can change your life as it will unlock a world of travel destinations and

In this module, you’ll explore what sociology and criminology are and what it means to think sociologically and criminologically. The first section of the course will provide a very short introduction to the study of sociology and criminology its focus on understanding: the social order and how this is maintained (including through the criminal justice system); the relationship(s) between the individual and the collective and the ways that human individuals are shaped by the collective with reference to different social divisions and identities and intersectionality; social change and power. This module will introduce you to key sociological and criminological skills and concepts and to crit

We live in a world beset by the challenges of multiple 'wicked' problems. Each one is unique, every one complex and with no shared understanding or agreement on their nature, their effects on us and our planet, or on how to address them. Many lack agreement on what are the intended or desirable outcomes. What they do share is that all of them are seemingly unsolvable and ever-growing in their complexity. The interlinked issues of climate, environment and sustainability lie at the heart of many of these problems, presenting us with questions that might seem impossible to solve. How, for example, do we address the central questions in the 'climate crisis' and deliver Net Zero/Zero Carbon ambit

Understanding why and how science is conducted are fundamental elements providing the foundations for a successful science career. From theory to practice, a thorough appreciation of the importance of integrity and developing the scientific method are essential for unravelling questions and addressing real-world situations. Cross-divisional teaching from experts within the Faculty of Natural Sciences and central Student Learning Services will focus on structuring and assessing science questions, data collection, analysis and interpretation, best practice in how to maintain integrity and maximising the impact of your science work. Coupled with practical experience on effective science teamwor

This module gives a background in fundamental Cell Biology and serves as an essential introduction to the subsequent modules in biosciences. It is designed for those with a Biology background and who are on a Biology-related degree course. It will start with a consideration of the history of cell biology and introduces basic concepts such as cell theory. You will then undertake a journey through the cell, examining the different components, how they are constructed and the jobs that they do. We shall discuss the concept of biological information flow, leading to the conversion of genetic information held within the genome into a functional cell type. Finally, we will devote time to cell sign

This module introduces the concept of water as a finite resource, examining the impacts of man's current usage patterns, and looks at how usage might be made more sustainable to preserve the resource for future generations. Exploring both current and future issues of global importance, topics will include: drought; pollution; dam construction; declining fisheries and habitat destruction; climate change; water wars and fresh drinking water availability. The UN has defined 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which set out the world’s roadmap to ending poverty, reducing inequality and protecting the planet by 2030. Dissertation projects offered within this module will be relevant to deliver

In this module, you’ll examine basic human, animal and plant cells, as well as their anatomy and physiology. You’ll learn how various tissues and organs function in whole organisms and how animal and plant functions are strictly regulated to meet through homeostatic processes. In class, we’ll take examples from different animal groups, including humans, and from plants that inhabit a variety of different ecosystems. Is this module right for you? If you have studied a science subject such as Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Geography, Geology, Mathematics or Physics at higher/A level or equivalent, this might be a good fit for you. Location/Method of Study Stirling, On Campus/On Cam

This module extends and deepens the study of Java programming, started in Introduction to Computing Science (CSCU9P1). You’ll explore topics including: the design of interactive graphical user interfaces (GUIs); testing and debugging practices; sorting and searching algorithms of arrays; exception handling process; data structures and object orientation in Java. You’ll also learn how to develop a good user interface design for desktop applications and for web sites covering principles, practical guidelines and the legal, ethical and practical issues of accessibility for the disabled. Is this module right for you? This is a science module that requires a good level of numeracy and problem sol

Data flows around us all the time: how can we learn from this data, how are companies using it, and how does this affect our lives? In this module, students will start covering the principles of data science, learn how to apply such principles to solve data science problems, and, consequently, further develop your problem-solving skills. Precisely, you'll: learn about the CRISP-DM, a popular methodology for guiding data science projects; investigate the different types of data and data storage; look at the distinct possible problems related to the data and how to solve them (pre-process the data); learn how to actually process the data, which includes covering some machine learning approache

Interactions between governments, banks, firms, and households on a national and international scale affect economic policies, trade, and cooperation. This module continues your journey into learning economics by moving the focus from individual decision making and single markets (the microeconomy) towards the wider economy and interactions on a larger scale. This module uses the curriculum open-access resources for economists (CORE) approach to learning economics and current data to equip you to better understand the most important contemporary issues that policymakers face in the globalised world. You will explore: how interactions in the wider economy can be measured and affected through

Economics is not about money, business, or finance. At its heart, economics is the study of how people interact with each other and with their natural surroundings in producing their livelihoods, and how this changes over time. In this introductory module, you’ll learn the key concepts of economic thinking of both microeconomics and macroeconomics, including: demand, supply and markets; cost, revenue and profits of firms; GDP, inflation, unemployment and international trade; how and why economists use data. This module uses ‘Foundations of Economics’ by A. Gillespie as the main textbook. Location/Method of Study Stirling, On Campus/On Campus, UK Planet Core International Education/Internatio

This module offers insights into the political dimension of education and how it shapes educational policy-making and educational practices. It provides a foundation in Education Studies and is compulsory for students on the Initial Teacher Education Course but is designed for any student interested in the field of education. The module sets out to give a basic grounding in Education as a political and social instrument. The first part of the course sets the scene in terms of the global, national and local influencers of education policy. The second half of the semester considers issues of Equity in Education and the policy and practices which form Scotland’s response to this educational goa

This module introduces you to different approaches to literary studies within a broadly theoretical context. On this module you will explore the concept of literary theory and consider how different theoretical positions can shape our responses, both critical and creative, to literary texts. The prescribed reading includes fiction, non-fiction, and drama, extending from the Early Modern period to the present day. If you would like to do some preparatory reading, a useful introductory guide to topics and approaches in literary theory--several of which we'll be drawing on during the module--is An Introduction to Literature, Criticism and Theory, ed. Andrew Bennett and Nicholas Royle (Routledge

This module is an introduction to the science of landscapes – sometimes called 'geomorphology'. You’ll explore the fundamental processes, in the air, in the water, and on land, responsible for shaping the Earth's surface and making it look the way it does. You’ll learn about how we measure and characterise the Earth's different landscapes, how they have evolved in the past and how they will change in the future. You’ll gain fundamental insights into land-forming processes – their drivers, inter-relationships, complexities and rates of change – in order to better understand the natural and man-made changes that are affecting our increasingly populated planet. In this module you’ll explore: ho

This module equips you with fundamental skills in the textual analysis of film and television. Lectures and seminars – informed by screenings and reading – introduce key elements of film and television style and the techniques through which filmmakers and programme makers create them, and the purpose of textual analysis as an academic method. These skills will continue to be useful when combined with other academic methods taught in later, related modules. Although The Moving Image does not contain any practical elements, students interested in production may benefit from the module's emphasis on the close study of associated techniques. Location/Method of Study Stirling, On Campus/On Campus