BIOS3300 – Marine Biology
Course description
Schedule, syllabus and examination date
Course content
The course describes marine food chains from primary production to fish and top predators. Emphasis is placed on how the life history of species is adapted to physical oceanographic conditions and seasonal and geographical production in northern waters. The course also addresses key environmental challenges.
Learning outcome
After having completed the course, you have knowledge of:
- Mechanisms and driving forces for ocean currents
- Marine food chains, from phytoplankton to top predators
- Life history of important Norwegian fish species and how these are adapted to the physical and biological environment
- Environmental issues
- The most common methods for collection and sampling of marine organisms
Admission to the course
The courses BIOS3300 and BIOS4300 have common admission. Applicants are ranked by the following criteria:
1. Bachelor?s programme students at the Department of Biosciences and master?s programme students at the MN Faculty who have the course approved in their study plan.
2. Other program students.
3. Single course students and exchange students.
Applicants are ranked by number of credits within each group; all applicants within the 1st group are ranked before applicants in the 2nd group etc. For students who have equal number of credits within one group, admission is determined by random selection.
The courses have a capacity of 40 students.?
Special admission requirements
In addition to fulfilling the?Higher Education Entrance Qualification, applicants have to meet the following special admission requirements:
- Mathematics R1 (or Mathematics S1 and S2)
And in addition one of these:
- Mathematics R2
- Physics (1+2)
- Chemistry (1+2)
- Biology (1+2)
- Information technology (1+2)
- Geosciences (1+2)
- Technology and theories of research (1+2)
Mathematics R2 was a requirement up until and including the study year 2021/2022, as part of a trial arrangement. From and including the study year 2022/2023, Mathematics R2 is no longer a requirement.
The special admission requirements may also be covered by?equivalent studies from Norwegian upper secondary school or by other equivalent studies?(in Norwegian).
Formal prerequisite knowledge
HMS0504 – Field Safety must be passed before the field excursion in BIOS3300.
Recommended previous knowledge
subject:BIO2100 subject:BIOS2220
Overlapping courses
- 10 credits overlap with BIOS4300 – Marine Biology.
Teaching
The teaching consists of:
- Lectures
- Colloquiums
- Group seminars (mandatory)
- Field Trips (mandatory)
Mandatory course work must be approved to sit the exam. Approved mandatory course work is valid for 3 years.
Attendance is mandatory for the first lecture. This also applies to those on the waiting list. You will lose your seat on the course if notice is not given to the student administration studieinfo@ibv.uio.no prior to the first lecture.
As the teaching involves laboratory and/or field work, you should consider taking out a separate travel and personal risk insurance.? Read about your insurance cover as a student . Read about how you are insured as a student .
A student who has completed compulsory instruction and coursework and has had these approved, is not entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework. A student who has been admitted to a course, but who has not completed compulsory instruction and coursework or had these approved, is entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework, depending on available capacity.
Examination
- Group seminar presentation which counts 30% towards the final grade.
- Final written exam which counts 70% towards the final grade.
This course has mandatory exercises that must be approved before you can sit the final?exam.
Students who attended the course up to and including 2024 can follow the earlier examination arrangement and earlier examination arrangement will be offered up to and including 2026. Students?who attend the course from 2025 onwards must follow the new arrangement.
Attempts in the following corresponding subject also count as exam attempts in this subject: subject:BIOS4300
Examination support material
No examination support material is allowed.?
Language of examination
The examination text is given in English. You may submit your response in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F?is a fail. Read more about?the grading system.
Resit an examination
This course offers both postponed and resit of examination. Read more:
More about examinations at UiO
- Use of sources and citations
- How to use AI as a student
- Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
- Withdrawal from an exam
- Illness at exams / postponed exams
- Explanation of grades and appeals
- Resitting an exam
- Cheating/attempted cheating
You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.