Overview
The Department of Life Sciences seeks to realize the University's mission by making available, through excellence in teaching, research and outreach, high quality education and training for students of biology such that they are prepared to function as biologists in the regional and global arena.
Aims
The department aims to:
- provide a range of advanced courses in the disciplines it embraces to students with a good general education.
- provide coherent and rigorous programmes of study which extend over three or four years depending upon qualifications at entry.
- expose students to recent developments in both theoretical and practical aspects of the disciplines.
- train students in the use of scientific thinking and methodology as an effective approach to interacting with, understanding and affecting the biosphere.
- use a variety of teaching and learning methodologies in the process of delivering its programmes of study.
- employ a range of assessment methods and techniques, to enable students to demonstrate the depth of their understanding and their capacity for independent thought.
- give guidance to students during and on the learning process as well as on the approach to the various disciplines themselves.
Objectives
The intended objectives are that:
- students will possess advanced knowledge and training in one or more areas of biology with more specific subject-related skills in one of these.
- the subject-related skills developed will be in an area of applied biology.
- students will develop significant information gathering and analytical skills.
- students will be able to take a critical approach to any biological/environmental problems which they may encounter.
- the course of study undertaken will form a sound basis for further academic or professional study.
- the students will have developed enough confidence to be able to give his/her opinion on issues involving biological phenomena.