Master programme in Animal Ecology
120 credits
On the Master’s programme in Animal Ecology, you will learn how to analyse and understand evolutionary processes at the level of genes, individuals and populations. You will achieve skills in analysing and understanding how evolutionary and ecological processes form appearance, physiology and behaviour in animals. You will also learn how to analyse costs and benefits of different traits and how these are optimised to form reproductive and survival strategies. We offer an excellent research environment, particularly in topics such as animal migration, molecular ecology, life history trade-offs, evolutionary biology, disease resistance in natural populations and host-parasite interactions. You will use modern field and laboratory methods in studies of ecological and evolutionary issues applied on animals in basic research, as well as applied conservation-related research. Special emphasis is on birds as model systems.
The programme comprises two years of full-time studies (120 credits), with at least 90 credits at advanced level in biology. Teaching is carried out in the form of courses, primarily in modules worth 15 credits and a degree project for one or two semesters.
Get some inspiration to what the Master's programmes leads to. You find completed Master's degree projects in biology on LUP Student Papers.
Recommended course of study
Year 1
Autumn
- Population and Community Ecology BIOR69, 15 credits
- Animal Ecology BIOR91, 15 credits
Spring
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution BIOR25 or Conservation Biology BIOR83, 15 credits
- Ornithology BIOR51, or optional course 15 credits or start of Master's degree project.
Year 2
Autumn
- optional course or start of Master's Degree project
- Evolutionary Biology - Patterns and Processes BIOR89 or Sensory Biology BIOR20, or Processing and Analysis of Biological Data BIOS14 and and Modelling Biological Systems BIOS13, 15 credits
Spring
Degree requirements
Courses corresponding to 120 credits, of which should encompass:
Compulsory Courses, 30 credits
- Population and Community Ecology BIOR69, 15 cr
- Animal Ecology BIOR9 15 cr
Elective Courses, at least 30 credits
- Bioinformatics and Sequence Analysis BINP11/BINP17, 7.5 cr
- Conservation Biology BIOR83, 15 cr
- Evolutionary Biology - Patterns and Processes BIOR89, 15 cr
- Evolutionary Biology - Methods and Applications BIOR90, 15 cr
- Modelling Biological Systems BIOS13, 7.5 cr
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution BIOR25, 15 cr
- Ornithology BIOR51, 15 cr
- Processing and Analysis of Biological Data BIOS14, 7.5 cr
- Sensory Biology BIOR20, 15 cr
Optional Courses, 0-30 credits
Master´s degree project in biology BIOM02/BION02/BION02, 30/45/60 credits
Degree title
Master of Science (Two Years)
Major: Biology with specialisation in Animal Ecology
Questions?
Lotta Persmark, Study advisor, biology and bioinformatics
Telephone: +46 46 222 37 28
Email: Lotta [dot] Persmark [at] biol [dot] lu [dot] se (Lotta[dot]Persmark[at]biol[dot]lu[dot]se)