Overview
Status: Active
National Framework Of Qualifications (NFQ) Level: 7
NFQ Award Class: Special Purpose Award
Duration Full Time: 1 Academic Year(s)
Total Credits: 60
Delivery Method: In-Person
Connected Curriculum: - Civic and Community Engagement
- Employability
- Global Reach
- Inter-and Transdisciplinary
- Research Based Teaching
- Sustainability
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): - No Poverty
- Zero Hunger
- Quality Education
- Sustainable Cities and Communities
- Responsible Consumption and Production
- Climate Action
- Life on Land
- Partnerships to Achieve SDGs
Graduate Attributes: - Creator, evaluator and communicator of knowledge
- Digitally Fluent
- Effective global citizen
- Independent and creative thinker
- Socially Responsible
Work-Integrated Learning (Including Placement): No
This Diploma programme is available to students of UCC's international partner institutions with which UCC has a bilateral agreement under Statute 263 of the National University of Ireland. Having studied for at least two years at a partner university, students will study for one year at University College Cork, taking the programme to a value of 60 credits.
To be considered for the award of University Diploma in Biological Sciences, a student must have satisfactorily attended undergraduate modules to the value of 60 credits as prescribed by the Head of the relevant academic units of their chosen discipline. Students may choose 2nd, 3rd and where permitted 4th year (School of BEES only) undergraduate modules (subject to timetabling and other constraints). Where a module has prerequisites (as specified in the module description), a student must satisfy this prerequisite by demonstrating, to the satisfaction of the relevant academic unit, that a similar module has been passed in the partner institution. The full programme of study is subject to final agreement by the relevant UCC academic units and the student's home institution.
Workload Guidelines
It is strongly recommended that students do not take any more than 40 credits in any semester. Students are therefore advised to choose their modules so that the workload is evenly spread throughout the year.
Programme Requirements
For information about modules, module choice, options and credit weightings, please go to Programme Requirements.
Programme Requirements
Module List
| Code |
Title |
Credits |
| 60 |
| Fundamentals of Ecology (5) | |
| Plant and Animal Genetics (5) | |
| Introduction to Plant Biotechnology (5) | |
| Ecological Plant Physiology (5) | |
| Vertebrate Diversity (5) | |
| Invertebrate Diversity (5) | |
| Zoology and Ecology Literature Review (5) | |
| Conservation Biology (5) | |
| Key Research Skills in Biology (5) | |
| Evolution 2—Diversity and Extinction (5) | |
| Evolution 1—Plant and Animal Evolutionary Origins (5) | |
| Physiology of Plants in extreme Environments (5) | |
| Advanced Vertebrate Biology (5) | |
| Adaptations to Extreme Environments (5) | |
| Animal Behaviour (5) | |
| |
| Advanced Ecology and Biogeography (5) | |
| Frontiers in Biology (5) | |
| Sustainable Food Production (5) | |
| Sustainable Plant Biotechnology with New Genomic Techniques (5) | |
| Sustainable Plant Pest and Disease Management (5) | |
| Crop Physiology and Climate Change (5) | |
| Biology of Marine Mammals (5) | |
| Evolutionary Ecology (5) | |
| Biomolecules (5) | |
| Principles of Metabolic Pathways (5) | |
| Structural and Experimental Biochemistry (5) | |
| Introduction to Cell Biology and Biomembranes (5) | |
| Cell Signalling (5) | |
| Biochemical and Cellular Immunology (5) | |
| Molecular Biology (5) | |
| Principles of Medical Genetics (5) | |
| Biochemistry of the Central Nervous System (5) | |
| Biophysical and Biochemical Methods (5) | |
| Forensic Genetics and Molecular Biology (5) | |
| Introductory Molecular Biology (5) | |
| Medical Microbiology (5) | |
| Food and Industrial Microbiology I (5) | |
| The role and ecology of microbes in the environment (5) | |
| Genetic Engineering and Molecular Biotechnology (5) | |
| Molecular Genetics and Genomics (5) | |
| Immunology: Host Response to Pathogens. (5) | |
| Themes in microbe-host interactions (5) | |
Examinations
Full details and regulations governing Examinations for each programme will be contained in the Marks and Standards Book and for each module in the Book of Modules.
Programme Learning Outcomes
Programme Learning Outcomes for Diploma in Biological Studies (NFQ Level 7, Special Purpose Award)
On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:
- Analyse core biological theories, concepts and models;
- Demonstrate an ability to perform selected biological techniques;
- Explain and communicate to various stakeholders in their biological discipline;
- Interpret and analyse data / laboratory / fieldwork results in the biological discipline;
- Communicate analysis of biological issues relevant to their discipline through writing reports and/or participating in group discussions/presentations.
