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Animal Behaviour (ZOOL30006)
Undergraduate level 3Points: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
For information about the University’s phased return to campus and in-person activity in Winter and Semester 2, please refer to the on-campus subjects page.
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
Semester 1
Please refer to the LMS for up-to-date subject information, including assessment and participation requirements, for subjects being offered in 2020.
Overview
Availability | Semester 1 |
---|---|
Fees | Look up fees |
This subject explores how natural and sexual selection have shaped the intriguing and often bizarre behaviours of animals. Topics include resource competition, predator avoidance, communication, mate choice, parental care, cooperation, sexual conflict, and the role of genes, hormones and learning in shaping behavioural diversity. We evaluate the scientific rigour of studies used to test theory, and highlight the often ingenious methods adopted by researchers to understand animal behaviour
Intended learning outcomes
On completion of this subject, students should demonstrate:
- the ability to articulate a proximate (mechanistic) or ultimate (evolutionary) perspective on any aspect of animal behaviour
- an understanding of the diversity of experimental and manipulative approaches available for the study of animal behaviour, and the ability to apply an appropriate approach to an unfamiliar problem
- the ability to explain an aspect of animal behaviour to different audiences in written, spoken or audiovisual format
- the ability to articulate different forms of biological data and how to make inferences from them
- the ability to conduct an effective literature search and synthesise findings and critique a given topic in animal behaviour
- the ability to design an effective experiment
- preparedness for the workplace through experience participating in group projects
Generic skills
This subject builds upon existing generic skills, including an ability to assimilate and critically evaluate new knowledge within a scientific paradigm, and to communicate that knowledge to a broad audience.
Last updated: 11 April 2024
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
One of
Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
---|---|---|---|
ECOL20003 | Ecology | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
ZOOL20005 | Animal Structure and Function | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
ZOOL20006 | Comparative Animal Physiology | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 11 April 2024
Assessment
Due to the impact of COVID-19, assessment may differ from that published in the Handbook. Students are reminded to check the subject assessment requirements published in the subject outline on the LMS
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Weekly grading of online text annotations, averaging 200 words per assessment
| During the teaching period | 20% |
Weekly quiz assessments of interactive problems held in-class | During the teaching period | 20% |
Written work (up to 1000 words) and either oral (up to 20 minutes) or audiovisual (up to 5 minutes) work associated with fortnightly skills studios | During the teaching period | 30% |
An examination
| During the examination period | 30% |
Last updated: 11 April 2024
Dates & times
- Semester 1
Principal coordinator Raoul Mulder Coordinator Mark Elgar Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 12x 2-hour interactive classes per semester; 6x2-hour skills studios per semester Total time commitment 170 hours Teaching period 2 March 2020 to 7 June 2020 Last self-enrol date 13 March 2020 Census date 30 April 2020 Last date to withdraw without fail 5 June 2020 Assessment period ends 3 July 2020 Semester 1 contact information
Time commitment details
Estimated total time commitment of 170 hours
Additional delivery details
Interactive classes and skills studios
Last updated: 11 April 2024
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
Breed, MD & Moore, J (2016). Animal Behaviour, 2nd Edition. Elsevier.
Recommended texts and other resources
Davies, Nicholas B, Krebs, John R., West, Stuart A. (2012). An Introduction to Behavioural Ecology. Wiley-Blackwell. ISBN 9781405114165.
- Subject notes
This subject is available for science credit to students enrolled in the BSc (both pre-2008 and new degrees), BASc or a combined BSc course.
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Informal specialisation Science-credited subjects - new generation B-SCI Major Zoology Informal specialisation Selective subjects for B-BMED Informal specialisation Zoology Informal specialisation Zoology Major Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Informal specialisation Animal Disease Biotechnology specialisation Major Zoology - Breadth options
This subject is available as breadth in the following courses:
- Bachelor of Arts
- Bachelor of Commerce
- Bachelor of Design
- Bachelor of Environments
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Animation)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Film and Television)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Music Theatre)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Screenwriting)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Theatre)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (Visual Art)
- Bachelor of Music
- Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
This subject is available to students studying at the University from eligible overseas institutions on exchange and study abroad. Students are required to satisfy any listed requirements, such as pre- and co-requisites, for enrolment in the subject.
Last updated: 11 April 2024