Students will gain confidence and experience in conceiving and planning experiments. They will gain a detailed understanding of the principles and application of modern ‘omics’ technologies. They will become familiar with global databases and how to interrogate them. They will learn to generate a database suitable for storing complex sets of data.
They will also gain experience in producing short, detailed scientific reports and figures, as well as the literature related to their project area.
Knowledge and understanding
A1. the relationship between the life and environmental sciences and other disciplines and forms of knowledge (t,l,p,a)

Intellectual skills - the ability to:
B1. critically analyse and interpret published information and data (l)
B2. think independently while giving due weight to the arguments of others (l,p,a)
B3. understand complex ideas and relate them to specific problems or questions (t,p,a)
B4. acquire substantial quantities of information systematically, process it effectively, and draw appropriate conclusions (t,l,p,a)
B5. make and record accurate observations and measurements (l,p)

Practical skills - the ability to:
C3. write and construct scientific documents (e.g. papers, reports, posters etc) using appropriate styles, conventions, and terminology (t,l,p)
C4. work safely in the laboratory and the field and to assess related safety issues (t,l,p,a)
C6. undertake practical experimental work using appropriate equipment and instruments (t,l,p,a)

Transferable/key skills - the ability to:
D1. work productively with others (t,l,p,a)
D2. communicate effectively in writing (l,p,a)
D4. organise and manage your working time, schedule tasks, and meet deadlines (t,l,p,a)
D5. use and access information and communication technology (l,p)
D6. reflect upon and assess your own progress, strengths and weaknesses (l,p,a)