NIOZ Marine Master Course

Course manual 2016/2017

Course content

Coastal seas and oceans are major players in current global issues regarding economy, climate, health, natural hazards and biodiversity, but our knowledge of marine processes, phenomena and ecosystems is still limited. Understanding marine physical, chemical, biological and geological processes is fundamental for our comprehension of global climate trends, geohazard assessment, and for a sound, science-based ocean and coastal zone management.

The NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research offers an introductory, multidisciplinary masters’ summer course on oceanography which allows students to gain insight into current topics of marine research and which stimulates thinking and communication across disciplinary borders. The course has a comprehensive programme covering the main disciplines of oceanography (physics, chemistry, biology, geology) and offers students practical experience in marine research. The course is hosted on Texel and uses the western Wadden Sea as hands-on research area.

Study materials

Other

• There is no compulsory study material for the course. Students will receive a course manual prior to the start of the course.

Objectives

After the course, the student is able to:

• identify current topics in the marine sciences, ranging from marine biology, physical oceanography and marine chemistry to marine geology;
• identify and describe methods of sampling and observation commonly used in oceanography, including techniques and instruments used on research vessels;
• conduct a group-based research project using basic sampling techniques to collect data in the field, perform laboratory analyses, analyse and interpret obtained data and prepare a presentation of the results;
• present and discuss research results in a multidisciplinary framework.

Teaching methods

• Lecture
• Presentation/symposium
• Self-study
• Working independently on e.g. a project or thesis
• Fieldwork/excursion
• Computer lab session/practical training

The course includes a pre-course reading assignment.

First, a series of introductory lectures on physical oceanography, marine chemistry, marine geology and marine ecology will be given, followed by presentations on selected topics representing current research activities at NIOZ. Various equipment and methods of sampling and data collection in the field and in NIOZ labs will be demonstrated.

A major part of the course will be devoted to student research projects, which will be supervised by researchers from NIOZ. For these, students will sample and collect data in small groups in the western Wadden Sea on the research vessels Navicula and/or Stern and/or on the tidal flats. This will be followed by laboratory work, analysis and interpretation of acquired data and the preparation of a presentation. Student groups will present and discuss all group research findings at the end of the course.

Learning activities

Attendance

The programme does not have requirements concerning attendance (OER-B).

Additional requirements for this course:

Assessment

Inspection of assessed work

Contact the course coordinator to make an appointment for inspection.

Assignments

Oral Presentation

• A major part of the course will be devoted to student research projects, which will be supervised by researchers from NIOZ. For these, students will sample and collect data in small groups in the western Wadden Sea on the research vessels Navicula and/or Stern and/or on the tidal flats. This will be followed by laboratory work, analysis and interpretation of acquired data and the preparation of a presentation.

Field and Lab work

• A major part of the course will be devoted to student research projects, which will be supervised by researchers from NIOZ. For these, students will sample and collect data in small groups in the western Wadden Sea on the research vessels Navicula and/or Stern and/or on the tidal flats. This will be followed by laboratory work, analysis and interpretation of acquired data and the preparation of a presentation.

Data analysis

• A major part of the course will be devoted to student research projects, which will be supervised by researchers from NIOZ. For these, students will sample and collect data in small groups in the western Wadden Sea on the research vessels Navicula and/or Stern and/or on the tidal flats. This will be followed by laboratory work, analysis and interpretation of acquired data and the preparation of a presentation.

Onderstaande opdrachten komen aan bod in deze cursus:

•    Naam opdracht 1 : beschrijving 2
•    Naam opdracht 2 : beschrijving 1
•    ....

Fraud and plagiarism

Dit vak hanteert de algemene ‘Fraude- en plagiaatregeling’ van de UvA. Onder plagiaat of fraude wordt verstaan het overschrijven van het werk van een medestudent dan wel het kopiëren van wetenschappelijke bronnen (uit bijvoorbeeld boeken en tijdschriften en van het Internet) zonder daarbij de bron te vermelden. Uiteraard is plagiaat verboden. Hier wordt nauwkeurig op gecontroleerd en streng tegen opgetreden. Bij verdenking van plagiaat wordt de examencommissie van de opleiding ingeschakeld. Wanneer de examencommissie overtuigd is dat er plagiaat gepleegd is dan kan dit maximaal leiden tot een uitsluiting van al het onderwijs van de opleiding voor een heel kalenderjaar. Zie voor meer informatie over het fraude- en plagiaatreglement van de Universiteit van Amsterdam.www.uva.nl/plagiaat

Timetable