BS361-6-SP-CO:
Translational Ecology
2025/26
Life Sciences (School of)
Colchester Campus
Spring
Undergraduate: Level 6
Current
Monday 12 January 2026
Friday 20 March 2026
15
13 March 2025
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
This module will enable students to link ecological knowledge to decision making by integrating ecology with the sociological and political contexts that underlie today's complex environmental issues.
We will discuss in depth how translational ecology directly serves the needs of natural resource managers and decision makers for real world outcomes. The module will include a series of local and international guest speakers who are scientists, practitioners and decision makers. It will be case study and problem focussed addressing research questions and tackling them from the bottom up rather than top down, expert perspectives in order to understand how we can improve decision making for the future of environmental management and conservation.
The aim of this module is:
- To link ecological knowledge to decision making by integrating ecological science with the full complement of social dimensions that underlie today’s complex environmental issues.
By the end of this module, studentws will be expected to be able to:
- A systematic understanding of the links between ecological knowledge and decision making in order to better understand and facilitate engagement between partners
- Conceptual understanding of case studies and practitioner/decision maker orientated problems to come up with informed solutions to environmental problems
- Ability to devise and sustain arguments around the ecological, sociological and political contexts and trade-offs that influence natural resource management decisions
- Discuss and comment upon the knowledge-action boundary between science and theory and the importance of boundary spanners for the implementation of adaptive ecosystem management
Students taking this module will learn about the many facets of decision-making, storytelling and conflict resolution, and learn from guest speakers and a series of case studies - ranging from marine spatial planning and conservation to wildfire and river ecology - how science has been applied to solve real-world environmental problems.
This module promotes inclusivity and diversity in its delivery in line with the University’s expectations. Different learning styles are catered for through the approaches to teaching by including hands on practical experiences, the use of visuals and audio input.
This module does not appear to have a published bibliography for this year.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
Pitch Proposal |
|
30% |
| Coursework |
Funding Proposal |
|
70% |
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Yes
No
Yes
No external examiner information available for this module.
Available via Moodle
No lecture recording information available for this module.
* Please note: due to differing publication schedules, items marked with an asterisk (*) base their information upon the previous academic year.
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