This module aims to develop advanced skills, attributes and experiences required by graduates in ecology and marine biology with a focus on careers, an appreciation of the current state of their field and an international perspective.

(LO1) Increased confidence to plan and work independently.

(LO2) Develop an awareness of the current state of the students' Honours fields, including an international perspective.

(LO3) Become exposed to, and experienced in, a diversity of communication types, such as oral, written and interpersonal.

(LO4) Reflect on, plan and develop a personalised range of skills and attributes in the context of future opportunities.

This module is delivered via a blended approach. Key events are a series of timetabled interactive individual or group tutorials , five per semester with the following topics:

Welcome Back S1
Skills Audit (one-to-one)
Seminar Share
Career Options
Exam Preparation

Welcome Back S2
Science in the News
Seminar Share
SciComm
What's Next (one-to-one)

In parallel, students must select at least three from the following list of Careers and Development activities that they must complete individually:

Postgraduate Study
Learn from the Experts
Skills Build
Application Rejuvenation
Marketing Your Degree
Professional Networking
Fieldwork Storytelling

Activities in this module will be delivered by a programme of tutorials and the VLE. Tutorials will be timetabled and held on-campus in-person where possible, following appropriate guidance from the School and University on Covid-safe indoor in-person activities. An exception is the 'Exam Preparation' tutorial which is a timetabled synchronous activity held in collaboration with ENVS104.

In addition there will be a timetabled synchronous Welcome/Q&A session at the start of each semester to introduce the semester's activities and to provide a forum for troubleshooting and problem solving.

During Semester One, the group tutorial programme will help students to select and engage with a contemporary topic in the field of ecology and marine biology that is driven by their own interests. Students build on their summer Independent Study Activity (ISA) and their own research on the topic and their understanding of the state of the art is then assessed via the Briefing Note coursework exercise. Students are encouraged to bring an international perspective to this activity. In Semeseter Two these interests are broadened to the wider community with a focus on how science can be communicated to a diversity of audiences.

In parallel to this, and supported by the one-to-one tutorials, students will undertake a personal skills audit and identify areas to strengthen by selecting and engaging with a series of careers and development activities, from a programme put together through close collaboration with the University's Careers and Employability Service. At the end of the year, students will assess their progress and growth through the Reflective Portfolio coursework exercise.

All tutorials and indeed the whole module adopt a blended approach and vary in their nature and content. Each has its own preparatory activities specified in the VLE, working with their tutor group and/or studying independently before information and findin gs are shared during tutorials. Throughout the module, students are challenged to find their own materials and develop and extend their personal interests.