Course for international guest/part time students
- Faculty
- Faculty of Science
- Organization
- TTK Department of Ethology
- Code
- etologsb22em
- Title
- Ethology L
- Usual semester
- Autumn
- ECTS
- 3
- Language
- en
- Learning outcomes
- Knowledge: Understands the main directions in empirical behavioural research. Knows the basic concepts of ethology, is aware of its terminology, applies them correctly. Understands that the causation of the behavioural phenotype should be investigated on four distinct levels (mechanism, ontogeny, function and evolution). Knows the joint advances in ethology with other biological sciences (e.g., ecology, neurology, physiology). Is aware of the key role of applied ethology in the science of animal welfare and environmental conservation. Understands the importance of ethology in our understanding and modelling of the evolutionary processes. Ability: Able to assess ethological research, plan behavioural experiments and interpret the results in a harmonized way. Able to apply the acquired knowledge to explain practical phenomena. Has the ability to reason based on science. Able to express himself/herself professionally in the field of ethology both orally and in writing. Attitude: Requires integrating the acquired information in his/her biological knowledge. Committed and open to science-based knowledge and an integrative approach. Committed to acquiring new competencies and expanding his/her worldview. Seeks to express a responsible opinion about the relationship between nature and mankind. Demonstrates exemplary environmental and nature-conscious behaviour and encourages others to follow. Autonomy and Responsibility: Able to think about basic ethological and behavioural-ecological issues on his/her own and can report on them. Able to independently review the literature on a given topic, to organize and present the collected information. Feels responsible for acquiring scientifically based knowledge. Responsibly expresses opinions on issues about human-animal interactions in professional and non-professional circles.
- Course content
- The aim of the course is to provide an integrated presentation of the main functional topics in ethology; the recent advances of ethology in connection with other biological sciences, based on current empirical results. The most important topics of the lecture: Cooperation and altruism; Communication; Learning; Parental investment; Individually consistent behaviour (animal personalities); Methods in neuroethology; Ethology of aging; Abnormal behaviour; Feralization and urbanization.
- Assessment method
- k5 = exam mark (5) (1 failed, 5 excellent) Evaluation is based on the students’ individual performance. The form is written exam in the examination period. The students prepare for the exam from the class material.
- Bibliography
- Lecture handouts (pdf)