Schedule, syllabus and examination date

Course content

The course offers advanced training in evolutionary theory, with emphasis on reading articles and discussing central concepts, methods, and topics.

Learning outcome

After completing the course, you will have:

  • Familiarity with fundamental concepts in evolutionary theory such as phylogeny, natural selection, fitness, adaptation, speciation, plasticity, constraints, genetic drift, inheritance, and genetic variation.

  • An understanding of the main principles of quantitative genetics, enabling you to perform calculations for the evolution of phenotypic traits.

  • Knowledge of how different life-history strategies can be explained through natural selection, adaptation, and constraints.

  • Knowledge of the processes that give rise to new species and determine the geographical distribution of organisms.

  • Insight into how evolution occurs over different timescales and how micro- and macroevolution are interconnected.

  • Students will gain experience in finding, assessing, and disseminating research literature, and presenting the information to peers.

Admission to the course

Students admitted at UiO must?apply for courses?in Studentweb. Students enrolled in other Master's Degree Programmes can, on application, be admitted to the course if this is cleared by their own study programme.

Nordic citizens and applicants residing in the Nordic countries may?apply to take this course as a single course student.

If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about?admission requirements and procedures for international applicants.

The courses BIOS5100 and BIOS9100 have joint admission with a capasity?limited to 40 students. Applicants are ranked by the following criteria:

1. PhD candidates?and master students at the MN faculty who have the course as part of the approved curriculum.?PhD candidates and master students at the Department of Biosciences are given priority.

2. Other PhD candidates?and visiting PhD candidates.

3. Students with admission to single courses on master’s level and exchange students

Applicants are ranked by credits in each group; all applicants within 1st rank before applicants in 2nd etc. If admission is limited to a fixed number of participants, admission will be decided by drawing lots for students who are ranked equally.

Overlapping courses

Teaching

  • Lectures

  • Colloquia

  • Mandatory assignments including essay writing and oral presentation

Attendance to the first lecture is mandatory, also for those on the waiting list. If you are unable to attend the first lecture you will lose your seat on the course if you do not inform the student administration?studieinfo@ibv.uio.no?prior to the first lecture.

Mandatory course work must be approved before the student can attend the exam.

Attendance to the first lecture is mandatory.?If you are unable to attend the first lecture you will lose your seat on the course if you do not inform the student administration?studieinfo@ibv.uio.no?prior to the first lecture.

Approved mandatory course work is valid for 3 years.

Access to teaching

A student who has completed compulsory instruction and coursework and has had these approved, is not entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework. A student who has been admitted to a course, but who has not completed compulsory instruction and coursework or had these approved, is entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework, depending on available capacity.

Examination

Both the mandatory essay and presentation are assessed individually, and each must be passed independently in order to pass the course.

Grading scale

Grades are awarded on a pass/fail scale. Read more about?the grading system.

More about examinations at UiO

You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.

Last updated from FS (Felles studentsystem) Apr. 9, 2026 6:39:24 AM

Facts about this course

Level
Master
Credits
10
Teaching
Spring
Examination
Spring
Teaching language
English

Contact

Department of Biosciences