Animal Welfare Science, Ethics & Law MSc
AWSEL Independent Project BIOL5447P
- Academic Session: 2026-27
- School: School of Biodiversity One Health Vet Med
- Credits: 60
- Level: Level 5 (SCQF level 11)
- Typically Offered: Summer
- Available to Visiting Students: Yes
- Collaborative Online International Learning: No
- Curriculum For Life: No
Short Description
This is a quantitatively oriented independent research project, in which students will use the knowledge gained in the taught course components to design a feasible experiment, write a proposal, and implement, analyse and write up a discrete project.
Timetable
Full-time Research
Excluded Courses
None
Assessment
Students will be required to write a comprehensive report, based on independent research that is analysed using the most appropriate quantitative methods learned during the first two Semesters of their programme, and written up to a high standard of English, in the style of research paper appropriate for publication, including a critical analysis of the background literature and how their results fit into the context of the broader body of literature. Students will be required to submit a research proposal (2000 words) before starting on their projects (25%) and will be given a mark (supervisors report) for performance and diligence during the experimental and analytical parts of the project (15%). The remaining 60% will be for a 10,000 word project report.
Course Aims
The aim of this course is to have students undertake a quantitatively oriented independent research project, in which they will use the knowledge gained in the taught course components to design a feasible experiment, write a proposal, and implement, analyse and write up a discrete project.
Intended Learning Outcomes of Course
By the end of this course students will be able to:
■ integrate knowledge learned across the taught components of the course to:
■ Identify a research problem and an appropriate species/system in which it can be studied
■ Design an experiment, meta-analysis or synthetic literature review that is feasible in the timeframe of the third term
■ Write a proposal that outlines the motivation for the study, a clear statement of the objectives to be addressed, the basic methods to be used and the expected outcomes and significance
■ Undertake a quantitatively oriented independent research project, meta-analysis or synthetic literature review based on this proposal
■ Write a report of the study of 5,000 to 7,000 words but should not exceed 10,000 words, formatted for an identified scientific journal (Animal Welfare). See the journal's Guidelines to the Authors.