spring 2021
BIO-2201 Bachelor's Thesis in Biology - 10 ECTS

Application deadline

Exchange students and Fulbright students: 1 October for the spring semester and 15 April for the autumn semester.

Type of course

This course is reserved for Bachelor students at the study program Biology. The course is also available to exchange students at a biology study program.

Admission requirements

The course requires basic knowledge in biology and ecology at university level. Basic knowledge in chemistry and mathematics is an advantage.

International applicants: Higher Education Entrance Qualification and certified language requirements in English. It is a requirement that students have  some prior knowledge of biology and ecology, chemistry and mathematics. A list of the requirements for the Higher Education Entrance Qualification in Norway can be found on the Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education website - nokut.no


Course content

The Bachelor Thesis intend to bring students into contact with issues and research within a certain discipline. It is very important that you as a students choose a topic that you are truly interested in. Writing a bachleor´s thesis requires a certain amount of independent effort. The thesis may consist of a literature review on previous research and/or practical/experimental work. It assumes knowledge of basic courses in biology, as well as knowledge in courses that are relevant to the field of study.

Recommended prerequisites

BIO-1005 Ecology and Evolution, BIO-1006 Animal- and plant physiology, BIO-1103 Botany, BIO-1104 Zoology, MBI-1001 Cell and molecular biology

Objectives of the course

The purpose of the thesis is that the student should learn how to:
  • apply the knowledge gained from the study
  • define a research topic
  • examine literature and scientific information research within a certain biological discipline
  • collect and examine relevant information
  • choose analysis method
  • create a readable presentation. The structure of the thesis is practically the same as an article in a scientific journal, which is; Table of contents, Abstract, Introduction, (Methods), Discussion, Conclusions, (Appendices) and References.

Language of instruction and examination

English. The bachelor`s assignment may be written either in English or a Scandinavian language.

Teaching methods

Individual studies and supervision.

Assessment

Deadlines for handing in the bachelor`s assignment: June 1 (spring semester) and December 15. (autumn semester). Grades: A-F, F is failed.

The assignment should be:

  • approx. 20 pages including figures and tables when writing a literature review.
  • approx. 20 pages including figures and tables when the thesis is a practical/experimental work.

Re-submission of the thesis:

Only if a bachelor's thesis project is graded "F" (fail), may the thesis be resubmitted in revised form. A new deadline for submission will be given. The deadline for resubmitting the thesis is normally 3 months from the point in time when the candidate was informed about the exam result.


  • About the course
  • Campus: Tromsø |
  • ECTS: 10
  • Course code: BIO-2201