The general academic Master’s degree studies Ecology and Evolution are addressed to English-speaking undergraduate students who seek specialist education in contemporary ecological and evolutionary issues. Our experienced staff, familiarized with the international, cross-cultural academic environment, imparts deepened and always updated theoretical and applicable knowledge with putting stress upon teamwork, developing problem-solving skills and planning field, and experimental research.
The unique, interdisciplinary study program provides a large number of practical activities in well-equipped, modern laboratories.
The student gains a broad understanding of ecological and evolutionary principles and enters a path to become a successful scientist who can publish results of self-conducted research in recognized international scientific journals. They acquire adaptive social and managerial competencies along with a design mindset—so as to utilize ecological knowledge in practical environmental conservation and resources management.
Knowledge
The graduate knows and understands:
The complexity of ecological processes and phenomena on the basis of empirical evidence found in various disciplines;
Methodology of biological sciences with a special focus on ecology and evolutionism; they can critically analyze data using relevant mathematical and statistical methods;
Issues in biological sciences necessary to understand relations, dependencies, and functioning of an organism in the environment;
Issues in ecology, evolutionism, and selected specializations in biological sciences, thanks to which they notice the relations and dependencies on different levels of functioning of the natural environment;
Current and new global threats to the natural environment;
The complexity of dependencies and mechanisms of evolution;
Current and significant research achievements and developmental trends in ecology, evolutionism, and molecular biology;
Basic and advanced methods of modeling the occurrence of phenomena and biological processes using mathematical, statistical, and computational methods;
Principles of planning research, verifying research hypotheses, as well as research techniques and aids used in ecology and molecular biology;
Rules of acquiring and settling academic and developmental projects in the field of biological sciences;
Basic work safety regulations and the principles of ergonomics;
Principles of intellectual property protection and copyrights;
General principles of encouraging and developing individual entrepreneurship, using knowledge of ecology;
Dynamic development of biological sciences and the rise of new programs of study and research fields.
Skills
The graduate is able to:
Use advanced research techniques and tools specific to various fields of ecology;
Search for and use scientific data in English obtained from various sources;
Use specialist English terminology in ecology and biology;
Critically analyze and select information, especially obtained from electronic sources;
Plan and carry out research tasks or expert work under the guidance of an academic supervisor;
Use advanced statistical tools and numerical techniques relevant for solving problems in ecology and related sciences;
Use specialist knowledge to interpret and collect empirical data and to draw appropriate conclusions;
Correctly formulate conclusions and judgments on the basis of collected empirical data;
Prepare an academic presentation using various verbal and multimedia techniques;
Write a research paper in English that would present their own research and scientific findings;
Communicate freely in English and deliver a presentation on detailed issues in ecology, evolutionism, and related fields;
Use language skills in the field of biology following the requirements set for the B2+ level by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages;
Independently plan their professional or academic career.
Social competences
The graduate is ready to:
Work in a team, assuming different roles, planning their tasks, especially in terms of taking up different responsibilities and managing time;
Listen to, accept or reject proposals offered by other team members;
Appropriately define priorities related to the tasks assumed by themselves or by others;
Identify and solve dilemmas related to their job following ethical principles;
Realistically evaluate the dangers resulting from the applied research techniques and set up a safe work environment paying attention to the principles of ergonomics;
Think and act in the spirit of entrepreneurship, taking into consideration the principles of sustainability;
Take advantage of lifelong learning, inspire and organize the process of learning of others;
Apply self-criticism and draw conclusions on the basis of self-analysis;
Consistently apply and popularize the rules of a strictly empirical interpretation of biological phenomena and processes in research and practice;
Use well-established sources of academic information and apply the principles of critical thinking in solving practical problems.
The Jagiellonian University in Krakow
Join us at Jagiellonian University, the best and the most prestigious university in Poland, with a very rich tradition of academic excellence that dates back to the fourteenth century.
Live and study at the academic heart of Central Europe, the home of excellent researchers in many disciplines, including the humanities, social sciences, medicine, mathematics, and natural sciences. The University has many international partners, and our students benefit from various forms of study exchange, shared virtual classrooms, visits of guest professors, and many other aspects of international cooperation. The Faculty of Biology, which will be your home department, is widely recognized for its research on ecology, evolutionism, biomedicine, and related fields.