Home › Colleges & Schools▻College of Science▻School of Natural Sciences▻Disciplines and Centres▻Botany and Plant Science▻Undergraduate Courses

Undergraduate Courses

Undergraduate BSc Degree in Botany and Plant Science

Entry to undergraduate courses in Botany and Plant Science by Irish students is through the CAO route into general Science. Students who wish to pursue Botany and Plant Science to General or Honours BSc degree level should select the BSc science degree course (to include First Year Biology) and choose the required number of Botany and Plant Science modules (from second year onwards).

Botany and Plant Science offers dedicated modules within the School of Natural Science and the College of Science. This includes provision of lecture modules and practicals in the following:

1st Year

BPS delivers the Botany and Plant Science component of 1st year Biology

  • BO101: First year Biology

2nd Year

Core modules:

Students can progress to 3rd year BPS if they take these 4 modules.

  •      BO201: Molecular and Cell Biology (5 ECTS)
  •      BO202: Evolution and the Tree of Life (5 ECTS)
  •      BPS202: Fundamentals in Aquatic Plant Science (5 ECTS)
  •      BPS203: Plant Diversity, Physiology and Adaptation (5 ECTS)
Elective module

     BPS2101: Botanical Field Skills (5 ECTS)

All modules are also available as electives, i.e. are open to students pursuing other pathways. Note that many of the 3rd and 4th year modules offered by Botany and Plant Science have prerequisites, typically involving a requirement to have taken a specific BPS module in the preceding year. 

IMPORTANT NOTE: all 2nd year students are required to choose modules that add up to 60 ECTS per academic year. Remember that the ‘cross-cutting modules’ may also be part of other pathways: obviously modules are not counted twice and you may need to choose additional modules to make up a total of 60 ECTS for the year.

For more details please contact the BPS office or refer to the 2nd year Advisory Sheet.

3rd Year

Core modules
  • BPS3102: Plant Resources and Ecosystems (formerly Plant Ecology and Marine Ecology) (S1) (5 ECTS)
  • BPS3103: Plant Function (S2) (5 ECTS)
  • BPS3105: Plant Natural Products (S2) (5 ECTS)
  • BPS3104: Plant Interactions (with fungi, microbes, animals) (S1+2) (5 ECTS)
Elective module
  • BPS3101: Techniques in Field Ecology and Conservation (5 ECTS)

For more details please contact the BPS office or refer to the 3rd year Advisory Sheet.

4th Year

Core modules
  • BPS402: Current Topics in Algal Research (S1) (5 ECTS)
  • BPS405: Ecology and Conservation Issues (S2) (5 ECTS)
  • BP4103: The Plant Cell (S1) (5 ECTS)
  • BP4104: Primary Productivity and Global Change (5 ECTS)
  • BP4102: Research Skills in Botany and Plant Science (S1+2) (5 ECTS)
  • BPS4101: Research Project in Botany and Plant Science (S1+2) (20 ECTS)
  • ZO415: Biometry (5 ECTS)

 
+ 10 ECTS from other modules/disciplines, e.g. AR347 Palaeoecology - reconstructing past environments

For more details please contact the BPS office or refer to the 4th year Advisory Sheet.

The modules provided by NUI Galway Botany and Plant Science (BPS) form key components of the BSc general science degree. BPS modules are also key features of a number of denominated degree programmes e.g. BSc (Marine Science), BSc (Biotechnoogy); BSc (Environmental Science) and BSc (Earth and Ocean Science).

Botany and Plant Science academic staff supervise 4th year Hons. research projects within the BSc non-denominated degree and offer final year research projects for students taking denominated degrees such as Marine Science, Biotechnology, and Environmental Science.

Denominated degree programmes with core Botany and Plant Science components include the BSc (Environmental Science) and BSc (Marine Science) degrees.

Botany and Plant Science staff also teach a programme in Plant and Agribiosciences.