The teaching methodology is designed to foster active and student-centred learning through the critical analysis and practical application of concepts related to the assessment, management, conservation, and restoration of species and ecosystems. Students are expected to take an active role in the learning process by engaging with scientific and technical information, participating in discussions, and applying acquired knowledge to real-world environmental challenges. The teaching staff will act as facilitators, guiding reflection, discussion, and problem-solving, while providing the theoretical and methodological foundations required to achieve the learning objectives.

The course combines lectures, practical exercises, case-study discussions, computer-based activities, and field visits.

(1) Lectures and discussion sessions

Lectures will introduce the fundamental concepts, methods, and approaches covered in the course. Particular emphasis will be placed on the ecological assessment of species, habitats, and ecosystems, the evaluation of human impacts on ecological systems, and the principles underlying environmental management and ecological restoration. Real-world examples and case studies will be used throughout the course to illustrate the practical application of theoretical concepts. Supporting materials, including presentations and complementary resources, will be made available through the Virtual Campus.

(2) Individual and group assignments

Students will complete individual and group assignments aimed at applying the concepts and methodologies presented during lectures. These activities may involve the assessment of environmental impacts, the evaluation of ecological conditions, the comparison of management alternatives, and the design of conservation or restoration strategies. The assignments will encourage critical thinking, scientific reasoning, and the integration of ecological knowledge into environmental decision-making.

(3) Classroom practical sessions and case studies

Practical sessions will be devoted to the analysis and resolution of case studies related to species and ecosystem assessment, environmental management, impact evaluation, and ecological restoration. Working individually or in small groups, students will apply theoretical concepts and methodological tools to realistic environmental scenarios. These sessions will promote problem-solving, data interpretation, critical discussion, and decision-making skills. The teaching staff will supervise the activities, provide feedback, and facilitate the collective evaluation of proposed solutions.

(4) Computer-based practical sessions

Computer laboratory sessions will focus on the use of quantitative methods and analytical tools commonly employed in species and ecosystem assessment. Activities may include habitat suitability modelling, population viability analysis, impact assessment, ecological data analysis, and the evaluation of restoration and management alternatives.

(5) Field trips

Field visits will provide students with direct exposure to ecosystems affected by human activities, as well as to environmental management, impact mitigation, conservation, and ecological restoration initiatives. These activities will allow students to observe ecological processes and management interventions in situ, assess environmental conditions, and discuss the challenges and opportunities associated with the conservation and restoration of ecosystems.

Annotation: within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

The assessment of the course will be based on the following activities:

Written examinations (65% of the final grade)

This component will consist of two written mid-term examinations, each corresponding to one of the two main thematic blocks of the course. Content covered during practical sessions, including classroom practicals, computer-based sessions, and field trips, may also be included in these examinations.

Critical Analysis and Ecological Management Proposal (22.5% of the final grade)

Assignment aimed at applying the concepts, methodologies, and tools developed throughout the course to a case study.

Learning Activities and Case Study Analysis (12.5% of the final grade)

This component will assess the different problem-solving activities, discussions, and case-study analyses carried out during the course.

Requirements for Passing the Course

To be eligible for the calculation of the final grade, students must obtain a minimum average mark of 3.5 out of 10 across the two written examinations.

If the average mark is 3.5 or higher, it will be combined with the grades obtained in the remaining assessment activities. To pass the course, students must obtain a final grade of at least 5 out of 10.

If the average mark of the two examinations is below 3.5, the final grade cannot be calculated through weighted averaging, and the student must take the resit examination.

Resit Examination

The resit examination will account for 65% of the final grade and will replace the grade obtained in the written examinations.

To be eligible for the calculation of the final course grade, students must obtain a minimum mark of 3.5 out of 10 in the resit examination. Otherwise, the course will be failed.

To be eligible for the resit examination, students must previously have been assessed in activities accounting for at least 67% of the total course grade.

Students will receive a grade of "Not Assessable" (NA) when the assessment activities completed represent less than 67% of the final grade.

No minimum grade is required in the remaining assessment activities for their marks to be averaged with the examination grade.

Attendance

Attendance at practical sessions and field trips is compulsory.

Students will receive a grade of "Not Assessable" (NA) if their unjustified absence exceeds 20% of the compulsory face-to-face activities.

Submission of Assessment Activities

Failure to submit an assessment activity within the established deadline will result in a grade of 0 for that activity.

Justified Absences

Students who are unable to attend an individual assessment activity or a compulsory practical session for a duly justified reason (illness, accident, death of a first-degree relative, or equivalent circumstances) and provide the appropriate supporting documentation will be entitled to complete the activity or examination on an alternative date agreed upon with the teaching staff.

Single Assessment

The single-assessment option will consist of a comprehensive examination covering all course contents. The grade obtained in this examination will account for 65% of the final grade.

The single-assessment examination will take place on the same date scheduled in the academic calendar for the final examination of the continuous assessment system. Students opting for this assessment modality will be entitled to the same resit system as students following continuous assessment.

On the same day as the comprehensive examination, students must also submit the evidence corresponding to the remaining assessment activities:

• Critical Analysis and Ecological Management Proposal (22.5%).
• Learning Activities and Case Study Analysis (12.5%).

Students wishing to opt for the single-assessment modality are strongly advised to contact the course coordinator at the beginning of the semester in order to receive detailed information regarding its requirements and specific characteristics.

Use of Artificial Intelligence Technologies

The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools is permitted in this course as a support resource for learning and academic work, for example for information and literature searches, language revision, translation tasks, or other uses explicitly authorized by the teaching staff.

Students must clearly and transparently acknowledge any use of AI tools, specifying the applications used and briefly describing how they contributed to the preparation of the submitted work. The use of AI does not exempt students from responsibility for the authorship, quality, accuracy, or reliability of the submitted content.

Failure to disclose the use of AI tools, or the use of AI in ways that contravene the instructions established by the teaching staff, will be considered a breach of academic integrity.

Academic Integrity

Any irregularity in an assessment activity—including academic fraud, plagiarism, or the improper use of Artificial Intelligence tools—that may lead to a significant alteration of the assessment outcome will result in a grade of 0 for that activity.

When an assessment activity is an essential requirement for passing the course, or when multiple irregularities are detected in different assessment activities, the final course grade will be 0.

Without prejudice to the above, the University may initiate the corresponding disciplinary procedures in accordance with current regulations.