Studieplan og emnebeskrivelse
for mastergradsstudiet i akvamedisin
ved
Norges veterinærhøgskole
Study plan for the master study – Master of aquatic
medicine
Norwegian School of Veterinary Science
Study year 2006/2007
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Content
Study plan
Duration, scope and level of study
Acceptance criteria
Study objectives
Post-graduation employment possibilities
Organisation of the study
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Module 1: Basics in aquatic medicine
5
Module 2: Treatment and prevention in aquaculture
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Master thesis
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3
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4
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Definitions
Module responsible:
Exam responsible:
Hippocampus and It’s learning:
The person organising and administrating semester 1-4.
The person organising and administrating the exam
during all semesters.
Intranet pages for the teacher and the students.
___________________________________________________________________________
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Study plan
Duration, scope and level of study
The Norwegian School of Veterinary Science (NSVS) is an academic institution that works to
promote ethics in bioproduction, including marine bioproduction, healthy animals and food
products of high safety standards of the end product.
The master of aquatic medicine is a study that will result in the title: master of aquatic
medicine. The study is of 2 years duration over 4 semesters. The study points generated are
120 ECTS of which 60 are course related and 60 points are constituted by the master thesis.
Acceptance criteria
The general requirements apply for 120 ECTS point master studies as specified in ”forskrift
om krav til mastergrad”. In concert with what is stated, to be accepted as a student the
applicant would have to document a background of:
-
bachelor or
cand.mag. or
or other background or a working experience of minimum 3 years
or an education that would be in accordance with § 3-4 in ”Lov om
universiteter og høgskoler”
Within each of the different education programs indicated above, the requirement is
-
A minimum of 80 ECTS acquired
Integrated training of minimum 120 ECTS within the area that this master
study covers
Applicants of foreign countries will have to document that they fulfil the requirement as
specified for universities and scientific colleges in Norway (Forskrift om opptak til
grunnutdanninger ved universiteter og høyskoler).
Study objectives
After completion of the Master of Aquatic Medicine the student shall have a good basis for
understanding and practicing fish health management and disease control. The introductory
courses of the first module “Basics in aquatic medicine” will give the candidate an
introduction to fish anatomy and fish pathology, fish nutrition including nutritional-based
diseases, fish genetics, and infectious diseases (bacterial, viral and parasitic) of aquaculture
fish.
The second semester builds on the first semester module and is a continuation and more indepth presentation of methods of treatment and prevention of diseases in aquaculture. The
courses include disease control through vaccination, infectious disease epidemiology,
diagnostic methods used for diagnosis and control, treatment by antibiotics and anti-parasitics,
and a final field course where everything is compiled and discussed under practical
conditions.
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Post-graduation employment possibilities
The Master of aquatic medicine will give the candidate a strong basis for acting as a
competence provider to a global and growing industry – marine bio-production. The main
focus and the majority of the examples used under theoretical and practical training of the
students will emanate from aquaculture of salmonids and Atlantic salmon in particular. The
principles are however general and can be applied also to other fish species.
Organisation of the study
The first year of the study which is based on lectures, discussion groups, laboratory courses
and field courses and all are theoretically oriented. It is structured in such a way that the
students will experience a gradual development in complexity of the topics presented. The
students will clearly benefit from following all courses during the fall semester for their
second semester lectures and courses.
Having completed year 1, the students are well prepared to start their master thesis studies.
The institutes at NSVS offering master thesis study programs are as follows;
NSVS and the National Veterinary Institute (NVI) have signed a collaboration agreement
where NVI will accept Master students at relevant sections, up to 3 students in total.
The study starts on 1 September and lasts for 16 weeks. The spring semester starts 2 week of
January and lasts for 21 weeks.
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Module 1: Basics in aquatic medicine
13 weeks
30 ECTS points
Semester: 1
Objectives
The objective of the first semester is to give the students an introduction to basic disciplines in
aquatic medicine, including overview of global aquaculture, give an introduction to anatomy
and physiology through a field course/practical training programme, present histopathology
nutrition, genetics including principles of breeding, and finally an introductory course in
infectious diseases.
Learning objectives
At the completion of the module the students shall:
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-
-
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know which fin fish species are important in aquaculture operations in
different parts of the world including know the main principles applied in fish
farming in the Nordic countries
know the relative amount of the different species produced and their economic
importance (regionally and internationally)
understand the development trends in different markets.
explain the basic principles of genetics
explain and assess the principles used in practical breeding of fish
explain and present important aspects of nutritional physiology in fish
know the basic principles regarding estimation of nutrient requirements
(energy, essential fatty acids/amino acids and minerals) of fish (herbivorous,
omnivorous and carnivorous)
explain feed evaluation
know fish feed ingredient characteristics
explain the close relationship between feeding and health in fish
recognize and know the name of internal organs of fish and their anatomical
localisation, and gross appearance (form, size, colour) and recognize the organ
from histological slides.
recognize important fish diseases in sections
explain the aetiology and describe and characterize pathological findings and
differentiate them from similar diseases
understand and describe different techniques used to differentiate between
cells, tissues and diseases.
know the disease-causing agents for the major viral, bacterial and parasitic
diseases affecting cold-water fish
basic understanding of virulence mechanisms including bacterial antibiotic
resistance
explain the basic principles of international fish disease legislation
perform, by computer, molecular characterisation of disease causing organisms
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Content
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Introduction to aquaculture
Anatomy and pathology of fishes, including a field study trip
Basic principles of nutrition
Introduction to fish genetics
Infectious diseases of aquaculture animals
Teachning form and approaches
- Lectures and colloquia
- Group work
- Field trip
- Laboratory courses
Text books
Fish nutrition (Halver and Hardy)
Biotechnology and Genetics in Fisheries and Aquaculture (Beaumont and Hoare)
Study requirements
Mid-term exam in Nutrition “Nutrient requirements and utilization”
Laboratory course - Infectious diseases of aquaculture animals
Compulsory teaching
Field study
Laboratory course in “Infectious diseases of aquaculture animals”
Basic knowledge requirements
Bachelor level in biology/biological disciplines.
Exam
Written exam at the end of semester: 6 hours duration. Graded exam, A (best) to E (lowest
score). F is given for candidates not passing the exam.
Responsible
Module responsible: Øystein Evensen
Department Head: Camilla Røsjø, BasAm
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Module 2: Treatment and prevention in aquaculture
16 weeks
30 ECTS points
Semester: 2
Objectives
The module Treatment and prevention of diseases in aquaculture introduces the students to
basic principles of immunology, vaccinology, epidemiology of infectious diseases, principles
of diagnostics, treatment of diseases, and a field course.
The courses include:
1. introduction to basic principles of immunology and fish immunology
2. principles of fish vaccination (vaccinology) with emphasis of immunoprophylaxis in
disease control
3. introduction to diagnostic principles and procedures used in diagnosis of fish diseases
4. veterinary drugs in aquaculture
5. field course including visits to hatcheries and fish farms
Learning objectives
The students should:
- know how to carry out a routine sampling of material for diagnostic
examination following an autopsy
- understand how to preserve samples for different diagnostic procedures
- know the limitations as regards the possibility for identification of disease
causing agents
- explain basic principles of immune responses in general and fish in particular
- know methods of immune assessment
- know methods collection of fish blood and preparation of serum
- describe solutions and strategies used for vaccination of farmed fish under
different production settings
- know the basic principles of development, documentation and use of
biologicals (vaccines) in aquaculture
- explain the importance of immunoprophylaxis in controlling infectious
diseases
- know the basic principles concerning absorption, distribution, metabolism and
excretion of drugs in fish
- be familiar with the indications for use and modes of action of the most
commonly used groups of veterinary drugs intended for fish
- know and understand the basic concepts of a toxicological risk assessment
- know and understand how ADI-, MRL-values and withdrawal times are
determined
- know about the most important legislation concerning drug residues in food
and feed, both international and national
- know about surveillance programmes for drug usage and drug residues in fish
- know about the general legislation regulating the use of experimental animals
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know about animal welfare considerations when using fish as experimental
animals
explain common experimental techniques, as handling, injections, sampling
know about the most common marine biotoxins affecting aquaculture and
aquaculture products
know about common toxic algae and their effects on fish
explain the basic biological mechanisms of disease transmission in natural
populations
know basic concepts of infectious disease epidemiology
understand the basics for deterministic disease models
construct and use a simple epidemic model (Reed-Frost) in a spread-sheet
know the production chain for Atlantic salmon production, explain bottlenecks
in production and know and be able to identify key clinical traits of the major
disease problems at different stages of production
Content
1. Basics in fish immunology
2. Infectious disease epidemiology
3. Veterinary vaccinology (elective)/Epidemiology (elective)
4. Diagnostic principles and procedures
5. Veterinary drugs in aquaculture
6. Field course
Teachning form and approaches
- Lectures and colloquia
- Group work
- Field trip
- Laboratory courses
Text books
Immunobiology (Janeway, Travers, Walport & Shlomchik)
Study requirements
Mid-term exam in Immunology (Concepts of Innate and adaptive immune responses)
Completed laboratory report for “Diagnostic principles and procedures”
Required knowledge
This module builds on the module Basics of Aquatic Medicine
Exam
Written 6 hour exam at the end of the semester. Graded exam, A (best) to E (lowest score). F
is given for candidates not passing the exam.
Responsible
Module responsible: Øystein Evensen
Department Head: Camilla Røsjø, BasAm
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Master thesis
1 year
60 ECTS points
The master thesis work will be carried out during the 3rd and 4th semester of the master study
(2nd year). Topics for the master thesis will be presented by research groups and scientists at
the Norwegian School of Veterinary Science and the National Veterinary Institute and will be
selected by the students during the first part of the 2nd semester. The thesis can also be
carried out with an external institution with an internal supervisor at NSVS. A plan for the
study will be completed together with the selected supervisors as part of the course “The
research process, establishing a research protocol” which is the first course in the 2nd
semester.
Content
The thesis should be structured with an Introduction that should give an overview of the topic
under study and result in a presentation of the aims of the study. The Materials and Method
section presents in detail the methods used by the student and the study material included. The
Result section should give a precise and easily understandable presentation of the results
obtained presented using tables and figures were needed and adequate. The Discussion should
focus on presenting the importance of the findings and what it means relative to previous
studies carried out in the same field. Acknowledgment should be included and a detailed
Reference list must also be provided.
Evaluation
The Master thesis will be subject to evaluation with two independent examiners (minimum of
1 external). Given the thesis is found acceptable for a public presentation, the student should
give a 35-45 minutes presentation covering the background of the study, the materials and
methods used, the results obtained and discuss importance of findings. The presentation will
be followed by discussion.
The thesis will be graded as: pass/not pass.
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