Programme Specifications

With Integrated Year in Industry

Biosciences

September 2023

The Biology student is expected to possess broadly based core knowledge of biological subjects. This will involve an interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approach in advancing knowledge and understanding of the evolution, processes and mechanisms of life, from molecular to cellular, and from organism to ecosystem.

• To provide students with the technical knowledge and transferable skills required for a leading career in Biology, including for example, lecturing, research and development, and advisory work within the field.

• To develop a detailed knowledge and systematic understanding of the interaction between populations and the environment as drivers for evolutionary processes.

• To develop a wide-ranging understanding of bacterial, fungal, plant and animal form and function.

• To understand the complexity of environmental processes as a product of the interaction of living systems, soils, marine/freshwater systems, climate and processes linked to human activity; e.g. urbanisation or pollution.

• To develop a detailed understanding of biological research and on-going rapid developments in the field especially in or “genomic and post-genomic fields.

• To appreciate the application of numerical and computional approaches to the investigation and description of biological processes. This should extend from familiarity with bioinformatic approaches to interrogate genomic data to an appreciation of how biological processes can be modelled; e.g. in epidemiology.

• To develop a critical and analytical approach in all aspects of study and problem solving, including the ability to deal with complex issues both systematically and creatively and communicate with specialist and non-specialist audiences

Subject specific skills

A biology graduate should be able to:

• The ability to explain biological phenomena at a variety of levels (from molecular to ecological systems) and how evolutionary theory is relevant to their area of study

• Display the skills needed for academic study and enquiry, this will involve the ability to assimilate information from a number of sources, including current research and scholarship, in order to gain an understanding of theory and practice.

• The ability to plan, execute and present a piece of hypothesis-driven work in which qualities such as time management, problem solving, and independence are evident

• Have the ability to record data accurately, and to carry out basic manipulation of data (including qualitative data and statistical analysis, when appropriate)

• Show an understanding of the use of bioinformatics approaches in the analysis of large datasets

• Display an appreciation of the impact on society of advances in the biosciences especially with the bioethical issues that arise.

Generic and graduate skills

• The following transferable skills will be developed and assessed in the Biology degree:

• Research and data analysis skills

• Enhanced mathematical and computational skills

• Effective problem-solving and creative thinking skills

• A thorough grounding in information technology skills

• The ability to work independently

• Time-management and organisational skills, including the ability to meet deadlines

• The ability to express ideas and communicate information in a clear and structured manner, in both written and oral form

• Self-motivation and self-reliance

• Team-working, with the ability to discuss concepts in groups, accommodating different ideas and reaching agreement

The alternative schemes have specific learning outcomes, and therefore subject knowledge, remain unchanged. However, students will be able to demonstrate additional outcomes as a result of undertaking the year in industry. These additional outcomes provide an enhanced student experience and allow students to develop knowledge of their subject areas in applied contexts and to develop work experience and thus enhance their employability. Specifically, the proposed degree aims to advantage students in the following additional ways:

• To apply approaches, concepts, skills, methods and/or theories in a work-based context relevant to their scheme.

• To develop highly valued transferable and professional skills during a work placement, providing a competitive edge in the graduate job market.

• To enable students to learn about an organization and its area of work, providing an excellent opportunity to evaluate future career paths.

Subject specific skills (with Integrated Year in Industry)

The Subject specific skills of the schemes will not change. Nevertheless, on the completion of their degree, students on these four year versions of the schemes will have gained a valuable insight in to a field of employment relating to their subject area in the biological sciences, developing the associated skills and enhancing their employability / networking / establishing industry links.

Generic and graduate skills (with Integrated Year in Industry)

The generic and graduate skills of the schemes will not change. However, the four year version of the schemes ‘with a year in Industry’ will likely develop the skills listed below, though the nature and emphasis will depend on the exact employment; not all of these will be assessed, though most are likely to form part of the employer’s assessment of the student:

• Working independently

• Working as part of a team

• Respecting the views, beliefs, opinions and values of others

• Listening to, and engaging with, other speakers

• Effective verbal communication in a range of settings, including group discussions and debates and formal presentations

• Effective written communication in a variety of forms

• Use of information technologies to process, store, present and communicate information, including spreadsheets, databases, word processing, e-mail and the world-wide web

• Identifying, retrieving, sorting and handling information from conventional and electronic sources, including libraries, CD-ROMs, on-line computer resources and the world-wide web

• Time management and self-regulation of work regimes

• Research issues and solve problems

• Adapting to change

• Reading comprehension and interpretation of a range of written material

• Observational skills

• Collating, processing, interpreting and presenting numerical data

• Identifying appropriate career pathways and developing the capacity to compete

Overall aim of the scheme

This Biology course will study of life at all levels of complexity. This will involve understand how chemicals are assembled into ever more complex levels of organisation in molecules, cells, tissues and organs, organisms, communities and ecosystems. Central to this process is an understanding of the processes of evolutionary natural selection that is a core theme throughout the course. Inherent in this approach is providing the students with a broad knowledge of prokaryote and eukaryotic (animal, plants, fungal) genetic and cellular function, its organization into functional organisms and how they interact with the wider environment. The latter provides a platform for understanding how evolutionary processes can act a population level to drive adaption. The course will provide students with the multidisciplinary knowledge that they require to understand life processes. This will equip them with the background they require to develop a career in biology. Beyond knowledge acquisition, the course will develop skills which will produce students that are able to critically evaluate various sources and potentially conflicting sources of information and to be proficient in verbal and written communication. Biology will be able to work in a range of fields relating to science, who can operate efficiently and safely in field and laboratory, are able to communicate and understand data and concepts, are able to utilise specific applied skills to address diverse biological problems, and are able to direct their own research and learning.

The overall aims of the schemes will not change. Additionally, the aim of the four year versions of the schemes will aim to develop graduate level skills, as described in the Generic and Graduate level skills section above.

By the end of their programme, all students are expected to be able to demonstrate:

• A1 the ability to explain biological phenomena at a variety of levels with an particular appreciation of evolutionary processes.

• A2 the ability to assimilate and criticise information from a number of sources, including current research and scholarship, in order to gain an understanding of theory and practice.

• A3 the ability to plan, execute and present a piece of hypothesis-driven work

• A4 carry out basic manipulation of data (including qualitative data and statistical analysis, when appropriate) and demonstrate basic bioinformatic skills in the analysis of large datasets

• A5 display an appreciation of the impact on society of advances in the biosciences

Learning and Teaching

Learning and Teaching strategies will be focused on the developing the subject knowledge and understanding outlined in Section 9.

Lectures will convey substantial elements of the subject content, provide core themes and explanations of difficult concepts, as well as set the scene for and inspire students' independent learning. These lectures will include reference to experimental evidence and arguments for and against specific hypotheses.

Laboratory classes, fieldwork and digital approaches to practical work (for example modelling and data mining using bioinformatic approaches) will be used illustrate scientific approaches to discovery, provide opportunities for acquisition of subject-specific technical and transferable skills and reinforce the lecture material.

The first and second year’s tasks in developing the practice and evaluation of hypothesis driven research will culminate in third year project/research based assignment. This will draw on the experience gathered during the programme as a whole and will include data collection and analysis. These data could be derived from the literature, field or laboratory work.

Assessment Strategies and Methods

Assessment strategies will be used to determine achievement of learning outcomes and competencies. These are formative and summative will include self and peer assessment.

To assess subject specific knowledge/understanding a wide range of element will be assessed. These will be:

• Laboratory and/or fieldwork reports

• Project or dissertation report

• Essays, summaries and assignments

• Data interpretation exercises

• Online activities

• Critical analysis of case studies

• Oral, poster, and other presentations such as journal articles

• Unseen examinations

In each form of assessment the extent and depth of scientific knowledge will be assessed as indicated in the mark scheme. Differing forms of assessment will test the:

1) ability to assimilate and criticise information from a number of sources,

2) to plan, execute and present a piece of hypothesis-driven work or,

3) carry out basic manipulation of data (including qualitative data and statistical analysis, when appropriate) and demonstrate basic bioinformatic skills in the analysis of large datasets.

Essay based and case-studies assessments will be particular employed to test the students appreciation of the impact on society of advances in the biosciences.

The scheme provides opportunities for students to develop and demonstrate knowledge and understanding, skills, qualities and other attributes in the additional following areas:

Demonstrate a range of transferable skills including initiative, independence and commercial awareness.

Learning and Teaching (with Integrated Year in Industry)

During their integrated year in industry students will embed themselves within a working environment, allowing for the development of a range of transferable and life skills commensurate with the above. Furthermore, students on this scheme will have the potential to utilise the knowledge and skills associated with other outcomes developed in years 1 and 2. This will be in part dependent on the nature of the organization their position is based with.

Assessment Strategies and Methods (with Integrated Year in Industry)

Students on the integrated industrial year will be required to register for the modules BRS0000, BRS0060, BRS0100, and BRS0160. During the integrated Year in Industry, students will be required to submit an Introductory Report (worth 30% of the Industrial Year mark) on the organization that they are working for, its structure, aims and operation; and a Workplace investigation, to investigate a technical aspect of the work that they are doing (worth 40% of the Industrial Year mark). Finally, there will be an AU staff assessment of the final student self-evaluation and employer’s report. These will be marked in order to assess the student’s achievement of learning outcome 10.1 above as well as the other learning outcomes of their scheme.

10.2.1 Intellectual Skills

By the end of their programme, all students are expected to be able to demonstrate:

• B1 Analyse, synthesise and summarise information critically from a variety of sources

• and from a number of perspectives

• B2 Construct grammatically correct documents in an appropriate academic style and format, using and referencing relevant ideas and evidence

• B3 Determine the validity and rigour of statistical outcomes.

• B4 Receive and respond to a variety of sources of information: textual, numerical, verbal, graphical and understand and manipulate numerical data

• B5 Understand the importance of academic and research integrity.

Learning and Teaching

Each item of coursework will be set to develop the intellectual skills needed to analyse, synthesise and summarise information critically from a variety of sources. Each component will also develop and test the skills required to construct grammatically correct documents in an appropriate academic style.

As the students progress through the course, they will be expected to consider and balance a number of perspectives and values and arrive at a considered critical judgment stating assumptions and limitations.

Students are expected to spend a significant proportion of their total study time on self-directed study, individually and within groups. This entails information seeking and the use of learning resources available in electronic or other format, reading, report writing and problem solving. The assessment of self-directed study is a specific component of each coursework mark schemes.

Assessment Strategies and Methods

The same methods as outlined in 6A will be use to assess intellectual skills but will represent an additional component of the assessment criteria

In all work, the ability of student to analyse, synthesise and summarise information critically from a variety of sources will be a major feature of the assessment criteria. All submitted work will be grammatically correct documents in an appropriate academic style and referencing relevant ideas and evidence. These should also shows that the student understands the importance of academic and research integrity.

Data-interpretative assessments will test student’s ability to provide statistically valid testing of results. Others assessments – particularly practials, will develop the student’s computational and bioinformatics skills.

10.2.2 Professional practical skills (where applicable)

By the end of their programme, all students are expected to be able to demonstrate:

• C1 Design, apply and analyse various research/study techniques.

• C2 Plan, conduct, and report on investigations.

• C3 Collect & record information / data in the library, laboratory or field, summarizing it appropriately.

• C4 Conceive, plan and undertake laboratory investigations in a responsible, ethical and safe manner, paying due attention to risk assessment, animal welfare, relevant health and safety regulations, legislation concerning experimental animal use, legal requirements and sensitivity to the impact of investigations on the environment and personnel.

• C5 Communicate effectively with individuals and organisations in a range of scenarios.

Learning and Teaching

No particular professional skills are required for Biologists but the development of good laboratory and field skills are integrated in the course.

Assessment Strategies and Methods

No particular professional skills are required for Biologists but the development of good laboratory and field skills will be taught and tested as part of the practical and field work assessments.

10.2.1 Intellectual Skills (with Integrated Year in Industry)

By the end of their programme, all students are expected to be able to demonstrate THE FOLLOWING ADDITIONAL LEARNING OUTCOME:

• B6 Demonstrate experience of working in a professional environment

Learning and Teaching

Outcome 10.2.1 will be achieved through completing an extended integrated Year in Industry position at a suitable workplace.

Assessment Strategies and Methods

Evidence of outcome 10.2.1 will be secured through the completion of the assessment strategy described in 10.1 above.

10.2.2 Professional practical skills (where applicable) (with Integrated Year in Industry)

By the end of their programme, all students are expected to be able to demonstrate THE FOLLOWING ADDITIONAL LEARNING OUTCOME:

• C6 Applying principles, methods, approaches, concepts, skills and/or theories appropriate to the relevant biological sciences scheme in a professional context, as well as understanding the challenges of working in a professional environment.

Learning and Teaching

The professional skills identified in 10.2.2 will be primarily developed through spending a year in industry

Assessment Strategies and Methods

10.2.2 will be evidenced by the completion of the assessment strategy described in 10.1 above, detailing experiences of a year in industry, as well as reports on associated technical information.

By the end of their programme, all students are expected to be able to demonstrate:

• D1 Problem solving

• D2 Research skills

• D3 Communication

• D4 Improving own learning and performance

• D5 Team work

Learning and Teaching

The course will integrate a wide-range of coursework forms to develop and assess the Biologist’s intellectual skills in the ability to analyse, synthesise and summarise information critically from a variety of sources. This will be assessed as oral and written forms of communication. The latter will include electronic forms such as web-blogs. All written forms of communication will aim to aid in developing the graduate’s ability to construct grammatically correct documents in an appropriate academic style and format, using and referencing relevant ideas and evidence.

Verbal communication skills will be developed through a series of assessed and non-assessed subject specific presentations which feature throughout the course. These presentations will develop the graduate’s ability to verbally communicate their subject appropriately to a variety of audiences, including the general public, using a range of formats and approaches and employing appropriate scientific language.

Some coursework will be based around group work that will develop team working and interpersonal skills. These could involve practical, laboratory and/or field studies or joint work in case studies. Besides scientific content, the work will be aim to develop skills in recognising and respecting the views and opinions of other team members. This will be assessed through confidential peer assessment feedback.

Assessment Strategies and Methods

The same methods as outlined in 6A will be use to assess transferrable skills but will represent an additional component of the assessment criteria.

Different forms of assessment will be used to determine the students level of:

1) Problem solving (laboratory/fieldwork/project/dissertation reports; data interpretation exercises; critical analysis of case studies

2) Research skills (all assessment methods);

3) Communication (the quality of written work will be assessed as mentioned in 6B; but verbal skills will involve assessments of oral presentations)

4) Team work. Peer and self-assessment of team working skills will feature in certain assessments where case studies are considered through group-based study and submissions of group coursework.

5) Improving own learning and performance. Self-reflective practice will be encourage through tutorial-led implementation of the personal development plan (PDP) as required for all University students.

By the end of their programme, all students are expected to be able to demonstrate THE FOLLOWING ADDITIONAL LEARNING OUTCOME:

• D6 Professionalism and an understanding of commercial pressures

Learning and Teaching

Skill 10.3 will be developed through undertaking the year in industry component. In addition, and dependent upon the nature of the position undertaken, the year in industry has the potential to further enhance the other generic skills detailed in Section 9 above.

Assessment Strategies and Methods

10.3 will be evidenced by the completion of the assessment strategy described in 10.1 above, but primarily through the AU staff assessment of the final student self-evaluation and employer’s report