Programme Specifications

With Integrated Year in Industry

Biological Sciences - Plant Biology

September 2023

The course aims to provide students with a core and breadth of knowledge in plant biology. Through optional modules students can gain more specialist knowledge focussing on molecular, agricultural and environmental skills.

Subject specific skills
To provide students with practical and theoretical knowledge in Plant Biology from cell processes to physiology to production with implications for agriculture, food / fuel production and biodiversity.

Generic and graduate skills

• 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 creativity and be able to communicate their understanding.

• To enable develop effective teamwork and communication skills, particularly via field and laboratory activities.

• To engender a confidence to learn by responding positively and proactively to feedback provided.

• To develop strong communication skills both orally and in writing.

• To show awareness of associated industries, stakeholders needs and impacts.

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

To provide students with the theoretical knowledge and practical (field) and transferable skills required for various careers in Plant Biology including agriculture, horticulture, nature conservation, teaching, research and development, and advisory work within the field.

Overall aim of the scheme

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 structure, diversity and reproduction of plants.

• A2 The interactions of structure and metabolic function at cellular and organismal level.

• A3 How internal and external factor regulate plant metabolism and dictate survival in a particular location at a particular time.

• A4 The patterns of inheritance and complex genetic interactions of plants.

• A5 Methods used to identify plants and classify them according to species.

• A6 The principles and processes governing interactions of plants and their environment acknowledging plants as the foundation of biological energy movement within the environment.

• A7 The global relevance of plants and direct and indirect value for humans.

Learning and Teaching

Lectures; tutorials; problem-based learning scenarios and case studies; field excursions and laboratory practicals; literature based research; computer-assisted learning; research leading to a dissertation.

Assessment Strategies and Methods

Written examinations and coursework to include: survey assessment and report writing, short-answer questions, essay writing, oral and poster presentations; the submission of a dissertation.

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 Apply the skills needed for academic study and enquiry.

• B2 Critically evaluate research methodologies and a variety of types of information and evidence and where appropriate propose new hypotheses

• B3 Critically analyse information from a number of sources, including current research and scholarship, in order to gain an understanding of theory and practice.

• B4 Apply strategies for appropriate selection of relevant information from a wide source and large body of knowledge.

• B5 Apply knowledge and understanding to address familiar and novel problems.

• B6 Design an experiment, investigation, survey or other means to test a hypothesis or proposition.

• B7 Utilise problem-solving skills.

Learning and Teaching

Lectures; tutorials; problem-based learning scenarios and case studies; field excursions and laboratory practicals; literature based research; computer-assisted learning; research leading to a dissertation.

Assessment Strategies and Methods

Written examinations and coursework to include: survey assessment and report writing, short-answer questions, essay writing, oral and poster presentations; the submission of a dissertation.

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 field and /or laboratory investigations.

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

• C4 Conceive, plan and undertake field and laboratory investigations in a responsible, ethical and safe manner, paying due attention to risk assessment, biodiversity, relevant health and safety regulations, legislation concerning access to field location and activities, the impact of investigations on the environment and personnel.

• C5 Write for a range of audiences including academics, practitioners, special interest groups and the wider public.

Learning and Teaching

Practical skills are acquired and promoted through practical laboratory classes, field visits, class activities, case studies undertaken in a range of real-life situations and experimental research for the dissertation.

Assessment Strategies and Methods

Coursework to include: the submission of scientific / practical reports, oral presentations, research posters and essays. Students are expected to demonstrate critical, interpretative and analytical skills in both their course work and written examinations. The dissertation should demonstrate student competence in practical and academic skills.

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:

• B8 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

• D6 Information technology

• D7 Application of number

• D8 Personal development and career planning

Learning and Teaching

Transferable/key skills are incorporated within modules and related to relevant assessments as appropriate. Students further learn and develop skills through tutorials / seminars; problem-based learning scenarios; self-directed learning, oral presentations and experimental dissertation work.

Assessment Strategies and Methods

Transferable / key skills are embedded throughout the various assessments. Generic skills include note taking, researching, problem solving, report writing, oral presentation, interview and communication skills.

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

• D9 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