Programme Specifications

N/A

Biosciences 2015

September 2017

Microbiology graduates will have gained:

• An appreciation of the complexity and diversity of life processes through the study of micro-organisms, their molecular, cellular and physiological processes, their genetics and evolution, and the interrelationships between them and their environment.

Subject specific skills

Microbiology graduates will have gained:

• Knowledge of the importance of microorganisms in environment, health and biotechnology

• Ability to handle Hazard Group 1 microorganisms safely in the laboratory

Generic and graduate skills

Microbiology graduates will have gained:

• The ability to read and use appropriate literature with a full and critical understanding, while addressing such questions as content, context, aims, objectives, quality of information, and its interpretation and application;

• The capacity to give a clear and accurate account of a subject, marshal arguments in a mature way and engage in debate and dialogue both with specialists and non-specialists;

• Critical and analytical skills: a recognition that statements should be tested and that evidence is subject to assessment and critical evaluation;

• The ability to employ a variety of methods of study in investigating, recording and analysing material;

• The ability to think independently, set tasks and solve problems.

The MBiol schemes have specific learning outcomes for years 1-3 and basic subject knowledge remains unchanged. However, students will be able to demonstrate additional outcomes as a result of undertaking the M year. These additional outcomes provide an enhanced student experience and allow students to develop their knowledge of their subject areas in an extended research context better preparing them for postgraduate study but also giving them an edge in terms of employability. Specifically, the proposed degree aims to advantage students in the following additional ways:

• To apply approaches, concepts, skills, methods and/or theories in an extended research context.


• To develop independent research skills, advanced data handling and a higher-level qualification giving them a competitive edge in the graduate job market or in applying for postgraduate research positions. 


• To enable students to develop an understanding of global challenges relevant to biology and understand their research and study in the context of this.

Subject Specific Skills (Masters Level Year)

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 how these skills can be applied in a research context as well as how the skills can be used to address global challenges in biology

Generic and Graduate Skills (Masters Level Year)

The generic and graduate skills of the schemes will not change. However, the four year integrated masters version of the schemes will additionally develop the skills listed below, though the nature and emphasis will depend on the exact research project:

• 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

Overall aim of the scheme

To produce graduates who are able to work in the field of microbiology, who can operate efficiently and safely in a laboratory, are able to communicate and understand microbiological data and concepts, are able to apply microbiological skills to diverse biological problems, and are able to direct their own research/learning.

Overall aim of the scheme

The overall aims of the schemes will not change relative to the three year versions. 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:

• a broadly based core of knowledge covering the major elements of biology, together with specialised in-depth study of microbiology

• engagement with the essential facts, major concepts, principles and theories of microbiology

• competence in the core experimental methods in microbiology

• familiarity with the terminology, nomenclature and classification systems used in microbiology

• awareness of the contribution of microbiological research to the development of knowledge about the diversity of life and its evolution

Learning and Teaching

Lectures; tutorials; student-led seminars; problem-based learning workshops, laboratory practical classes; literature based research; computer-assisted learning; research leading to a dissertation.

Assessment Strategies and Methods

Written examinations and coursework to include: report writing, essay writing, oral and poster presentations; the submission of a dissertation, problem-solving exercises.

Demonstrate a range of transferable skills including initiative, independence and the ability to see their work in the context of global challenges.

Learning and Teaching (Masters Level Year)

During the M year students will develop their knowledge in the specific area of their research project. They will develop communication skills through working with their supervisor and other departmental staff / postgraduate students. They will additionally pursue taught modules to enhance their skills in research design, data analysis, research skills beyond their own project and placing their own contribution in the context of wider issues.

Assessment Strategies and Methods (Masters Level Year)

Students will be developed and assessed in the same way as the three year schemes for years 1-3. In year M smaller group size in the taught modules will enable team work and the use of individual presentations to assess students’ knowledge and understanding.

10.2.1 Intellectual Skills

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

• the ability to recognise and apply subject-specific theories, paradigms, concepts or principles. For example, the relationship between genes and proteins,

• ability for analysing, synthesising and summarising information critically, including published research or reports

• how to obtain and integrate several lines of subject-specific evidence to formulate and test hypotheses

• an appreciation of the moral and ethical issues of investigations and the need for ethical standards and professional codes of conduct

• how their knowledge and comprehension can be used to address familiar and novel problems

Learning and Teaching

Lectures; tutorials; student-led seminars; problem-based learning workshops, laboratory practical classes; literature based research; computer-assisted learning; research leading to a dissertation.

Assessment Strategies and Methods

Written examinations and coursework to include: report writing, essay writing, oral and poster presentations; the submission of a dissertation, problem-solving exercises.

10.2.2 Professional practical skills (where applicable)

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

• competence and progressive development in the basic and core experimental skills needed for a career in microbiology

• an ability to design, plan, conduct and report on investigations, which may involve primary or secondary data (for example from a survey database)

• skills needed to obtain, record, collate and analyse data using appropriate techniques in the field and/or laboratory, working individually or in a group

• knowledge required to undertake field and/or laboratory investigations of living systems in a responsible, safe and ethical manner

• use and interpretation of a variety of sources of information: textual, numerical, verbal, graphical

Learning and Teaching

Practical skills are acquired and promoted through practical laboratory classes, class activities, and experimental research for the dissertation. Coursework develops research skills and PDP is used for career planning and skills auditing.

Assessment Strategies and Methods

Coursework to include: the submission of scientific reports, oral presentations, research posters and essays. Students are expected to demonstrate advanced 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 (Masters Level Year)

• Demonstrate experience of working in a mixed research team

Learning and Teaching

Planning and logical development of research based on initial findings will be developed through the dissertation project.

Assessment Strategies and Methods

Students will be developed and assessed in the same way as the three year schemes for years 1-3. In year M intellectual skills will be developed and assessed via the dissertation which is an extended piece of work in which students will be guided through the process of conducting research and writing it in a form relevant to publication.

10.2.2 Professional practical skills (where applicable) (Masters Level Year)

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

Learning and Teaching

These will be developed mainly through the dissertation project. Group work is also embedded in the taught modules.

Assessment Strategies and Methods

Students will be developed and assessed in the same way as the three year schemes for years 1-3. In year M professional and practical skills are developed and assessed in the field and lab skills module as well as the dissertation.

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

• the ability to access and evaluate bioscience information from a variety of sources and to communicate the principles both orally and in writing in a way that is organised and topical, and recognises the limits of current hypotheses

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

• the ability to record data accurately, and to carry out basic manipulation of data

• strategies that enable them to update their knowledge of the biosciences

• an awareness of professional standards

Learning and Teaching

Coursework develops research skills and PDP is used for career planning and skills auditing. Skills modules in years 1 and 2 develop sourcing and referencing information. Team working takes place in tutorials, practicals and workshops

Assessment Strategies and Methods

Essays, reports, oral presentations

• Professionalism and an understanding of time management through independent planning

Learning and Teaching (Masters Level Year)

Developed through the research project.

Assessment Strategies and Methods (Masters Level Year)

Students will be developed and assessed in the same way as the three year schemes for years 1-3. In year M the dissertation will develop these further through guided, independent work