Year 1 Units

This unit will introduce the common processes which govern cell maintenance and how cells communicate and ‘relate’ to one another within a multicellular organism. It will include topics on basic molecular biology, cell biology, respiratory systems, physiology (animal and plant), neurobiology and neurophysiology.

Aims:

• To present a solid foundation for cell maintenance by covering broad processes drawing on examples from different model organisms across kingdoms (animals, plants and bacteria).
• To create a broad objective understanding of the intellectual and practical skills required by biologists.
• To provide a basis for higher-level biological courses, or a support for other science courses involving living organisms.

Attendance at the practical sessions for this unit is required.

Intended learning outcomes:

• Demonstrate the ability to implement successful independent study techniques;
• Describe the fundamental mechanisms of molecular biology;
• Identify key features of cells and describe their development;
• Explore the key physiological and neurological processes in multicellular organisms;
• Demonstrate scientific communication skills;
• Apply a range of biological practical skills

This unit will introduce evolution and diversity of life ranging from prokaryotic origins to lower eukaryotes. It will cover the evolution of organism form, structure, genetic variation, life cycle, and adaptations, with a focus on prokaryotes, eukaryotes including fungi up to invertebrate metazoa.

Aims:

To equip students with the broadest range of intellectual and practical skills and to fit them to confront the diverse biological questions they will meet in their future careers. This includes a clear understanding of the factors that mould living organisms, and knowledge of the diversity of the major groups of organisms.

Attendance at the practical sessions for this unit is required.

Intended learning outcomes:

• Demonstrate the ability to implement successful independent study techniques;
• Recognise and identify a variety of lower life forms on Planet Earth;
• Observe and apply knowledge of the different life forms on Planet Earth;
• Demonstrate scientific communication skills;
• Apply and use a range of biological practical skills.

This unit aims to equip you to grow as a biological scientist by helping you understanding of the academic and professional context within which science operates. You will also develop skills related to: becoming an effective university learner; biological data collection and handling, plotting figures and tables; finding and interpreting scientific literature; getting the most out of lectures; assessing risk in science; and writing scientific reports. You will also explore how elements of your biological sciences study align with sustainable development goals for a better future. This unit will provide you with common foundations in areas on which all other units can then build.

Attendance at the practical sessions for this unit is required.

Intended learning outcomes:

• Demonstrate the ability to implement successful independent study techniques.
• Find, interpret and critically assess sources of scientific information.
• Identify the various risks that can be associated with scientific work and recognise the importance of conducting a risk assessment.
• Handle, summarise and present biological data.
• Communicate science verbally and in writing, with an ability to relay scientific information with clarity.
• Adopt a reflective approach to academic and professional development.

The unit will introduce the common processes which govern whole organism reproduction, interactions within its environment and other organisms as well as human impact on the environment

Aims:

• To present a solid foundation for whole multicellular organism function by covering broad processes drawing on examples from both animal and plants.
• To create a broad objective understanding of the intellectual and practical skills required by biologists.
• To provide a basis for higher-level biological courses, or a support for other science courses involving living organisms.

Attendance at the practical sessions for this unit is required.

Intended learning outcomes:

• Demonstrate the ability to implement successful independent study techniques;
• Recognise and identify the common processes which govern whole organism reproduction, immunity and susceptibility to disease, sensory and behavioural biology and human impact on the environment;
• Observe and apply knowledge of the processes which govern whole organism reproduction, immunity and susceptibility to disease, sensory and behavioural biology and human impact on the environment;
• Evaluate the human impact on our environment.
• Demonstrate scientific communication skills.
• Apply and use a range of biological practical skills.

This unit will expand upon the principles established in the Diversity of Life Part A unit to include plants, as well as mammals, birds and other vertebrates. It will cover organism form, structure, genetic variation, life cycle, adaptations and ecology.

Aims:

To equip students with the broadest range of intellectual and practical skills and to fit them to confront the diverse biological questions they will meet in their future careers. This includes a clear understanding of the factors that mould living organisms, and knowledge of the diversity of the major groups of organisms.

Attendance at the practical sessions for this unit is required.

Intended learning outcomes:

• Demonstrate the ability to implement successful independent study techniques;
• Recognise and identify a variety of life forms on Planet Earth;
• Observe and apply knowledge of the life forms on Planet Earth;
• Apply and use a range of biological practical skills.
• Have gained experience in written communication skills with an ability to relay scientific information with clarity.

Biology is frequently in the news, often within the headlines. The subjects covered are numerous and often controversial, yet rarely explained in any depth. Within this unit we aim to introduce the current topics in an unbiased manner, introducing all the arguments so that Biology students are well informed about these subjects and can access peer-reviewed factual information on which to base their opinions. This will enable the students to participate in conversations on such topics in an informed manner. The topics will vary from year to year based on what is timely and getting press attention, but it is likely to include subjects such as the use of animals in research, use of GM crops, relevance of conservation work, cloning/stem cell research etc etc. The unit will also showcase new research outputs from the school and broader subject area. The aim of the unit is to help inform our student of the unbiased background to the current controversies in Biology and give a grounding in the current research from the School to allow them to develop a better appreciation of the scientific approach within Biology.

Attendance at the practical sessions for this unit is required.

Intended learning outcomes

• Have gained experience in critically assessing the quality, scope and impacts of new research findings;
• Have good comprehension of the framework in which science is now performed within the context of personal, social, ethical and cultural standards;
• Have an appreciation for the impacts that new scientific findings can have on society, individuals and the environment;
• Be able to find, interpret and critically assess sources of scientific information;
• Have gained experience in written communication skills with an ability to relay scientific information with clarity.

BIOL10001 Current Topics in Biology, is based in Biological Sciences, but you also have the option of taking an open unit in another School which complements your study instead of this.

You may choose from the following TB2 units:
BIOL10001 Current Topics in Biology
UNIV10001 Sustainable Development
UNIV10005 City Futures: Migration, Citizenship, and Planetary Change
UNIV10007 Creative Futures: Tools for Changing the World
UNIV10008 Understanding global problems using data: inequality, climate change and the economy
PSYC10013 Introduction to Cognitive and Biological Psychology
UNIV10010 Science of Happiness
UNIV10009 Decolonise the Future!

You may also choose UWLP Level 1 Units (University-Wide Language Programme) - further details of the units on offer can be found here. But please note that these units run across both teaching blocks and will result in you having an imbalanced workload over the course of the year (more teaching / assessment in TB1).

You can find out more information about all the units listed above via the Unit and Programme Catalogue here (This link is for the Biology BSc but the same units are available to students in Y1 of all BSc and MSci programmes in Biological Sciences )