University home > Unit and programme catalogues in 2022/23 > Programme catalogue > Faculty of Life Sciences > School of Physiology, Pharmacology & Neuroscience > Physiological Science (BSc) > Specification
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Programme code | 7PYSI002U |
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Programme type | Single Honours |
Programme director(s) |
Lauren Goodhead
|
Faculty | Faculty of Life Sciences |
School/department | School of Physiology, Pharmacology & Neuroscience |
Teaching institution | University of Bristol |
Awarding institution | University of Bristol |
Relevant QAA subject benchmark groups | Biosciences (2023) (benchmark statement) |
Mode of study | Full Time |
Programme length | 3 years (full time) |
This section sets out why studying this programme is important, both in terms of inspiring you as an individual and in considering the challenges we face. It describes how this degree programme contributes to:
To develop an understanding of, and to foster interest in, normal body function from the level of molecules to that of the whole body, with particular emphasis on mammalian physiology.
Students will develop :
1.an understanding of the way in which the principal body systems function, with the opportunity of specialising in selected topics
2.skills in the acquisition, interpretation and analysis of scientific data in the environment of an active research department
3.competence in a range of key skills including written and oral communication, IT and library skills, project & time management, and teamwork
4.skills that prepare them for:
a career in academic or commercial research, in teaching, or in business;
further professional training or study in related (e.g.clinical/paraclinical) or other fields
The learning outcome statements shown below for your programme have been developed with reference to relevant national subject benchmarks (where they exist), national qualification descriptors (see the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications) and professional body requirements.
Teaching, learning and assessment strategies are listed to show how you will be able to achieve and demonstrate the learning outcomes.
This programme provides opportunities for you to develop and demonstrate knowledge and understanding, qualities, skills and other attributes in the following areas:
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes | Learning/teaching methods and strategies |
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|
Level C: lectures, practical classes working in groups of 2 – 3, small group tutorials, some computer-based and/or web-based resources Level I: Lectures, practicals working in groups of ~2 – 3, with more emphasis on self-directed reading & web searches, and with more opportunity for practical work to be student-led than at level C Level H: lectures, seminars, an original research project. Independent learning is fostered by the research project and by written coursework that is largely self-directed. |
Methods of assessment (formative and summative) | |
Level C: predominantly unseen written examinations (‘best answer of five’ MCQs, ‘best answer of four’ data interpretation, extended matching questions). One coursework essay. Level I: unseen written examinations (essays, ‘best answer of five’ MCQs, ‘best answer of four’ data interpretation questions). Some practical write-ups. Two library projects (2,500 words). Level H: unseen written examinations (essays, data interpretation and experimental design questions, a review of a scientific paper). Written research report and oral presentation. One library project. A written assignment based on Public Engagement in Science. |
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes | Learning/teaching methods and strategies |
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|
Level C: Principally through practical classes and small group tutorials. |
Methods of assessment (formative and summative) | |
Level C: Coursework essay, practical reports (eBiolabs and written), examination data interpretation questions |
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes | Learning/teaching methods and strategies |
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|
Level C: Lectures, small group tutorials, practicals, seminars, personal tutorials. |
Methods of assessment (formative and summative) | |
Level C: Practical assessments online (eBiolabs), written practical report, coursework essay |
This section describes what is expected from you at each level of your programme. This illustrates increasing intellectual standards as you progress through the programme. These levels are mapped against the national level descriptors published by the Quality Assurance Agency.
Level C/4 - Certificate |
By the end of their first year, students should be able to use information acquired from textbooks and in lectures, practical classes and tutorials to demonstrate a basic understanding of physiological processes. They should be able to carry out closely supervised practical work, using relevant IT and keyboard skills, and to interpret and manipulate some scientific data. They should have reached a comparable level of competence in their other (usually biomedical) optional units. |
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Level I/5 - Intermediate |
By the end of their second year, students should have begun to develop the ability to synthesise information acquired from original research papers and web-based resources, although the main emphasis is still on formal teaching and textbooks. They should have deepened their knowledge base in physiology, in areas such as the central nervous system, cell biology, and integrated physiology. They should be able to extend worksheet-driven practical work into projects that include some student-led experiments. They should have broadened their IT skills and be able to interpret more complex scientific data. A similar level of competence is required in all their second year units, although one of these can be at a lower level of competence if it involves acquisition of skills/knowledge in a previously unexplored subject. |
Level H/6 - Honours |
In the third year, critical faculties are developed further as source materials consist almost exclusively of research papers, and topics are studied at the current boundaries of knowledge. Students are expected to be able to direct their own study, with some guidance from lecturers, so as to demonstrate in-depth knowledge and critical evaluation of their chosen specialised topics in physiological science. They are expected to have developed the skills necessary to carry out an original project, to contribute to its planning, and to present their conclusions in the form of a research report. They should also be aware of some of the more general techniques and concepts that underpin modern research in the medical sciences. |
For information on the admissions requirements for this programme please see details in the undergraduate prospectus at http://www.bristol.ac.uk/prospectus/undergraduate/ or contact the relevant academic department.
UG Workload Statement
Success as an undergraduate student depends on you being able to make the transition to self-motivated, independent learning. Programmes are designed to assist you in this development, in many cases by starting with units in which timetabled teaching, such as lectures and practical classes, provides the foundations of knowledge and skills in a subject, moving on to individual research-based work. Over time you will be expected to take increasing responsibility for your own learning, guided by the feedback on your work that you will receive. At the heart of your studies at every level there must be regular and disciplined individual reading, reflection and writing and it is this skill of independent studies, above all others, that will serve you best when you leave the University.
Most programmes use credits and a 20 credit unit broadly equates to about 200 hours of student input. This includes all activities related to the teaching, learning and assessment of taught units.
A component of this is the time that you spend in class, in contact with the teaching staff, which includes activities such as lectures, laboratories, tutorials and fieldwork. Some of this activity may be online and could consist of activity that is synchronous (using real-time environments such as Blackboard Collaborate) or asynchronous (using tools such as tutor moderated discussion forums, blogs or wikis).
In some programmes there are field courses and/or placements that will take place in concentrated periods of time.
Outside scheduled activities you are expected to pursue your own independent learning to build your knowledge and understanding of the subjects you are studying. Such independent activities include, reviewing lecture material, reading textbooks, working on examples sheets, completing coursework, writing up laboratory notes, preparing for in-class progress tests and revising for examinations.
We recognise that many students undertake paid employment. To achieve a sensible balance between work and study, you are advised to undertake paid work for no more than 15 hours per week in term-time.
Professional Programmes
Many undergraduates in the Faculty of Health Sciences will be following the professional programmes of:
For these professional programmes, full time attendance is compulsory unless absence is formally approved. Academic activities are timetabled throughout the 5-day week and student workload is around 40 hours per week on average. Where possible, students in the early years are permitted Wednesday afternoons for sport and extra-curriculum activities. This may not be available in later years of professional programmes as when a student progresses through the curricula there is an increasing exposure to clinical and professional activities. Students in clinic or on placements may need to stay later than core times of 08.00 – 18.00 or even overnight to observe out-of-hours activities. This increasing exposure to clinical activities means that students on these professional programmes often have longer term dates than the University standard. Individual years within programmes are likely to vary in length (for example because of the timings of placements) and further information on this will be found in individual programme regulations. Another important point to note is that many of the assessments sit outside of the standard University examination timetable and are likely to be more frequent meaning that students will more oftentimes be engaged in revision activities and self-directed learning.
Faculty of Health Sciences
Faculty Assessment and Feedback Statement for Undergraduate Students. University of Bristol access only.
There is also an alternative 4-year programme in which the pre-final year (Year 3) is spent in Industry.
Dr Lauren Goodhead
Programme Director – Physiological Science
School of Physiology and Pharmacology
Medical Sciences Building
University Walk
Bristol
BS8 1TD
lauren.goodhead@bristol.ac.uk
Unit Name | Unit Code | Credit Points | Status | |
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Physiology 1A | PHPH10017 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-1 |
Physiology 1B | PHPH10018 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-2 |
Pharmacology 1A | PHPH10003 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-1 |
Options totalling 60 CP normally chosen from: | ||||
Pharmacology 1B | PHPH10004 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Introduction to Social and Developmental Psychology | PSYC10012 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Introduction to Cognitive and Biological Psychology | PSYC10013 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Biochemistry: Cellular Composition | BIOC10003 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Biochemistry: Cellular Processes | BIOC10004 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Functional Neuroanatomy | PHPH10013 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Introduction to Neuroscience | PHPH10012 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Anatomical Science 1A | ANAT10008 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Anatomical Science 1B | ANAT10009 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Science of Happiness | UNIV10010 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
The following options can also be taken subject to timetabling constraints | ||||
Mathematics 1A20 | MATH11004 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Chemistry IE | CHEM10200 | 40 | Optional | TB-4 |
Big Ideas in Science | CHEM10001 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
Biological Chemistry 1A: Molecules of Life | BIOC10001 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Biological Chemistry 1B: Powering Biomolecular Interactions | BIOC10002 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Certificate of Higher Education | 120 |
Unit Name | Unit Code | Credit Points | Status | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Neurophysiology | PHPH20009 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-1 |
Cellular Physiology | PHPH20013 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-2 |
Integrative Physiology | PHPH20008 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-2 |
Biomedical Research, Employability and Enterprise Skills | MVSF20001 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-4 |
Options totalling 40 CP normally chosen from: | ||||
Techniques in Neuroscience | PHPH20007 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Pharmacology of the Nervous System | PHPH20011 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Pharmacology of Body Systems | PHPH20012 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Human Anatomy 1 | ANAT20009 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Human Anatomy 2 | ANAT20010 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Disease and Defence | PANM10002 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Normal and Tumour Cells | PANM12051 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Introduction to Social and Developmental Psychology | PSYC10012 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Introduction to Cognitive and Biological Psychology | PSYC10013 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
The following options can also be taken subject to timetabling constraints | ||||
Pharmacology 1B | PHPH10004 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Big Ideas in Science | CHEM10001 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 |
Any other Level 1 UWLP (University-Wide Language Programme) unit - 20 credit points. Please see http://www.bristol.ac.uk/sml/study/uwlp/ for more details. | OPEN | 20 | Optional | |
Diploma of Higher Education | 120 |
Unit Name | Unit Code | Credit Points | Status | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Concepts and Skills | PHPH30007 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-1 |
Research Project | PHPH30009 | 40 | Mandatory | TB-4 |
Choose 20 credit points from the following teaching block 1 units: | ||||
The Heart in Health & Disease | PHPH30019 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
or | ||||
The Rhythms of Life | PHPH30027 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Choose 40 credit points from the following teaching block 2 units: | ||||
Neuroscience of Pain | PHPH30017 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
New Horizons in Medicine | PHPH30021 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Exercise Physiology in Health and Disease | PHPH30028 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Neural Basis of Behaviour | PHPH30031 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Alternatively, swap 20 credit points for any of the following units as long as you are taking one optional unit in teaching block 1 and two optional units in teaching block 2: | ||||
Receptor signalling and non-drug therapies | PHPH30003 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Synaptic plasticity | PHPH30010 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Neurological and Psychiatric disorders | PHPH30013 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Synaptic Cell Biology | PHPH30022 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Molecular Pharmacology | PHPH30029 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 |
Drugs in the Nervous System | PHPH30030 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 |
Physiological Science (BSc) | 120 |
Unit Pass Mark for Undergraduate Programmes:
For details on the weightings for classifying undergraduate degrees, please see the Agreed Weightings, by Faculty, to be applied for the Purposes of Calculating the Final Programme Mark and Degree Classification in Undergraduate Programmes.
For detailed rules on progression please see the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes and the relevant faculty handbook.
Please refer to the specific progression/award requirements for programmes with a preliminary year of study, the Gateway programmes and International Foundation programmes.
All undergraduate degree programmes allow the opportunity for a student to exit from a programme with a Diploma or Certificate of Higher Education.
Integrated Master's degrees may also allow the opportunity for a student to exit from the programme with an equivalent Bachelor's degree where a student has achieved 360 credit points, of which 90 must be at level 6, and has successfully met any additional criteria as described in the programme specification.
The opportunities for a student to exit from one of the professional programmes in Veterinary Science, Medicine, and Dentistry with an Award is outlined in the relevant Programme Regulations (which are available as an annex in the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes).
An Ordinary degree can be awarded if a student has successfully completed at least 300 credits with a minimum of 60 credits at Level 6.
The pass mark for the professional programmes in Veterinary Science, Medicine and Dentistry is 50 out of 100. The classification of a degree in the professional programmes in Veterinary Science, Medicine, and Dentistry is provided in the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
Please note: This specification provides a concise summary of the main features of the programme and the learning outcomes that a typical student might reasonably be expected to achieve and demonstrate if he/she takes full advantage of the learning opportunities that are provided.
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