| Unit name | Fundamentals of Molecular Microbiology |
|---|---|
| Unit code | PANM10003 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | C/4 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Dr. Murillo Cabeza |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine |
| Faculty | Faculty of Life Sciences |
Why is this unit important?
The unit provides students a thorough grounding in microbiology, covering the basic biology of viruses, fungi and bacteria, and focusing on genetics and genomics, how genetic variability arises and how genetic information is processed into important phenotypic characteristics including structural diversity, metabolic diversity and virulence.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
On the Cellular and Molecular medicine programmes, this unit will provide a foundation on which to build the study of microbes that cause disease in Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (Year 1 TB-2) In turn this understanding of pathogens and the diseases that they cause underpins the study of Infection and Immunity (Year 2 TB-1) and more advanced units on infections and their control in Year 3 units, Medical Microbiology, Medical Virology and Frontiers in Infectious Diseases.
An overview of content
The unit will provide students with information about the following:
How will students, personally, be different as a result of this unit.
The students will have experience of experimental techniques for culturing microorganisms under aseptic conditions and staining methods to allow the classification of bacteria. They will learn data interpretation and be able to present in written format.
Learning Outcomes
The unit is delivered using a series of integrated lectures, workshops and laboratory practical sessions and online resources.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative)
With regard to attendance at practical sessions, electronic feedback will be provided for the pre and post lab work via eBiolabs. There will also be verbal feedback provided by the staff and demonstrators during the practical sessions.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative)
eBiolabs pre and post lab work (10%)
Practical write up (20%)
Mid-unit MCQ online test (20%)
MCQ examination (December) (50%)
When an assessment does not go to plan.
If you are unable to complete the practical write up, the matter will be referred to the Faculty Board of Examiners. If the Faculty Board decides that your engagement has not been sufficient to satisfy the unit’s Learning Outcomes, they may decide that you are unable to progress to next year of study. If this is the case, you will be required to complete reassessment work to a satisfactory standard during the summer.
If you are unable to take an end of unit exam, you will have the opportunity to take this in the reassessment period.
If you do not pass the unit, the examination board will agree what components they need you to take, and this may be during the summer or in the reassessment period.
If you fail to attend and/or engage with components of a unit, the matter will be referred to the Faculty Board of Examiners. If the Faculty Exam Board decides that your attendance or engagement have not been sufficient to satisfy the unit’s Learning Outcomes, they may decide that you are unable to progress to next year of study. If this is the case, you will be required to complete reassessment work to a satisfactory standard. This may include written work (to be completed during the summer) or a requirement to repeat part or all of the unit in a supplementary year.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. PANM10003).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
