| Unit name | Life Chemistry: Life through the chemical lens |
|---|---|
| Unit code | CHEM10012 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | C/4 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Chris Arthur |
| 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 Chemistry |
| Faculty | Faculty of Science |
The aims of the course are tailored in order to start equipping chemistry students with the knowledge and skills to be able to address key societal challenges in life and environmental sciences. These are:
These aims will be addressed by three separate taught components of the course, as detailed below as well as the tutorial and assessment work (outlined in the ‘Intended Learning Outcomes’ and ‘Assessment’ sections, below).
The ‘big picture’ (2 lectures):
An introduction to the chemical components of life (8 lecture equivalents):
Life chemistry stories (8 lecture equivalents)
The second and third components of the course will be alternated in order to introduce a chemical component and then in the subsequent week all students to see that component in a broader context. This unit will act as a non-compulsory introductory unit for the 2nd year Life chemistry units (Biological and Environmental). The ‘Big picture’ and ‘Stories’ have been selected to reflect the breadth of these areas and prepare the students for study in the future years.
By the end of the unit students will be able to:
In the components 2 and 3, we have deliberately used the term ‘lecture equivalents. Chemistry units are often taught using traditional lectures delivered by single academics. This unit will diverge from that format; there will be significantly more team teaching – no one academic will be delivering more than two ‘lecture equivalents’ at a time and the academics will be encouraged to adopt alternative, evidence-based teaching approaches that help facilitate active learning, affording the best possible learning opportunities for the students. The unit will employ a blended learning approach involving a mixture of lecture, online resources, individual student-led enquiry and team-based student-led enquiry.
Assessment for this unit consists of two summative assessments, outlined below and an exam.
Summative assessment 1: (25%) small group (4-5) teamwork in which each student will present, for discussion by the group, a brief screencast synopsis of a key concept drawn from the ‘big picture’ lectures. This activity will assess students in appraising and critiquing a verbal argument. Marks will be awarded for the quality of the presentation itself and for participation in the feedback/tutorial activity. This assesses student’s progress against ILOs 2 and 3.
Summative assessment 2: (50%) The students will prepare a short essay (~1000 words) on an topic from life chemistry. The essay topic may not come from directly taught material and will thus require students to engage with the literature. This assesses students’ progress against ILOs 2 and 4.
Summative assessment 3: (25%) This will be an open book test. This assesses student’s progress against ILOs 1, 2 and 4.
When assessment does not go to plan
The re-assessment tasks will directly mirror those in the assessment tasks.
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. CHEM10012).
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.
