Module Catalogue 2025/26

Pre Requisite Comment

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Co Requisite Comment

N/A

Aims

The module aims to immediately engage students with the variety of local environments at the same time as developing core laboratory and field skills (PC3 – assessed). They will then apply this knowledge to a real-world scientific question set by a local employer (e.g. Northumbria Water, P&G – PC9 - introduced). The module aims to demonstrate the complexity of the biological world and the systems approaches and critical thinking required to understand it (PC10 – assessed). At the same time this module will develop the transferable skills required for students to successfully navigate their degree. The module will also develop key competencies in data and digital literacy (PC4 – assessed), finding an interpreting information (PC2 – assessed), communication (PC5 – assessed) and collaboration (PC8 – developed), academic ethics (PC7 – introduced), professional skills (PC9 – assessed) and career development (PC9 – introduced). This will be done through a mix of practical exercises, tutorials and online learning and assessment. The module will introduce students to their personal tutors and tutorials will be run throughout the academic year. The skills and knowledge gained in this module will be applied and further developed in modules throughout the students’ academic journey and will be useful in careers beyond university.

Outline Of Syllabus

This will be a block taught module running in the first 4 weeks that the students arrive. Through a series of practical field and laboratory session, lectures, online learning and workshops this module will provide the students with the practical, academic and professional skills to complete modules throughout their first year with these skills further developed throughout their degree. The module we cover the following material:

Workshops and practicals will empower the students to think critically, work collaboratively and professionally and to realise that science is often advanced through trial and error.

The students will be introduced to a variety of basic field and laboratory techniques, they will then practice these techniques before demonstrating their competency in each skill. They will then apply this skill and knowledge to address a real-world scientific issue using skills developed here, but also in 1.

Lectures, on-line material and workshops will be used to develop the students skills in the scientific method, information literacy, ethics literacy, scientific communication and career opportunities on offer to a biosciences graduate.

Tutorials will provide small group opportunities to further develop the skills outlined above with a particular focus on scientific writing, reading the scientific literature and critical thinking.

At the end of this module students will be well prepared to undertake the rest of their undergraduate degree where they will put the skills and knowledge developed here into further practice recognising that building competencies is a journey not a destination.

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

PC1 Knowledge Application: Develop fundamental biological knowledge and an awareness of how this fits into the wider context. Recognise the broad biological concepts that underpin the discipline and how these impact the world around them. This module is primarily focused in skills development, but knowledge will be acquired through the introduction of students to variety of local habitats as well as in taxonomy.

Intended Skill Outcomes

PC2 Information literacy: Find and correctly interpret appropriate sources of information on scientific topics. Incorporate and reference sources appropriately within assignments. Students will be introduced to the scientific literature and when and how to cite it in their work. This will be assessed via online quizzes and their written report.  

PC3 Practical skills: Implement the scientific method and fundamental disciplinary practical techniques through appropriate experiential designs. This will be achieved via the demonstration of competency in a broad range of basic field and laboratory techniques.

PC4 Data literacy: Identify, validate and visualise different types of data. Describe ways of managing data. Specifically, students learn and demonstrate that ability to present data graphically. 

PC5 Communication: Comprehend and adopt appropriate language and conventions in order to communicate fundamental scientific concepts clearly, concisely & correctly. Students will be introduced to scientific writing before producing written work for both formative and summative assessment.

PC6 Digital Literacy: Identify with guidance different types of digital technology appropriate to the discipline and communicate scientific concepts clearly, concisely, and correctly in a variety of digitally enhanced formats. Students will make use of a variety of digital platforms in order to complete this module including R, Microsoft packages, Canvas, BLAST.  

PC7 Ethics Literacy: Show awareness of and compliance with relevant ethical concepts that apply to a broad range of scientific knowledge (e.g. academic conduct, risk assessment, inclusivity, and research ethics), within a structured environment. Students will be introduced to scientific ethics and in particular to that related to academic misconduct.  

PC8 Collaboration: Begin to develop effective collaboration skills and reflect on your professional and digital interactions. Recognise the importance of success in shared endeavours and the role of group work and collaboration in enhancing scientific outcomes. Students will work in groups to address in the laboratory and the field in order to address the research problem posed. Prior to this they will undertake team working exercises to better understand how teams operate and their place within them.

PC9 Professional Skills & Career Management: Develop awareness of the different career paths and sectors a science graduate may go into. Reflect on and broaden understanding of own skillset and begin to develop a personal action plan to develop relevant skills, knowledge, and experiences. Students will be introduced to employers to see the variety of careers available to a biosciences graduate. They will also be asked to reflect on the skills and knowledge gained during this module.

PC10 Integrated Problem Solving: Appreciate the complexity of biological systems and the diversity of solutions and approaches that are required to further knowledge in the biological sciences. Students will be set a variety of tasks in the field, laboratory and through workshops that will require that to understand the complexity of biological systems as well as working alone and in groups to solve the problems set.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Online material will provide students with information on the wide range of academic skills they will need to use throughout their degree. Lectures will be used to introduce material while practicals and workshops will enable students to apply information learnt online and in lectures in practical contexts while also developing key laboratory and field practical skills. Tutorials will provide opportunities for small class teaching for developing academic skills further as well as providing opportunities for pastoral signposting.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The computer assessment will ensure that all students have engaged with the Canvas materials and have an understanding of how to apply the knowledge learnt. The reflective log will ensure that the students identify and reflect of their competencies in all the practical, academic and professional skills learnt and applied during this module. The practical report will enable students to apply their competency in communication, data literacy and digital literacy. Finally the formative written exercise will ensure that students receive early feedback on their scientific writing style.

General Notes

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