LSC-30051 - Module Specification
School of Life Sciences
Faculty of Natural Sciences

Programme/Approved Electives for 2024/25

Available as a Free Standing Elective

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2024/25

Imagine being the editor of your own journal - well in this module that's exactly what you will be. You'll be looking at how biotechnology can be used to address some of the key health and sustainability issues facing the human population. Working from a case study, you will work in a group to identify what you think these pressing issues are and then you will look through the literature to see what is being done to address these issues. You will report your research back to the group. For your assignment you will have to compile your own journal, by selecting relevant papers from open access journals. For one of your chosen papers you will write a detailed summary and you will also write an editorial, giving you the chance to justify why you think the papers you chose are really significant contributions to the field. Your assessment is very much part of the learning experience for this module.

The module aims to encourage students to explore how biotechnology (in its many forms) can be used to help address some of the key sustainability issues facing humankind, such as keeping us healthy, keeping us fed, tackling pollution and finding alternative fuel sources. The module also develops higher level scientific writing skills.

Intended Learning Outcomes

critically discuss the underpinning bioscience and the application of biotechnology to address key challenges facing mankind: 2
critically evaluate the contribution of biotechnology research to key issues: 2
critically discuss the ethical and sustainability issues pertinent to the cases: 2
present a detailed summary of a research article, placing it in a broader academic context: produce a themed edition of a mini-journal by selecting relevant research articles and justifying the choice of papers in the editorial: 2

Study hours

Active learning hours: 6 hours case seminars (2 hours per case)
6 hours case tutorials (2 hours per case)
6 hours assessment preparation workshops
2 hours preparation for assessment workshops (online activity)
Independent study hours:
30 hours reading materials for case tutorial (10 hours per case)
100 hours preparing assessments

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment