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PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION: Biochemistry
1 Awarding Institution: University of Exeter 2 School(s)/Teaching Institution: School of Biosciences, University of Exeter 3 Programme accredited/validated by:
Recognised by the Society of Biology
4 Final Award(s): B.Sc. (Hons) 5 Programme Title: Biochemistry 6 UCAS Code (if relevant): 7 FHEQ Level of Final Award(s): FHEQ Level 6 8 QAA Subject Benchmarking Group:
Biosciences
9 Date of Production/Revision: August 2010 10 Programme Structures and Requirements, Levels, Modules, Credits and Awards
Programmes of Study
Students study a 360-credit degree programme, which is based at the University of Exeter (Streatham campus). Normally, all full-time students are required to study 120 credits during each of three one-year stages (1, 2 and 3), although part-time study over a longer period may be possible by negotiation with the School. Part-time students negotiate the pattern of modules over the agreed time scale of their programme of study.
The credit rating of a module is proportional to its overall workload and one credit is nominally equivalent to 10 hours of work. The level of a module is indicated by the first number in its code (e.g. BIO1310 is a level 1 module). A module's level indicates its position in the progressive development of academic skills and abilities across the programme.
Each Stage includes two 11-week terms in which principal teaching activities take place. The third term ( weeks) includes revision and assessment periods followed by Exam Board meetings. All modules in Biosciences are taught within a single term except for the Level 3 projects and dissertations.
University regulations allow students to progress to the next stage (or in the final year, to proceed to the award of an honours degree) once at least 90 credits have been passed and provided that an average of at least 40% has been achieved over the 120 credits of assessment for a stage, including the marks for any failed and condoned modules. However, the modules marked below with an asterisk are ‘non- condonable’, that is, if failed the failed assessment(s) must be retaken, for a maximum of 40%. The consequences of failing more than 30 credits in a stage, or of failing a module at a second attempt, are set out in the School’s Examination Conventions.
Assessment marks obtained in Stage 1 do not contribute towards the overall mark on which the final award is based, but students must achieve an average of 40% for the stage for eligibility for progression to Stage
- The overall mark for the classification of the final award is calculated from the marks for Stages 2 and 3 weighted in the ratio 1:2 respectively.
Single Honours in Biochemistry
The programme comprises the following modules (credit values in brackets; C core module). Stage 1 : BIO1411 Genetics (15C); BIO1321 Essential Elements of Life (15C); BIO1322 Structure and reactivity of Organic Compounds 1 (15C); BIO1324 Fundamental Skills for the Biosciences (15C); BIO1325 Introduction to Biotechnology (15C); BIO1329 Biochemistry (15C); BIO1330 Microbiology and Cell Biology (15C); and 15 credits from either BIO1320 Animal and Plant Physiology (15); BIO Physical Chemistry for the Life Sciences (15); or BIO1327 The Diversity of Animals, Plants and Protists (15).
Stage 2 : BIO2071 Research Skills and Bioethics (15C); BIO2084 Analysis of Biological Macromolecules (15C); BIO2085 Structure and Reactivity of Organic Compounds 2 (15C); BIO2086 Metabolism (15C); BIO2087 Genomics and Biotechnology (15C); BIO2088 Advanced Cell Biology (15C) and at least 15 credits from the following options: BIO2066 Forensic Science (15); BIO2072 Human Molecular Biology (15); BIO2075 Elements of Chemistry in Biological Systems (15); BIO2077 Evolution and Informatics (15); BIO2078 Medical and General Microbiology (15); BIO2089 Molecular Biology of the Gene and up to 15 credits from either the School of Biosciences or other Schools in the University.
Stage 3 : either BIO3064* Biosciences Independent Research Project (45C) or BIO3063* Biosciences Dissertations (45C), and BIO3077 Frontiers in Molecular Cell Biology (15C); and at least 60 credits from the following options: BIO3040 Organic Synthesis (15); BIO3041 Pharmacology and Medicinal Chemistry (15); BIO3042 Secondary Metabolism and Metabolites (15); BIO3044 Cell Cycle and Cancer (15); BIO3067 Ecotoxicology (15); BIO3072 Medical Biotechnology (15); BIO3073 Specialist Topics in Chemical
Sciences (15); BIO3078 Cellular Basis of Immunity (15); BIO3079 Molecular Basis of Infection (15); BIO3080 Microbial Effectors of Disease (15); BIO3082 Science Communication; and up to 15 credits from either the School of Biosciences or other Schools in the University.
A module may be taken only if the necessary pre-requisites have been satisfied, if the timetable allows, and if the module or an equivalent module has not been taken previously. Modules are not all available every year; options are offered each year at the discretion of the School.
11 Educational Aims of the Programme In accord with those of the University as a whole, the general aims of this programme are:
To provide education for students intended to give them competence in their chosen discipline, and to encourage them to develop their intellectual capabilities within an institution that is committed to advancing research, scholarship and learning, and to disseminating knowledge.
More specifically, this programme aims:
- To provide students with knowledge and understanding of biochemistry from the fundamentals to the frontiers of the subject.
- To provide students with the basic scientific, intellectual, and practical training that will prepare them for lifelong learning, and, if they wish, for a career in biosciences research.
- To enable students to experience a supportive learning environment that fosters their academic and personal development.
12 Programme Outcomes
In accord with those of the University as a whole, the intended general outcomes of this programme are:
Successful students will have demonstrated a systematic understanding of key aspects of their field of study, including acquisition of coherent and detailed knowledge that is informed by the forefront of the discipline
The intended specific learning outcomes for the Programme are that a student will be able to:
Subject knowledge and core academic skills
- Demonstrate broadly based knowledge and understanding in the biochemical and cellular levels of biological organisation
- Demonstrate detailed knowledge of essential facts and theory in biochemistry
- Describe and critically evaluate aspects of current research in biochemistry with reference to reviews and research articles
- With limited guidance, deploy established techniques of analysis, practical investigation, and enquiry within the subject of biochemistry
Personal and key skills
- Communicate ideas effectively and professionally by written, oral and visual means
- Study autonomously and undertake projects with minimum guidance
- Select and properly manage information drawn from books, journals, and the internet
- Interact effectively in a group
The programme broadly conforms with the QAA Benchmark Statement for Biosciences.
Each student can expect reasonable access to all teaching staff through appointments. The School’s Student/Staff Liaison Committee enables students and staff to jointly participate in the management and review of the teaching and learning provision.
15 Admission Criteria
Candidates must satisfy the general admissions requirements of the University and of the School of Biosciences. Offers are made on the basis of the UCAS form; interviews are usually only for mature and non-AL applicants. The School offers an Open Day for interested applicants.
The entrance requirements are agreed by the School of Biosciences Learning and Teaching Committee. Briefly, Biochemistry programmes require Biology and Chemistry at GCE AL, or at Higher Level in the IB. Complete and up-to-date information on entry requirements for Biosciences is found on the University of Exeter Undergraduate Study web site [http://biosciences.exeter.ac.uk/undergraduate/]. For further information about the “typical offer” please refer to the University of Exeter Undergraduate Applications web site [www.exeter.ac.uk/undergraduate/applications/offer.php].
The School will consider sensitively and sympathetically any application from disabled or widening participation applicants. All teaching and examination materials (including the University of Exeter virtual learning environment ELE) will be prepared according current university guidelines to facilitate accessibility.
16 Regulation of Assessment and Academic Standards
Each academic programme in the University is subject to an agreed School assessment marking strategy, underpinned by institution-wide assessment procedures. The security of assessment and academic standards is further supported through the external examiners appointed for each programme. Their responsibilities are described in the University's code for external examiners and include access to draft papers, course work and examination scripts. Attendance at the Board of Examiners and the provision of an annual report are both required. Clear procedures are also in place for the monitoring of these annual reports at both School and University level. See the University's TQA Manual for details of these processes (http://www.ex.ac.uk/admin/academic/tls/tqa/).
The School of Biosciences undertakes annual review of all its programmes and modules. Assessment procedures and marking criteria are available for all students on the School's website/fileserver: students are referred to these resources in the student handbook.
17 Indicators of Quality and Standards The University and its constituent Schools draw on a range of data in their regular review of the quality of provision. The annual produced Performance Indicator Dataset details admission, progression, completion and first career destination data, including comparisons over a five-year time-span.
The Department of Biological Sciences was subject to QAA Subject Review in 2000, when the provision was rated as excellent (22 out of 24 points).
18 Methods for Evaluating and Improving Quality and Standards The University has procedures in place for the regular review of its educational provision, including the annual review of both modules and programmes which draw on feedback from such sources as external examiners' reports, student evaluation, student achievement and progression data. In addition, subject areas are reviewed every three years through a Periodic Subject Review. These procedures are recorded in codes of practice contained in the TQA Manual.
The School's Education Committee meets at least once per term and reports to the School Meeting. The Student/Staff Liaison committee meets termly and reports to the School’s Education Committee. Student evaluation of modules is collected and considered by these committees.
Certain programmes are also subject to review and/or accreditation by professional and statutory bodies, while nearly all subject areas are reviewed from time to time by the national Quality Assurance Agency for HE; see the QAA web site for review reports on subjects at Exeter.
