BIOL455-25S1 (C) Semester One 2025

Applied and Molecular Microbiology

15 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 17 February 2025
End Date: Sunday, 22 June 2025
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Sunday, 2 March 2025
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Sunday, 11 May 2025

Description

This course will help students develop as scholars and advance their research skills in areas of applied and molecular microbiology. With microbes being ubiquitous and ever more important to commerce, the course will offer opportunities to explore cultural and social perceptions of appropriate use of microbiological science. The course focuses on the critical evaluation of scientific evidence.

This course emphasises the study and use of microbes in multiple contexts, including for industrial microbiology, medicine, environment and genomics. The course can cover all kinds of microbes both cellular and viral.

This course covers aspects of applied and molecular microbiology, spanning the field of industrial microbiology to biosafety. Students are encouraged to develop interests in the philosophy of discovery, microbial biotechnology, modern molecular tools to identify diversity, microbial genetics and biosafety.

You will need to come prepared by reading assigned material in advance. Students are expected to be able to answer questions when called upon in class during discussions of this material. As a rule of thumb, set aside about 4-5 hours of self-study for every class hour (not including remedial review if it is required) and at least half of your preparation is before the seminar.

Learning Outcomes

Hua Akoranga (Intended Learning Outcomes) and Aromatawai (Associated Assessment)
As a student in this course, I will:
Learning Outcome Number 1 (LO1)
Demonstrate a sophisticated understanding and evaluation of experimental design, methodology and data (assessment tasks: tests). GP1
Learning Outcome Number 2 (LO2)
A sense of how scientists use constructive feedback to improve as a community (assessment task: reflection on participation). GP1
Learning Outcome Number 3 (LO3)
A sense of the importance and limitations of scientific and technical methodology (assessment task: tests). GP1
Learning Outcome Number 4 (LO4)
The ability to access and critically assess the scientific literature and techniques in applied and molecular microbiology. (assessment task: tests). GP1
Learning Outcome Number 5 (LO5)
Engage in science and technology issues with a broader understanding of their social context (assessment task: tests). GP4

Pūkenga Ngaio / Transferable Skills Register

As a student in this course, I will develop the following skills:
Ability to manage teamwork. Most tasks require interactions with others to accomplish a task to a particular standard and on time. GP1
Greater competence in experimental approaches relevant to applied and molecular microbiology. GP1
Engage in science and technology issues with a broader understanding of their social context. GP5

Prerequisites

Subject to approval of the Head of School. RP: BIOL313, BIOL333, BCHM301/BCHM331

Restrictions

BIOL493

Recommended Preparation

BIOL313, BIOL333, BCHM301/BCHM331

Timetable 2025

Students must attend one activity from each section.

Tutorial A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Monday 09:00 - 11:00 Jack Erskine 446
24 Feb - 2 Mar
10 Mar - 16 Mar
24 Mar - 30 Mar
28 Apr - 4 May
12 May - 18 May
26 May - 1 Jun

Course Coordinator / Lecturer

Jack Heinemann

Lecturers

Heather Hendrickson and Matthew Stott

Assessment

Assessment Due Date Percentage 
In course assignment 20%
Final Test 40%
Mid course test 40%


Attendance is mandatory. Failure to attend could result in failing the course. Participation during seminars is expected. Plan to be called upon during sessions.
Where you are required to present in class, the presentations are mandatory.
Seminar participation reflection (20%).
Mid course test (30%).
Final test on selected questions from modules (50%). Format is essay or short answer.
A student must attain a score of at least 40% in each listed category of assessment, AND at least 50% overall for the course, to be awarded a passing grade. For this course, the categories are “in course assessments” and “final test”.

Collecting readings for this course is your responsibility. Wherever possible, links to readings will be provided on Learn. All course announcements will be distributed by email and/or announced on Learn or in session.
Recommended preparatory course(s)
To take this course, students will normally be expected to have had microbiology, biochemistry and molecular genetics to 200 level, and have successfully completed at least one of these courses: BIOL313, BIOL331/BCHM301, BIOL333.

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $1,213.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

For further information see School of Biological Sciences .

All BIOL455 Occurrences

  • BIOL455-25S1 (C) Semester One 2025