Postgraduate Course: Social Dimensions of Systems and Synthetic Biology (RCSS11001)
Course Outline
| School |
School of Social and Political Science |
College |
College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Course type |
Standard |
Availability |
Available to all students |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) |
SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Credits |
20 |
| Home subject area |
RCSS |
Other subject area |
None |
| Course website |
None |
|
|
| Course description |
Funding bodies are increasingly demanding that scientists consider the potential impact of their research, field media enquiries, take part in public engagement activities, work through patenting and regulatory issues connected to their research, and participate in interdisciplinary teams. This course will provide time and space to examine some of the philosophical, legal, ethical and social issues surrounding the new and growing disciplines of systems and synthetic biology. Scientists and engineers on the course should gain a broad understanding of key theories and methods in science & technology studies (STS) as applied to their own research interests, and should develop the skills and confidence to contribute productively to broader discussions of their research. Social scientists on the course will have the opportunity to explore two new areas of scientific enquiry in depth, and to apply theory and methods from their disciplinary training to the analysis of these fields. |
Entry Requirements
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites |
|
| Prohibited Combinations |
|
Other requirements |
None
|
| Additional Costs |
None |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Delivery period: 2010/11 Semester 2, Available to all students (SV1)
|
WebCT enabled: No |
Quota: None |
| Location |
Activity |
Description |
Weeks |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
| No Classes have been defined for this Course |
| First Class |
First class information not currently available |
Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course students will have demonstrated through written work, oral presentations and other contributions in class, that they:
&· Have substantive knowledge and critical understanding of the broad social and political context surrounding developments in the life sciences, and of the diversity of issues and approaches covered by the $łethical, social and legal issues&© (ELSI) heading.
&· Can identify and characterise the key methods, approaches and theories from science and technology studies as they apply to the study of systems and synthetic biology.
&· Can critically evaluate the main ethical, legal and social issues arising from systems and synthetic biology, and the contributions to academic and public debates on these issues.
&· Have developed their skills in finding and using the resources available (theories, methods, techniques, sources of information, etc.) for pursuing these issues in their future work.
&· Can apply these understandings and skills, and deploy these approaches, concepts and techniques in written assignments and seminar presentations.
|
Assessment Information
This course will be assessed through a number of short assignments designed to test and develop the students&© presentation skills, critical analysis, and familiarity with social science methodologies.
&· Each student will be required to give a 15 minute tutorial presentation addressing the key readings on a particular topic (25%). Students will choose a topic at the start of the semester based on a list that will be provided. The convenors will mark the presentations on the basis of 6 criteria (delivery, research, content, argument, discussion and submission), but they will take into account peer review marks on 3 of the criteria (delivery, argument, and discussion), where the mark will be a mean of the audience's mark and the convenors&©. Standardized mark sheets have been designed. All presenters will be required to make copies of their slides and bibliography available on the course WebCT site.
&· All students will be required to produce a short reflective review (1000 words) of a relevant book or an academic seminar/lecture (25%), to be submitted about half-way through the course. A list of possible books and seminars will be provided, but students are free to choose their own topic if approved by the course organiser(s) beforehand.
For the remaining 50% of the evaluation, students will choose one of the following options:
&· A 2000-word essay (50%), to be submitted at the end of the course. A list of essay titles will be suggested, but students are free to use their own titles if they clear these with the course organiser(s) beforehand.
&· Two short written assignments (1000 words each) oriented around social science methodologies (25% each), to be submitted after the end of the course. Instructions for the assignments will be provided.
|
| Please see Visiting Student Prospectus website for Visiting Student Assessment information |
Special Arrangements
| Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser |
Dr Jane Calvert
Tel:
Email: jane.calvert@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary |
Miss Madina Howard
Tel:
Email: Madina.Howard@ed.ac.uk |
|
copyright 2010 The University of Edinburgh -
1 September 2010 6:37 am
|
University Homepage