THE UNIVERSITY of EDINBURGH

DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2021/2022

Information in the Degree Programme Tables may still be subject to change in response to Covid-19

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : Deanery of Biomedical Sciences : Biomedical Sciences

Undergraduate Course: Biomedical Sciences 2 (BIME08007)

Course Outline
SchoolDeanery of Biomedical Sciences CollegeCollege of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 8 (Year 2 Undergraduate) AvailabilityAvailable to all students
SCQF Credits40 ECTS Credits20
SummaryThis course will support the new Biomedical Sciences programme Year 2 theme 'Foundational understanding of Biomedical Sciences' and contribute to preparing students effectively for Year 3 Junior Honours. This course will support the School's objectives of enhancing the student experience and student support.
Students taking this course will develop an understanding of core concepts in the disciplines of Physiology, Pharmacology, Reproductive Biology, Neuroscience, Infectious Diseases and Medical Biology as well as developing core competencies in scientific learning and disciplinary practice. Connections between disciplines (integrative approaches) will be emphasised and the experimental basis of scientific knowledge ('How do we know what we know') will be introduced.
This new course will also
- Place clear emphasis on formative assessment.
- Implement timely and useful feedback opportunities.
- Provide students with information and understanding required to make an informed choice of honours specialisation.
- Incorporate group meetings to improve student support and encourage the development of a Biomedical Sciences learning community.
Course description The course will be structured as follows:
- Lectures: Material to be covered will include scientific principles for each BMS discipline and will outline functions of major physiological systems, including the nervous system, reproductive system, renal, cardiovascular and respiratory systems. In semester 2, lectures will present a series of integrated topics which can be viewed in different ways in different disciplines (e.g. the neuromuscular junction from Neuroscience, Physiological & Pharmacological perspectives; reproduction from Physiological and Endocrinological perspectives and so on).

- Practical classes and statistics workshop: Stand-alone units closely integrated with the lecture materials and designed to enhance students' understanding of the experimental basis of scientific knowledge and introduce them to data analysis and interpretation.

- Tutorials: Interactive sessions aimed to support the development of generic academic skills such as researching a topic, writing an essay, using feedback efficiently and critical thinking. Students will also be introduced to reading contemporary scientific literature.

- Essay feedback sessions: Small group sessions with the marker of the student's submitted essay. Opportunities for students to understand and discuss the marker's expectations and to appraise their work in a small group context.

- Review quizzes: Automated online weekly quizzes. Students will be encouraged to answer a short series of questions (on Learn). By receiving automated feedback on their answers, students will have timely opportunities to check their understanding of the lecture materials.

- 'Choosing your Honours programme' sessions during Innovative learning week: Opportunity for students to learn about and discuss Honours programmes with Honours programmes representatives and current Honours students.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites It is RECOMMENDED that students have passed Molecules, Genes and Cells 1 (BILG08015) AND Medical Biology 1 (BIME08004)
Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Students MUST NOT also be taking Chemical Pharmacology 2 (BIME08002)
Other requirements Where a student has taken Chemical Pharmacology 2 and then transfers to Biomedical Sciences or Biomedical Sciences with management then he/she must take BMS2 before taking Pharmacology 3. In this situation the student cannot count both Chemical Pharmacology 2 and BMS2 towards graduation.
Additional Costs None
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesNone
High Demand Course? Yes
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2021/22, Available to all students (SV1) Quota:  265
Course Start Full Year
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 400 ( Lecture Hours 60, Seminar/Tutorial Hours 8, Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 18, Feedback/Feedforward Hours 2, Summative Assessment Hours 1, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 8, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 303 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 50 %, Coursework 30 %, Practical Exam 20 %
Additional Information (Assessment) Assessment will be split between ICA (50% - [30% Essay and 20% Practical Test]) and an end of year exam (50%).
Feedback You will receive written feedback within 15 working days of the hand-in date for all ICA components submitted by the deadline. You will also have the opportunity to discuss your feedback through compulsory Meet your marker session.
Exam Information
Exam Diet Paper Name Hours & Minutes
Main Exam Diet S2 (April/May)2:00
Resit Exam Diet (August)2:00
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. A sound factual base for the study of Biomedical Sciences disciplines, including core concepts and important scientific principles.
  2. A clear understanding of the interdisciplinary nature of Biomedical Sciences.
  3. Competence in effective literature searching and written communication. Students will be introduced to reading contemporary scientific literature.
  4. Basic practical skills required for research in biomedical sciences, including data analysis and interpretation.
  5. Sufficient understanding of the Biomedical Sciences disciplines to enable them to make a fully informed choice of honours specialisation.
Reading List
¿ ¿Berne & Levy, Principles of Physiology¿ 4th Edn. 2005 by Levy, Koeppen Stanton. Published by Elsevier Mosby. ISBN 0323031951.
¿ ¿Neuroscience¿ 5th Edn. 2012 by D. Purves et al.,. Published by Sinauer Associates INC. ISBN 9780878939671.
¿ ¿Essential Reproduction¿ 2013 by M.H. Johnston. Published by Wiley-Blackwell. ISBN 978-1-4443-3575-0. Also available as eBook (ISBN 978-1-118-42387-5).
¿ ¿Rang and Dale¿s Pharmacology¿ 7th Edn. 2011 by Rang, Dale, Ritter, Flower & Henderson. Published by Elservier Health Sciences Churchill Livingstone. ISBN 0702034711.
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Not entered
KeywordsBMS2
Contacts
Course organiserDr Jane Taylor
Tel: (0131 6)50 3032
Email: Jane.Taylor@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMiss Rachel Allan
Tel: (0131 6)51 1514
Email: Rachel.Allan@ed.ac.uk
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