Postgraduate Course: Economics & Innovation in the Biotechnology Industry (BITE11003)
Course Outline
| School | School of Biological Sciences |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | Economics & Innovation in the Biotechnology Industry will place the scientific developments and techniques of biotechnology in the context of the current and future global economic landscape, and the demands of present and upcoming global challenges. The course will seek to teach students the basics of economic theory needed to explain the interactions between science and the market, and how these will change driven by pressing global challenges in the coming decades. It will also teach core skills in critical thinking, scientific writing, editing in response to feedback and assessment of written work. |
| Course description |
In this MSc course, students will learn about the scientific, economic and regulatory development of biotechnologies via examples in the pharmaceutical industry, genetic engineering, and vaccine and antibody therapeutics. They will also consider global challenges related to climate change, population increase and antimicrobial resistance, and how biotechnology can respond to them. Students will be taught by expert practitioners through lectures, discussion and skills sessions and workshops. Students will be assessed through a short, early formative writing assignment, an essay on pharmaceutical innovation, a peer-marked re-write of this essay in response to staff feedback and a final essay exploring how biotechnological approaches can be used to address future global challenges.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2024/25, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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Quota: 40 |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 10,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 20,
Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 3,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
163 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
100% in-course assessment:
40% Essay 1
10% A re-write of the Essay 1 based on academic feedback
50% Essay 2 |
| Feedback |
Individual, detailed written feedback on the formative writing assignment and essays.
Oral and written class feedback, with Q&A, on common strengths and weaknesses of the formative assignment and Essay 1.
Class feedback on the peer-marking exercise. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Think critically, and develop and assess a logical argument.
- Integrate information from different fields (science, economics, legal and IP) to assess innovation potential.
- Assess pressing global problems from the perspective of innovative biotechnological solutions.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
We aim to produce rounded biotechnology graduates skilled for research, for further education and for employment in biotech and other related industries. |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Andrew Free
Tel: (0131 6)50 5338
Email: Andrew.Free@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Ms Karen Sutherland
Tel: (0131 6)51 3404
Email: Karen.Sutherland@ed.ac.uk |
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