Texas Southmost College
BIOL 2120.M01: Microbiology Lab for Non-Science Majors
Instructor Name: Babajide Ajanaku
Phone: 956-295-3749
Email: Babajide.ajanaku@tsc.edu
I will respond to you email within a 24 hours
period, except the weekends.
Office Hours: Required
MTWTHF: -12:00-1:00 pm
Semester: Spring 2022
Office Location: SET: B-Rm. 2.322
Course Description
This course covers basics of culture and identification of bacteria and microbial ecology. This course is
primarily directed at pre-nursing and other pre-allied health majors and covers basics of microbiology,
infectious diseases, and public health.
Course Prerequisites
Prerequisite: TSI met in reading, writing and math or ELAR and math or equivalent. Corequisite: BIOL 2320. Lab
4, Cr 1
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, students will:
1. Use and comply with laboratory safety rules, procedures, and universal precautions.
2. Demonstrate proficient use of a compound light microscope.
3. Describe and prepare widely used stains and wet mounts, and discuss their significance in identification of
microorganisms.
4. Perform basic microbiology procedures using aseptic techniques for transfer, isolation and observation of
commonly encountered, clinically significant bacteria.
5. Use different types of bacterial culture media to grow, isolate, and identify microorganisms.
6. Perform basic bacterial identification procedures using biochemical tests.
7. Estimate the number of microorganisms in a sample using methods such as direct counts, viable plate
counts, or spectrophotometric measurements.
8. Demonstrate basic identification protocols based on microscopic morphology of some common fungi and
parasites.
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THECB Core Curriculum
Through the core curriculum, students will gain a foundation of knowledge of human cultures and the physical
and natural world; develop principles of personal and social responsibility for living in a diverse world; and
advance intellectual and practical skills that are essential for all learning.
THECB Core Objectives: (List of objectives required for this course)

Critical Thinking Skills (CT) – to include creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, and analysis, evaluation
and synthesis of information
 Communication Skills (COM) – to include effective development, interpretation and expression of
ideas through written, oral and visual communication
 Empirical and Quantitative Skills (EQS) – manipulation and analysis of numerical data or observable
facts resulting in informed conclusions
 Teamwork (TW) – to include the ability to consider different points of view and to work effectively
with others to support a shared purpose or goal
NOTE: This course is not a Core Science Course; however, the usual science core objectives, listed above, will
be assessed.
All required Core Objectives will be assessed for all courses offered as part of the Core Curriculum; optional
Core Objectives may be assessed at faculty discretion, and will be considered in program-level reviews of
institutional effectiveness relating to the delivery of instruction.
Learning Outcome and Curriculum Map
Semester
Project
(Signature
Assignment)
Quizzes
Assignments
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
EQS, SLO 7
X
X
X
X
X
TW
X
Learning Outcome and Core Objective
CT, SLOs 1, 5, 6, 8
COM, SLOs 2, 3, 7
Mid-Term
Exam
Final Exam
X (some)
Course Materials
Text: Microbiology –Laboratory Theory & Application Brief Third Edition By Michael J. Laboffe and Burton E
Pierce. Morton-pub.com ISBN 10:1-61731-4773, ISBN 978-1-61731-477-3
Course Components

Attendance and Participation (required)
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


Quizzes and/or Assignments (in-class and online)
Mid-term Exam
Final Exam
Course Grading
Grading Scheme
Activity Types
Quizzes & Assignments
Midterm Exam
Signature Assignment
Final Exam
Point Values
20%
30%
20%
30%
Total: 100%
Grading Conversion Table
Letter Grade
A
B
C
D
F
Grade Point
4.0
3.0
2.0
1.0
.0
Percentage
90-100
80-89
70-79
60-69
0-59
Numerical Value
4
3
2
1
0
Operational Value
Exemplary
Proficient
Developing
Beginning
Not Evident
Numerical and operational values apply to assessment of signature assignments only.
1. Criteria will reflect alignment of Student Learning Outcomes and Core Objectives.
2. Numerical rating is 0-4.
Course Calendar
Days
Week 1
Week 2
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Learning Objectives &
Topics
Introduction: Lab
Orientation, Student Safety
Contract, Scientific
Investigation/Exercise #2-1:
Ubiquity of Microorganisms
Exercises #3-1, 3-3:
Introduction to the Light
Microscope, Microscopic
Examination of Eukaryotic
Microbes
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Work & Due Dates
Lab Safety Quiz
Homework Questions
Due on Canvas before
Next Class Meeting
Pre-Lab Quiz
Due on Canvas before
Next Class Meeting
Readings & Resources
(Pages in lab book)
N/A/
(61-66)
(143-152, 159-172)
In Class Assignment
Due at end of Class
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Week 3
Exercises #1-4 – 1-6:
Common Aseptic Transfers
and Inoculation Methods,
Streak Plate Methods,
Spread Plate
Methods/Exercises# 2-2 –
2-4: Colony Morphology,
Growth Patterns on Slants,
Growth Patterns in Broth
Week 4
Exercises #3-4 – 3-5:
Preparation of Smears &
Simple Stains/Negative
Stains
Week 5
Exercise #3-6: Gram Stain
Exercise #3-7: Acid-Fast
Stains
Week 6
Exercises #3-8 – 3-11:
Capsule Stain, Endospore
Stain, Bacterial Motility:
Wet Mount, Bacterial
Motility: Flagella
Week 7
Midterm Exam/Exercises
#4-3 – 4-5: Mannitol Salt
Agar, MacConkey Agar,
Eosin Methylene Blue Agar
Week 8
Exercise #8-2: Bacterial
Transformation: The
pGLO™ System
Week 9
Week 10
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Exercise #2-13:
Effectiveness of Chemical
Germicides/Discuss
Identification of Unknowns
Project
Exercise #2-12: The Effect
of Ultraviolet Radiation on
Microbial Growth/Exercise
#3-12: Begin Identification
of Unknowns Project Part I
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Pre-Lab Quiz
Due on Canvas before
Next Class Meeting
In Class Assignment
Due at end of Class
(31-58)/
(67-86)
Pre-Lab Quiz
Due on Canvas before
Next Class Meeting
(173-182)/
(183-186)
In Class Assignment
Due at end of Class
Pre-Lab Quiz
Due on Canvas before
Next Class Meeting
(187-194)/
(195-200)
In Class Assignment
Due at end of Class
Pre-Lab Quiz
Due on Canvas before
Next Class Meeting
In Class Assignment
Due at end of Class
Pre-Lab Quiz
Due on Canvas before
Next Class Meeting
In Class Assignment
Due at end of Class
Pre-Lab Quiz
Due on Canvas before
Next Class Meeting
(201-220)
N/A/(227-228, 241-260)
Bio-Rad Kit
In Class Assignment
Due at end of Class
Pre-Lab Quiz
Due on Canvas before
Next Class Meeting
(135-140)/
N/A
In Class Assignment
Due at end of Class
Pre-Lab Quiz
Due on Canvas before
Next Class Meeting
(131-134)/
(221-226)
In Class Assignment
Due at end of Class
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Week 11
Exercise #7-2:
Antimicrobial Susceptibility
Test/Exercise #3-12:
Continue Identification of
Unknowns Project Part I
Week 12
Exercise #3-12: Complete
Identification of Unknowns
Project Part I/Exercise #9-5:
Begin Identification of
Unknowns Project Part II
(EnteroPluri-Test)
Week 13
Exercise #9-5: Continue
Identification of Unknowns
Project Part II
Week 14
Exercise #9-5: Finish
Identification of Unknowns
Project
Week 15
Identification of Unknowns
Project Presentations/
Review for Final Exam
Week 16
Final Exam
(Comprehensive)
Pre-Lab Quiz
Due on Canvas before
Next Class Meeting
(447-454)/
(221-226)
In Class Assignment
Due at end of Class
Pre-Lab Quiz
Due on Canvas before
Next Class Meeting
(221-226)/
(581-588)
In Class Assignment
Due at end of Class
Pre-Lab Quiz
Due on Canvas before
Next Class Meeting
(581-588)/
In Class Assignment
Due at end of Class
Pre-Lab Quiz
Due on Canvas before
Next Class Meeting
(581-588)/
In Class Assignment
Due at end of Class
Pre-Lab Quiz
Due on Canvas before
Next Class Meeting
In Class Assignment
Due at end of Class
In Class Exam, including
practical questions
N/A
Student Created Topic Review
Available on Canvas
Assignments (30%)
Quizzes and Assignments: These activities include pre-lecture quizzes. In addition, students will have
homework questions and/or a case study to help them review the material.
Quizzes (0%)
Part of Assignments. See above
Signature Assignment (20%)
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The signature assignment for this course is an in-depth exploration of the scientific method in which student
teams design and carry out an experiment. The assignment is scaffolded by the assignments described above
and the final product is a lab report or scientific-style poster and a reflection that each student turns in
individually. This is a team work based on one of the experiments performed in the Lab. Please follow this
Template. Introduction, Hypothesis, Raw materials, Data Collection, Data Analysis and conclusion.
Mid-Term Exam (25%)
Final Exam (25%)
This exam is given during finals week and covers the content from whole semester. It will include different
styles of questions, such as multiple choice, multiple answer, short answer, and critical thinking.
Library Services
Texas Southmost College Library Services are now available in SET-B 1.536. Our librarian, Mrs. Nancy Bond,
will help you navigate through our vast digital library, which includes more than:
 450,000 e-books
 200 databases, including full-text of more than 90,000 e-journals
 1,000 online periodical titles
Our library services also include access to computers so you can search through the digital library, research
your study topics, and complete your homework in a quiet space. For more information, please call Mrs. Bond
at (956) 295-3452 or go to tsc.edu/library to visit our digital library.
At the UTRGV Library, TSC students continue to have access to the following:
 More than 538,371 circulating books
 9,824 audio/visual items, including CDs, DVDs, and LPs
 An estimated one million items in the archives and special collections
 More than 1,000 individually purchased periodical titles in print, microfilm, and online
 Study space on every floor and rooms that can be reserved for group projects
Please bring your TSC ID if you want to check out library materials from or use other resources at the UTRGV
Library. For more information on UTRGV library services, call (956) 882-8221.
Student Help
Assistance with Course Content
Student help is available directly from your instructor via email, telephone, video conferencing and in person
by appointment. Your instructor has scheduled office hours and can also meet with you at other mutually
convenient times to help you understand course content.
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Please begin all emails to your instructor with the course and section number "ENGL-1301.M01" in the subject
line and include your first and last names at the end of all messages.
Assistance with Canvas
For 24/7 support for Canvas Learning Management System (LMS), please call
the Canvas Support Hotline (+1-844-880-9810) or use the Chat with Canvas
Support feature located on the Canvas help menu to submit a ticket.
For technical (non-Canvas) issues, please contact the HELP DESK at (956)
295-3800 or email helpdesk@tsc.edu. Help desk staff are available MondayThursday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and on Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00
p.m.
General Course Requirements/Instructor’s Expectations
1. Be punctual. The learning environment must be conducive to learning for all students. Tardiness is
distracting and disruptive to your fellow classmates as well as the instructor. If you miss quizzes or class
assignments due to tardiness, you may not be able to make up the missed grade. You may visit with
fellow classmates to acquire notes of information missed or make an appointment with the instructor
for further direction.
2. Avoid absences. Be absent ONLY when absolutely necessary. Your best chance to do well in this class is
to attend every class meeting.
3. Be diligent. In order to be prepared for class, you are expected to complete the weekly readings and
assignments by the due date. You are also expected to actively participate with the learning content
using the Canvas platform. You can access your course site at:
https://texassouthmostcollege.instructure.com.
Regular and punctual class attendance is essential and no assigned work is excused because of an
absence, no matter what the cause. Records of class attendance and participation are kept by faculty.
When an accumulation of absences reaches the point of endangering your academic status, the faculty
member can report this situation to the Early Alert and Intervention team.
4. Plan ahead for quizzes. Make-up quizzes may be allowed at the discretion of the instructor. A grade of
a zero will be recorded for every quiz missed. Quizzes are to be taken in class when provided or in
Canvas when scheduled. Depending on instructions, quizzes may be taken without notes or textbooks
so follow instructions carefully. Canvas will automatically stop the quiz or examination when the
allotted time has been reached; therefore, be vigilant of your testing time.
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5. Plan ahead for exams. Make-up exams may be allowed at the discretion of the instructor. Canvas will
automatically stop the examination when the allotted time has been reached; therefore, be vigilant of
your testing time.
6. Submit assignments on-time. Late work of any kind may be accepted at the discretion of the
instructor.
7. Extra Credit. Extra credit may be awarded at the discretion of the instructor. The instructor will
determine the means by which extra credit can be redeemed if appropriate.
8. Silence your mobile devices. Cell phones are required to be “turned off” or set on a silent/vibrate
mode during class. Under no circumstances will any student be allowed to carry on a telephone
conversation or text during the class session. In case of emergencies, please leave the room as quietly
and courteously as possible.
9. Maintain a clean learning environment. You may keep food and drinks at their desks; however, you
must ensure the area is clean before leaving for the day. In lab environments, food and drinks are not
permitted around lab equipment.
10. Demonstrate respect in the physical and virtual classroom. Each student is expected to demonstrate
respect for the instructor, fellow classmates, and external learning experience site personnel (if
applicable).
College Policies
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
Federal regulations require all students applying for financial assistance to maintain Satisfactory Academic
Progress in order to receive aid. The progress standards that you are required to meet in order to maintain
financial aid eligibility are:

Grade Point Average. This qualitative measure requires undergraduate students working towards a
certificate or an associate degree to maintain a minimum cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of
2.000. This includes grades earned for developmental, dual enrollment, and/or transfer coursework;

Completion Rate. This quantitative measure requires undergraduate students maintain a cumulative
completion rate of 67% of the attempted coursework (including developmental, dual enrollment,
and/or transfer hours accepted by TSC). This percentage is determined by dividing the number of
hours completed by the total number of hours attempted. Attempted hours are the total number of
hours completed plus hours of “W”, “I”, “F” (as well as repeated coursework); and

Timeframe to Complete Academic Program. This measure limits the number of credit hours
attempted in the pursuit of an undergraduate certificate or a degree. The maximum attempted
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hours are 150% of the credits required to complete the students’ program of study. For the purposes
of obtaining an associate degree at TSC requiring 60 credit hours, the maximum is typically 90 credit
hours, including developmental, dual enrollment, and/or transfer coursework. Students
contemplating degree plan changes should consider the ability to complete a new plan with the
maximum allowable limits.
Compliance with SAP must be met in order for a student to retain their financial aid eligibility. Students are
advised to check their status through their TSC Online account.
“Incomplete” Grades
At the discretion of the instructor, a conditional grade of “I” may be issued to a student who has a
passing average on all completed coursework, but for a justified reason, such as illness or death in the
family, has been prevented from taking the final examination or completing other required coursework. The
“I” becomes an “F” following the completion of the next long (fall or spring) semester, unless the student
completes the balance of the coursework with a performance grade of “D” or higher. Re-enrollment in the
course will not change the incomplete status.
Academic Integrity
Students are expected to be above reproach in all scholastic activities. Students who engage in scholastic
dishonesty are subject to disciplinary penalties, including the possibility of failure in the course and
expulsion from the College. Scholastic dishonesty includes but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism,
collusion, and submission for credit of any work or materials that are attributable in whole or in part to
another person, taking an examination for another person, any act designed to give unfair advantage to a
student, or the attempt to commit such acts. Since scholastic dishonesty harms the individual, all students,
and the integrity of the College, policies on scholastic dishonesty will be strictly enforced.
All scholastic dishonesty incidents will be reported to the Vice President of Student Services. Do not allow
your peers to pressure you to cheat. Your grade, academic standing, and personal reputation are at stake.
Some components of this course are designed to be highly interactive with students helping each other
learn; however, all written assignments are designed to represent the efforts of each student individually
and not to be shared. When students submit their efforts for grading, they are attesting that they have
abided by this rule.
Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, the use of, by paraphrase or direct quotation without correct
citation in the text and on the reference list, the published or unpublished works of another person.
Students may not submit papers and assignments that they have previously submitted for this or other
courses. The use of materials generated by agencies engaged in "selling" term papers is also plagiarism.
Students are encouraged to review the tutorials and suggested websites for more information about
plagiarism. Papers and other assignments may be submitted to an external agency for verification of
originality and authenticity.
Adhere to copyright regulations
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Unauthorized photocopying of copyrighted works, including musical works, may be unlawful and may
infringe the copyright of the copyright owner. Students in possession of unauthorized duplications of
copyrighted material are subject to appropriate disciplinary action as well as those civil remedies and
criminal penalties provided by federal law.
Student Initiated Withdrawals
Students are encouraged to meet with a faculty member or advisor before they withdraw from a course. A
withdrawal will result in a “W” on the official transcript if the withdrawal occurs after the census date and
before the deadline to withdraw from a course. A Withdrawal form must be submitted to the Office of
Admissions and Records for processing. Students are responsible for following up and confirming that
requests to withdraw from classes have been processed. It is the responsibility of the student to “withdraw”
from a course.
Emergency Academic Continuity Plan
In compliance with the TSC Emergency Academic Continuity Program, courses, partially or entirely, will be
made available on the Canvas Learning Management System. This allows faculty members and students to
continue teaching and learning via Canvas, in case the College shuts down as a result of a hurricane or any
other major disruption.
The college will use Canvas to post announcements notifying faculty members and students of their
responsibilities during this time. If the college is forced to shut down, faculty will notify students through
their course(s). To receive credit for a course, it is the student’s responsibility to complete all the
requirements for that course. Failure to access course materials, once reasonably possible, can result in a
reduction of your overall grade in the class.
To facilitate the completion of class, all communication between students and the institution, the instructor,
and fellow classmates will take place using students’ TSC primary email address. Students may update their
phone number, address, and secondary email address, by logging in to TSC Online (www.tsc.edu). In the
event of a disaster that disrupts normal operations, all students and faculty must make every effort to
access an internet-enabled computer as often as possible to continue the learning process.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Students with disabilities, including learning disabilities, who wish to request accommodations in this class
should notify the Disability Support Services early in the semester so that the appropriate arrangements
may be made. In accordance with federal law, a student requesting accommodations must provide
documentation of his/her disability to the Disability Services counselor.
Contact Information:
Student Accessibility Resources
Lightner Center 100 C
Office: (956) 295-3417
Fax: (956) 544-9093
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Privacy/FERPA Statement
As a student at Texas Southmost College, your education record information is protected by FERPA. The
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974 is a federal law that requires Texas Southmost
College to treat your education records in a legally specified manner.
As a student, under FERPA you have the following rights:
1. The right to inspect and review your own education records within 45 days of the day the College
receives a request for access.
2. The right to request to amend of your education records if you believe they are inaccurate or
misleading.
3. The right to limit the disclosure of personally identifiable information designated by the College as
"directory information."
4. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning an alleged failure by
the College to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the office that
administers FERPA is:
Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202
The Office of Admissions and Records maintains student records and has available the categories of
information made available as public information, and the manner in which students may request that
information about them not be released as public information. For more information contact:
Texas Southmost College
Executive Director of Enrollment and Academic Support Services
Oliveira Student Services Center
80 Fort Brown, Brownsville, Texas 78520
(956) 295-3615
Note: Course content and schedule may vary from that specified by this syllabus (and related documents), to
accommodate contingencies that may develop during the course. The instructor will explain the rationale for any
variance as it occurs.
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