Passaic County Community College
BS-203 – Microbiology - Course Syllabus
Fall 2007
I. Course Code: BS-203
II. Course Title: Microbiology
III. Prerequisites: College-level Biology or Chemistry or Physical Science course
IV. Number of Credits:
4 Credits total: 3 credits lecture, 1 credit laboratory
V. Instructor’s Information:
Prof. Anne LaGrange Loving
e-mail: aloving@pccc.edu
Office hours: will be announced on the first day of class
Office location: A-321-A
Telephone number: 973-684-6093
VI. Catalog Description:
Studies the characteristics of microorganisms including morphology, metabolism,
genetics, cultivation, effects on human life and the environment. Clinical aspects as
well as emerging topics such as food poisoning outbreaks, antimicrobial resistance,
genetic engineering and bioterrorism are included. Laboratory sessions cover basic
procedures culminating in the identification of unknown bacterial samples.
3 hours lecture; 3 hours laboratory.
Prerequisites: CH-103 or equivalent; BS 101 and BS 102 or BS 103 and BS 104.
NOTE: This is not an introductory course. Students entering this course are
expected to be able to understand and apply knowledge in the following areas,
gained from previous courses: chemistry, genetics, cell biology, organic molecules,
and cell physiology. Students who are weak may need outside help and/or
supplementary materials.
VII. Course Objectives:
Upon successful completion of BS-203 the student should be able to:
1. perform basic Microbiology laboratory techniques including use of a brightfield
microscope, inoculation, subculturing, staining, and interpretation of biochemical
reactions.
This will be assessed using the Microbiology Laboratory Competencies Checklist as well as
written and/or practical laboratory quizzes.
2. identify a bacterium to the genus and species level using a systematic, sequential
series of laboratory identification methodologies.
This will be assessed using “unknown” bacterial cultures.
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3. research a current topic in Microbiology using the Internet, and write a 3-5 page
typed paper based on these findings.
This will be assessed by the quality of the research paper.
4. understand the basic concepts of Microbiology including bacterial metabolism
and genetics, disease processes, and antimicrobial action.
This will be assessed using embedded questions in the lecture exams and the cumulative final
exam.
5. analyze and identify descriptive information about the microscopic, metabolic,
and disease-producing activities of a microbe.
This will be assessed using embedded questions in the lecture exams and the cumulative final
exam.
VIII. Course Outline - Schedule for lectures and laboratories:
Note: This class has two 75-minute lectures per week as well as two 75-minute laboratory
sessions. Lectures will be on Tuesday and Thursday from 10:20-11:35 AM. Laboratory
section 01 meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:55-10:10 AM, after which the lecture
takes place. Laboratory section 02 meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:45-1:00 PM,
immediately following lecture. Classes begin at the College on Thursday September 6th,
which will be the first day of Microbiology.
LECTURE TOPICS SCHEDULE
Topic
General Introduction to Microbiology
Prokaryotes ~ Eukaryotes
Microscopic Visualization of Bacteria
In vitro cultivation of bacteria
Sterilization and Disinfection
Bacterial Metabolism – How they eat
How they reproduce
How they metabolize
Microbial genetics
Classification of microorganisms
Viruses
Principles of disease and epidemiology
Immune defenses – Immunology testing
Antimicrobial drugs ~ susceptibility testing
Bacterial pathogens ~ diseases
Parasitic pathogens
Fungal Pathogens
Pages
NOTE: These are reference pages. Students are
not responsible for ALL of the information
contained in these pages.
p. 1-26
p. 76-111
p. 51-75
p. 160-166
p. 328-351
p. 142-158
p. 182-188
p. 172-182, p. 188-199, p. 204-227
p. 232-244, 252-258
p. 244-245, 264-296
p. 385-442
p. 446-544
p. 352-380
p. 547-742
NOTE: the lecture
approach to these
p. 300-308
three sections will be
p. 314-321
organized by
p. 308-314
microorganisms, not
by organ systems.
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SCHEDULE OF LABORATORIES
Week Laboratory
Dates
Number/s
1
September 6
2
1
Sept. 11 & 13
3
11, 12, 7
Sept 18 & 20
4
5
6
15
16, 14, 18
10, 40
Sept. 25 & 27
Oct. 2 & 4
Oct. 9 & 11
7
Not in Lab
Book
35, 37
61
Oct. 16 & 18
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
61, cont.
41
42, 43
Not in Lab
Book
Not in Lab
Book
46
Oct. 23 & 25
Oct. 30 &
Nov. 1
Nov. 6 & 8
Nov. 13 & 15
Nov. 20
Laboratory Topic/s*
Introduction to the laboratory
Microscopy
Ubiquity of Bacteria, Smear Preparation, and Simple
Staining
Gram Stain
Capsular Stain, Spore Stain, Motility Determination
Pure Culture Techniques – streaking and pour plates,
Cultural Characteristics
Analysis of Food
Evaluation of disinfectants
Water Testing (Modified using single strength lactose only)
Continuation of Ex. 61,
Physiological Characteristics
Physiological Characteristics
Start the Unknowns
(Thanksgiving week)
Nov. 27 & 29
Continue the Unknowns
Dec. 4 & 6
Set up Enterotubes ®, Exercise 46
Work on determining results
Submit Unknown Reports
Dec. 11 & 13
* These laboratory topics correspond with the required laboratory manual, Benson’s
Microbiological Applications, 10th Edition.
IX. Text and Required Materials:
Lecture Text: Microbiology Principles and Explorations, 6th Edition, J.G. Black.
John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2005
Laboratory Manual: Benson’s Microbiological Applications – Laboratory Manual in
General Microbiology, Complete Version, 10th Edition, A.E. Brown. McGraw-Hill.
2007. Homework will be assigned from the lab manual.
Laboratory Coat – It is very important that each student has a lab coat to wear
during the laboratory sessions. Stains can splash and ruin clothing. Live bacterial
cultures could possibly contaminate clothing. Lab coats can be purchased in a
department store or in a uniform store. Alternatively, a student will be permitted to
wear an old shirt that fits over clothing, as long as the sleeves are not too long or too
loose.
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Sharpie Permanent Marker – bring to each lab
X. Methods of Evaluation and Course Policies:
a) Breakdown of Grading
TOTAL
Lecture Tests
Paper
Laboratory Quizzes
Unknown Identification
Comprehensive Final Examination
50%
8%
12%
5%
25%
Grade Scale:
A
AB+
>92
90-92
88-89
B
BC+
83-87
80-82
78-79
C
D
F
70-77
60-69
< 60
b) Exams
There will be four or five lecture exams during the semester. Each will be
announced one week in advance. Each will include specified material from lecture.
The lowest grade will be dropped from the average of any student who takes all
lecture exams. The average of the remaining best scores will be worth 50% of the
overall course grade. If a student misses a lecture exam for any reason, this exam
will become the “dropped” grade, and no other lecture exam grade will be dropped.
If a student misses more than one lecture exam, the second one missed becomes a
“0” (zero) and is averaged in as such. There are absolutely no makeup exams given
in this course. In addition, a student who arrives late for a lecture exam may not be
admitted and will therefore not have the opportunity to take that exam. When an
exam is being administered, all book bags, back packs, cell phones, pocket books and
other personal belongings must be left in the front of the classroom. Cell phones
must be turned off. All that a student should bring to his chair are a pen and a
pencil.
c) Attendance
Students are expected to attend ALL lectures and ALL laboratory sessions.
In addition, punctuality is required. If students do not respect my request
for punctuality, I will start closing the classroom or laboratory door after
class begins, and no one else will be admitted. Repeated absences (in excess
of three) may result in the loss of 5 points (5) from the final grade average.
d) Paper
There will be one research paper as part of the course responsibility. The
assignment will be clearly defined on the first day of class, and the due date
will be announced. Papers will never be accepted late. The grade for this
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written assignment will count as 8% of the overall course grade. This grade
will not be dropped.
e) Laboratory
Altogether, the laboratory is worth 17% of the course grade. This includes
laboratory quizzes (12%), and the identification of an unknown (5%).
Students are expected to make maximal use of lab time. This is the only
opportunity for “hands on” experiences, which will be vital for learning the
material presented in the course. The Microbiology laboratory is filled with
potential hazards, so sloppy or inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated.
A student who does not adhere to safety guidelines in the laboratory may be
dismissed, with no opportunity to make up the missed material.
Sometimes students will be asked to bring items from home for analysis in
the laboratory, such as foods, disinfectants, and water. These needs will be
announced a week in advance. Cooperation is essential in order for these
particular laboratories to run properly.
There will be several laboratory quizzes during the semester. Each will be
scheduled one week in advance. The lowest quiz grade will be dropped from
the average of a student who takes all of the quizzes. The remaining quiz
grades will be averaged and will equal 12% of the overall course grade. There
will be no makeups for laboratory quizzes.
Identification of unknowns is another component of the laboratory portion
of this course. This will be equal to 5% of the overall course grade.
There will not be a laboratory final exam.
f) Comprehensive Final Examination
There will be a final comprehensive examination during the last week of
classes. It will cover all of the material from the semester, and will be worth
25% of the overall course grade. This exam must be taken when scheduled,
and this grade will not be dropped. The Final Exam will be on the 20th of
December. Please do not plan to travel away from Paterson before
December 20th.
g) Cheating
Cheating will absolutely not be tolerated in this class. Every student will
have to sign a disclaimer stating that s/he has not cheated, each time there is
a lecture or laboratory examination. A student who is caught cheating will
get an automatic “0” on that exam, and may be dismissed from the course.
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XI. Preparation for Class:
The schedule for lectures and laboratories is provided in this document. Students
are expected to prepare for class by reading the material in advance. The only way to
successfully absorb the material covered in this semester is to prepare for every
lecture and laboratory session, and to attend every lecture and laboratory session.
XII. Disabilities:
If you have a disability and believe you need accommodations in my classroom,
please see your counselor, in the Counseling Department. If you require testing
accommodations, you must notify me one week in advance of the test.
XIII. Cellular Phones:
Please turn your cell phone off before you come to class. Even “vibrating” phones
are extraordinarily distracting, especially when followed by a hurried exit from the
class by someone who “has to” take an “urgent call.” I don’t even bring my phone
with me. Thank you for respecting this.
XIV. Children:
Children will not be permitted to come to class or laboratory sessions. Material
discussed during lecture may be inappropriate for children, children may cause a
distraction during an exam, and laboratories are completely unsafe for children.
XV. Portal:
Assignments, outlines, the course syllabus, and other information for this course are posted
on the portal. The information is accessed by following these simple directions:
1. go to the PCCC homepage: http://www.pccc.edu
2. click on “my PCCC account” at the bottom of the page
3. click on “log in”
4. enter your log-in ID and your password, and click “login”
5. enter the correct semester under “term”, for example “07/FA” is the Fall 2007
semester
6. click on the course name and section number
7. click on “shared files”
8. click on whatever file you need
Revised 7-2007
A. L. Loving