Paper 1415/BMSBoS/4
College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine
School of Biomedical Sciences Board of Studies
12 November 2014
Proposal for new course – Biomedical Sciences 1
Brief description of the paper
The paper outlines a compulsory course for the 1st year of the Biomedical Sciences degree
programmes.
Action requested
For discussion and approval.
Resource implications
Resources will covered by the School of Biomedical Sciences.
Equality and diversity
There are no equality and diversity implications.
Originator of the paper
Allison Wroe
3 November 2014
Freedom of information
This paper to be included in open business.
1
Creation of Biomedical Sciences 1
Introduction
As part of the preparations for the direct intake of students to the School of
Biomedical Sciences degree programmes, it is proposed that a new first year course
entitled Biomedical Sciences 1 (BMS1) be created. BMS1 will be a 20-point, first
semester, SCQF level 8 course that will begin in academic year 2015/16. The new
course will be compulsory for all students on Biomedical Sciences degree
programmes and will not be open to other students across the university. BMS1 will
complement the year 1 theme of “Importance of biomedical sciences to medicine
and health”, support the School’s objective of managing transitions and contribute to
the development of the skills students require to support their learning throughout
their university career.
Outline for Biomedical Sciences 1
Course aims
To support the theme “Importance of biomedical sciences to medicine and health”
the course will:

Provide an introduction to the disciplines of physiology, pharmacology,
reproductive biology, neuroscience and infectious diseases.
To support the School’s objectives of enhancing the student experience and
student support and managing transitions, the course will:




Place clear emphasis on formative feedback
Provide numerous feedback opportunities
Incorporate extensive small group work to improve student support and
encourage the development of a Biomedical sciences learning community
Support students in the development of skills that will assist them to become
autonomous learners
Intended learning outcomes
Students taking this course will acquire:



An understanding of the scope and importance of the biomedical sciences
disciplines
Basic competence in information gathering, academic writing, reviewing and
assessing their own work and that of their peers
An understanding of reflective practice
2
Teaching and learning activities
The course will be built on the theme “Conception to Death” highlighting current
topics in each of the biomedical disciplines.

Approximately 8 lectures will examine important issues relating to the
overarching theme from a multi-disciplinary perspective. The theme of each
lecture will be the basis of additional course activities aimed at supporting the
development of skills that encourage each student to become an independent
learner.

Facilitated group discussions (FGD) will develop the ideas introduced in the
lectures and aim to consolidate knowledge through guiding effective
background reading the gathering of relevant supplementary material. These
discussions aim firstly to allow individuals to develop the skills that promote
learning in a group format and secondly to consolidate awareness of the
importance of basic biomedical science to the understanding of human health
and disease.

Tutorials will promote skills development and be based around short pieces of
work related to course themes that students are asked to produce in advance
of the session. Key skill development will include: becoming an independent
learner; how to research a subject; academic writing; making lecture notes;
effective reading; understanding expectations.

Both FGD and tutorial sessions will provide formative and summative links to
course assessment tasks.

There will be investigative practicals. At least one practical will include
collection of information/data relating to the students (e.g. reflex time,
peripheral vision). The sessions will include appreciation of the importance of
experimental design including use of appropriate methodology, management,
analysis, presentation and interpretation of data and comparison with other
work. Additional “practicals” will take the form of a case study-style problem
which students need to solve; appropriate support and guidance will be
provided.
Assessment and feedback strategies

100% ICA

Individual essay (40%). Students would be supported in this task through
tutor-led small group formative feedback sessions. Students will be helped to
develop an appreciation of quality by reviewing their own work and that of
their peers in the light of guidance on marking criteria and use of exemplars.
Sessions would reinforce skills introduced in tutorials.

Group project (40%). The task will promote collaborative working and marks
will be moderated by peer assessment of contribution and participation.
3

Individual reflective task (20%). Students would be asked to reflect on their
understanding of the expectations of university study at the start and end of
the semester and how their approach to studying has changed over that time.
To assist with this task students will be asked to keep a weekly reflective
record of their activities to inform the final submission.
Prerequisites for BMS1
Must be enrolled on one of the Biomedical Sciences degree programmes.
4
SCHOOL OF BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES
COURSE PROPOSAL FORM
Course Name*:
Biomedical Sciences 1
Course Proposer*:
Allison Wroe
Have you confirmed that the appropriate resources are in
place (finance, teaching staff, IT)*:
Yes
Have you confirmed that the appropriate support
services are in place (library, computing services)*:
Yes
Normal Year Taken*:
1st
Course Level*:
Undergraduate
Available to Visiting
Students?*
No
SCQF Credits*:
20
Credit Level*1:
8
Home Subject
Area*2:
Biomedical Sciences
Other Subject Area:
Course Organiser:
Dr Allison Wroe
Course Secretary:
To be determined
% not taught by this
institution:
0
Collaboration
Information:
Total Contact
Teaching Hours*:
40
Any costs to be met
by students:
None
Pre-requisites
(course name &
None.
5
code)*:
Co-requisites (course
name & code)*:
None.
Prohibited
Only open to students on BSc Biomedical Sciences, BSc
Combinations (course Infectious
Diseases,
BSc
Neuroscience,
BSc
name & code)*:
Pharmacology, BSc Physiology and BSc Reproductive
Biology degree programmes
Visiting Students
Pre-requisites:
N/A
Course Description*:
This course will support the Biomedical Sciences
programme year 1 theme “Importance of Biomedical
Sciences to medicine and health” and contribute to the
development of the skills students require to support
their learning. The course will also support the School’s
objectives of enhancing the student experience and
student support and managing transitions.
Students taking this course will develop an
understanding of the scope of the biomedical sciences
and their contribution to medicine and health.
This course will also:

Place clear emphasis on formative assessment

Provide numerous feedback opportunities

Incorporate extensive small group work to
improve student support and encourage the
development of a Biomedical Sciences learning
community.

Support students in the development of skills that
will assist them to become autonomous learners.
Keywords3:
Neuroscience, Pharmacology, Physiology, Reproductive
biology, Infectious Diseases.
Default Course Mode
of Study*4:
Class and assessment.
Default Delivery
Period*5:
One semester
Course Type*6:
Standard
Class sessions 7
Lectures:
Practical classes, discussion groups and tutorials:
6
Summary of Intended Students taking this course will acquire:

An understanding of the scope and importance of
Learning Outcomes*:
the Biomedical Sciences disciplines.

Basic competence in information gathering,
academic writing, reviewing and assessing own
work and that of peers.

Group working skills.

An understanding of reflective practice.
Special
Arrangements:
Components of
Assessment (inc. %
weightings)*:
Coursework: 100% total course mark
Exam Information*8
N/A
Syllabus*/Learning
activities
Coursework includes 1 essay, a group project and a
reflective task.





Approximately 8 lectures including 4-5 “keynote”
talks highlighting current topics in the disciplines.
Other lectures will draw on the general theme of
“conception to death” and will examine selected
topics from a multi-disciplinary perspective.
There will be investigative practicals. These will
take the form of a case study-style problem
which students need to solve; appropriate
support and guidance will be provided.
Tutorials. These will promote skills development
and be based around short pieces of work
students are asked to produce in advance of the
session. Topics covered could include: how to
research a subject; making lecture notes;
effective reading; understanding expectations;
academic writing. Links will be made with
assessment tasks.
Discussion-based group learning sessions related
to lecture themes. Sessions would reinforce skills
introduced in tutorials.
Students would be supported in the individual
essay task through tutor-led small group
7
formative feedback sessions. They will be helped
to develop an appreciation of quality by reviewing
and assessing their own work and that of their
peers in the light of guidance on marking criteria
and use of exemplars. Sessions would reinforce
skills introduced in tutorials.
Convenor of Board of
Examiners:
To be determined
Details of any
supporting
documentation 9
Comments (including
Course Leader
details)
8