HISTOLOGY COURSE 2015/16
Information and rules of the course
for students of the 6-year program
1. The histology course consists of lectures (Thursdays) and laboratories (Fridays) covering the
topics presented in the preceding lecture.
2. Participation in laboratories is obligatory. Maximum three absences per semester are allowed.
Attention: students who exceed the allowed number of three absences per semester fail to
get the credit and must repeat the course.
3. Participation in lectures is highly recommended, since they help the students understand complex
problems presented in the textbook and provide up-to-date and/or accessory information which
cannot be found in the textbook.
4. The mid-semester MCQ exam with 60% pass level, covering the material concerning the cell and
the tissues (Cell & Tissues exam) will be held according to the syllabus. A student who fails the
exam will be allowed to retake it in about two weeks time.
In order to get the credit and to be allowed to take the final exam, student has to pass the
Cell & Tissues exam. Students who fail the retake will have to retake it once more, before the final
exam. Students who fail that second retake will not be allowed to take the final exam and, according
to the general rules of studies at the Jagiellonian University, they will take the final exam only once
(final exam retake), under the condition that they repeat and pass the retake of the Cell & Tissues
exam. Students who fail will not get the credit and, if allowed (Dean’s decision), will have to
repeat the course.
5. The final exam is the ultimate basis for the completion of the course. Only students who
have not exceeded the allowed number of absences and passed the Cell & Tissues exam will
be allowed to take the final exam.
The final exam consists of two parts:
(a) the practical (laboratory) part, covering the whole material of the labs: identification of
cells/tissues/organs and their specific structures in 13 microscopic slides and 2 electron
micrographs. This part is evaluated on the pass/fail basis.
(b) the theoretical part (MCQ, 100 questions, 60% pass level), covering the material concerning
histology of systems and organs. Grades obtained will count as the exam grades.
 Students who passed the Cell & Tissues exam with the grades “good” or “good plus” (4.0 or
4.5) will have their grades elevated by 0.5; students who passed the Cell & Tissues exam
with the grade “very good” (5.0) will have their grades elevated by 1.
 Students who showed excellent performance at the laboratory part (result 14-15) and passed
the theoretical part with the score 1 or 2 points short of the higher grade, will have their
grades elevated by 0.5. Elevation of the grade will also be awarded for excellent results of
the weekly mini-tests (see next section). Elevations of the grade are not summed up.
Students who fail any part of the exam will be allowed one retake. The above bonus points and
grade elevations can be applied only in case of passed theoretical exam and are not valid for the
retake exam.
6. All decisions concerning the course are in the competence of the Course Coordinator.
The teaching staff:
Prof. J.A. Litwin (Course Coordinator)
Prof. T. Cichocki
Prof. J. Mirecka
Dr. G. Lis
Dr. M. Gajda
Dr. E. Jasek-Gajda
B. Wójcik, M.Sc.
HOW TO STUDY HISTOLOGY
Histology requires continuous learning. Participation in a lab (analysis of microscopical slides
and electron micrographs) without at least basic knowledge of its subject makes no sense, since you
will not know what you are looking at and nothing will remain in your memory. An attempt to learn
a large material in a short time (a common “stop and go” way of learning – lazy weeks followed by
hectic work just before mid-semester test or exam) usually leads to disastrous results. Moreover,
knowledge gained in such a way is very unreliable - you forget almost all in a short time (some
students call it "LPF-type learning": Learn-Pass-Forget).
This is the recommended practice:
1. Attend the lectures, collect the lecture presentation printouts which will be available in
advance on the School website and make additional notes during the lecture
2. On Thursday afternoon (after the lecture), first review your lecture printouts/notes. This will
facilitate the basic understanding of the material presented in the lecture.
3. Next, read the appropriate chapter in your textbook in order to enrich your knowledge and to
memorize all the topics. It will take no more than 1-2 hours and it is really worth that time.
On Friday lab you will fully understand the content of the examined slides/electron
micrographs and memorize them. Moreover, the reviewing of the material before midsemester test or exam will be much easier and a good result will be highly probable.
To provide motivation for such practice, starting from the lab devoted to epithelial tissue, each lab
will begin with a short MCQ type quiz (10 questions, 5 minutes) covering the basic problems of
the subject. An average of >85% during the year will result in elevation of the grade by 0.5 at the
final exam (if passed).
PLEASE RESPECT CULTURAL DIFFERENCES
(this short and friendly advice has been based on our past experience with some students from
abroad)
In the Polish academic life, the following behavior during lectures/seminars/laboratories is regarded
as impolite:
 Being late
 Loud conversations
 Whistling, singing, etc.
 Demonstrative yawning
 Eating
 Using mobile phones (they should be switched off)
 Wearing caps (unless your religion tells otherwise or there are medical indications)