Histology Syllabus Revision
Myra J. Vickery
Clare Major, Ph.D.
The University of Alabama – College of Education
Abstract
Histology is the study of tissues. The
course is taught to science majors often in
preparation for professional school. In this
study, other histology syllabi from various
institutions were researched and compared
in order to revise a histology syllabus from
a course previously taken as a student.
Pages 1-5 of revised syllabus
Instructor: Myra Vickery
Lecture Time & Location: Mon & Wed 1-1:50pm, Room 423
Lab Time & Location: Mon & Wed 2-4:50pm, Room 2327
Office Hours: Monday 10-12 or by appointment
Phone: 205-544-8350
E-mail: mjvickery@.ua.edu
Weekly Review Sessions: TBA
Format:
• Organize the syllabus logically
• Use consistent underlining or bold face
headings to help students find information
• Should consist of three main parts:
• 1. Course Description
• 2. Course Outline
• 3. Policies and Procedures
2. Clarified lab and lecture locations
Teaching Philosophy: I believe we must all take responsibility for our own education. My job
is not to teach you everything about histology – it is to help you learn about it yourself. As a
student, you will be responsible for preparing in advance for each lecture by reading the
corresponding material from the textbook. You are also responsible for utilizing the course
website to assist your learning process.
Course Description: Two one-hour lectures and two two-hour laboratory periods per week.
The course is a detailed study of the microscopic structures of vertebrate cells, tissues, and
organs.
Course Goal: Upon completion of the course, students should…
1. Be able to recognize and understand the function of the major tissue types.
2. Be able to recognize the cellular and tissue components of he following major organ
systems:
a. Cardiovascular
b. Skeletal
c. Nervous
d. Endocrine
e. Urinary
f. Digestive
g. Lymphatic
h. Male and female reproductive
i. Muscular
3. Be able to understand how tissue components of organ systems relate to organ system
function.
4. Be able to recognize pathogenic conditions.
5. Be able to understand basic principles of histopathology.
3. Moved office hours and review session to more
logical location
Course Requirements:
Textbook: Wheater’s Functional Histology; Young and Heath
Additional resources: Histology websites and image banks:
histologyatlas.wisc.edu
http://meded.ucsd.edu/hist-img-bank/
4. Clarified course description times per week
Use of Blackboard is required Topics will be organized into learning modules which will be
placed on Blackboard. Each module will contain any related materials, learning
objectives, and other requirements for that topic. Print out any materials you need, as
they will not be handed out in class. Modules will generally become available on
Thursday for the following week. Be sure to use Browser Check before using
Blackboard to ensure your browser is configured so the complete functionality of this
application is available to you. (Blackboard will not work properly unless pop-up
blockers are disabled and Java is enabled).
Course Assessments and Grading Policy
1. Lecture Exams: Three lecture exams will be given during the semester and will count
34% of the course grade. The tests will be a combination of objective and essay questions.
These exams will concentrate on organization, development, function, etc. (There will be no
identification). Make-up exams will be given ONLY under extraordinary circumstances.
You may only miss an exam due to a “serious and compelling reason” and are required to
provide documentation in order to make up an exam. Otherwise, you will receive a score of
zero. Only one exam may be made-up during the semester.
2. Lecture Quizzes: A ten (10) point lecture quiz will be given each week covering previous
material. This will calculated with the lecture portion of the course. No make-up for missed
quizzes.
3. Laboratory Exams: The course emphasis is on identification of tissues and constituents.
Three lab exams will be given during the semester and will count 66% of the course grade.
The exams will be identification of structures, cells, tissue, location etc. in the field of view.
There will be NO make-ups for lab exams for any reason
4. Extra Credit: Extra credit will be added to exams only. There will be 25 points of extra
credit for the semester (5 points per exam and 10 for the final exam). Please do not ask for
special consideration or extra credit projects to raise your grade. You will receive the grade
that you earn during the semester.
5. Grading Scale
A+ = 99-100 B+ = 88-89
A = 92-98
B = 82-87
A- = 90-91
B- = 80-81
Miscellaneous Information and Policies
Attendance Policy: Attendance of lecture and lab are required.
Before writing a syllabus, think about:
• The knowledge and skills students should gain
from the course
• How to access the knowledge and skills
attained
• The best way students can learn the
knowledge and skills
• Focus on learning outcomes rather than a list
of topics to cover.
1. Increased font size for easier readability
Prerequisites: Senior biology major or permission of the instructor
The main purpose of the syllabus is to
communicate:
• what the course is about
• why it is taught
• where it is going
• what is required of the students to complete
the course with a satisfactory grade
Things to include in a syllabus:
• All information students need to have at the
beginning of the course
• All information students need to have in
writing.
• When in doubt, write it out!
Changes made:
BSC 469/569: HISTOLOGY OF VERTEBRATES
Course Emphasis: Identification of tissue types and components, histogenesis and function
of tissues.
Introduction
Methods
Results
C+ = 78-79
C = 72-77
C- = 70-71
D+ = 68-69
D = 62-67
D- = 60-61
5. Class schedule was modified, spaces removed,
and grouped by month for easier readability
Using the syllabus:
• The first day of class: it is important to review the entire
syllabus in class and allow time to answer student
questions.
• The second day of class: it is recommended that key
points be reiterated followed by answering any
remaining syllabus-related questions
• Prior to a new module or major class assignment: it is
recommended that students be referred to the syllabus
to discuss what they are learning about and how it fits
into the rest of the class.
• Have the syllabus available online
• Remember: the syllabus should be a guide to learning!
6. Teaching philosophy added
7. Additional resources added
8. Laptop and cell phone policy added
Future Directions
9. Blackboard policy added
F = <60
1. Graduate Students: will be asked to answer an additional question on each of the three
lecture exams that will count as 10% of their final grade. The question will be more in depth
and will require a detailed response that reveals your adequate knowledge of the material.
Conclusions/Significance
10. Graduate students section added
Academic Misconduct Plagiarism or cheating of any type in lecture or lab is not tolerated
and will result in an F in the course and referral to the university disciplinary committee.
Cheating includes not only cheating on tests and quizzes, but turning in assignments written
by another student or letting other students copy your assignments. All acts of dishonesty in
any work constitute academic misconduct. This includes, but is not limited to, cheating,
plagiarism, fabrication of information, misrepresentations, bribery, and abetting any of the
above. The Academic Misconduct Disciplinary Policy will be followed in the event that
academic misconduct occurs. Students should refer to the Student Affairs Handbook, which
can be obtained in the Office of Student Life and Services in the Ferguson Center.
Apply lessons learned from this project to
future syllabus design and use in the
classroom
Cheating - copying another’s work for academic gain.
Plagiarism - representing another’s work as your own.
Fabrication - making up information to avoid punishment or other difficulty.
Misrepresentation - altering facts (e.g., signing an absent classmate’s name to an attendance
sheet).
Bribery - offering, giving, soliciting, or receiving goods or services of value for academic gain.
Conspiracy - planning with others to commit academic dishonesty.
Laptop and Cell Phone Policy Use of laptop computers for taking notes during class is
encouraged. Please refrain from using it to “surf” the Internet during class. You will be asked
to leave class if you do because this distracts other students. Please turn your cell phones off
or on silent during class and avoid leaving class to talk on your phone. Please no text
messaging during class.
TENTATIVE LECTURE SYLLABUS
If you are registered with the Office of Disability Services, please make an appointment with
me as soon as possible to discuss any course accommodations that may be necessary. If
you have a disability but have not contacted the ODS, please call 348-5175 or visit 133B
Martha Parham East to register for services.
Note: The instructor reserves the right to modify this syllabus.
LABORATORY SYLLABUS
Date
Aug. 21
Aug. 26
Aug. 28
Topic
Introduction to Microscopes; Epithelial tissues
Epithelial Tissues
Glandular Tissue
Sept. 2
Sept. 4
Sept. 9
Sept. 11
Sept. 16
Sept. 18
Sept. 23
Sept. 25
Sept. 30
No Class: Labor Day
Connective Tissue; Cartilage
Bone
Peripheral Blood
Hematopoiesis
Lecture Test I
Lab Test 1 (No Lecture)
Muscles
Cardiovascular Vessels
Oct. 2
Oct. 7
Oct. 9
Oct. 14
Oct. 16
Oct. 21
Oct. 23
Oct. 28
Oct. 30
Nervous Tissue I
Nervous Tissue II
Lymphatic Tissue I
Lymphatic Tissue II
Integumentary System
Digestive System 1
Lecture Test 2
Lab test 2 (No Lecture)
Digestive System II
Nov. 4
Nov. 6
Nov. 11
Nov. 13
Nov. 18
Nov. 20
Nov. 25
Nov. 27
Digestive II
Urinary System
Endocrine System
Male Reproductive System
Female Reproductive System
Special Senses: eye and ear
Histopathology; Review Lab Test 3
Thanksgiving – No Class
Dec. 2
Lab Test 3 (No Lecture)
Date:
Aug. 21
Aug. 26
Aug. 28
Topic:
Tissue Preparation; Tissues
Epithelial Tissues
Glandular Tissue; connective tissue
Sept.2
Sept.4
Sept.9
Sept.11
Sept.16
Sept.18
Sept. 23
Sept. 25
Sept. 30
No Class: Labor Day
Bone
Blood
Blood; Muscle
Muscle
Lecture Test 1
Lab Test 1 (No Lecture)
Nervous Tissue
Nervous Tissue
Oct. 2
Oct. 7
Oct. 9
Oct. 14
Oct. 16
Oct. 21
Oct. 23
Oct. 28
Oct. 30
Nervous Tissue
Lymphatic System
Lymphatic System
Integumentary System
Digestive System
Digestive System
Lecture Test 2
Lab Test 2 (No Lecture)
Digestive System
Nov. 4
Nov. 6
Nov. 11
Nov. 13
Nov. 18
Nov. 20
Nov. 25
Nov. 27
Urinary System
Urinary System
Urinary System
Endocrine System
Male Reproductive System
Female Reproductive System
Special Senses eye and ear; Histopathology
Thanksgiving – No Class
Dec. 2
Dec. 4
Dec. 10 (Tuesday)
Lab Test 3 (No Lecture)
Review for Final Lecture Test
Lecture Final: 3:30-6:00
Bibliography
http://www.sc.edu/cte/guide/syllabus/
http://www.gccaz.edu/facdev/syllabus.htm
http://www.distance.ufl.edu/Data/Sites/35/media/gms5630_medica
l-histology_syllabus_summer2013.pdf
https://www.csuchico.edu/biol/documents/S13_syllabi/BIOL%2046
0%20S13%20Day.pdf
Image retrieved from:
www.askiitians.com
http://tulane.edu/som/courses/upload/Histology.pdf
http://www.mc.edu/faculty/files/1013/2465/2311/925_histo_syll_for
_SPRING_2012.pdf
https://ualearn.blackboard.com/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_
tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute
%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_33644_1%26url%3D