2008/09 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

HPSC3820 History of Genetics (Medical)

10 creditsClass Size: 100

Module manager: Anne Jamieson
Email: A.K.Jamieson@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2008/09

Pre-requisite qualifications

Admission to Intercalated Degree in History of Medicine

This module is mutually exclusive with

HPSC2820

History of Genetics

This module is not approved as an Elective

Objectives

On completion of this module, students should be able to:

1. describe the origins and impact of the Mendelian revolution, the molecular revolution, the genomics revolution and eugenics;
2. analyse these developments in the context of the changing relationship between science and society;
3. engage sympathetically with beliefs about heredity now unfamiliar or derided;
4. evaluate claims about the nature of genetics and eugenics in light of their histories;
5. apply a historical understanding of eugenics in order to analyse the ethical status of present-day medical genetics.

Syllabus

The module is organized around three revolutions in the scientific study of heredity:
(1) The Mendelian Revolution: We shall be asking: Why did Mendel conduct his experiments? Why did his work become famous only around 1900? What was the impact of genetics on theories of evolution and schemes for the "eugenic" improvement of humans?
(2) The Molecular Revolution: We will look at the scientific and social background that led to the work of Crick and Watson, and at the subsequent development of the techniques used in "genetic engineering".
(3) The Genomics Revolution: Some say that the Human Genome Project has stimulated a new revolution, a "genomics" revolution, with major consequences for human health and welfare; others are more sceptical. We will examine the issues, looking in particular at the patenting of human genes and the rise of a new eugenics.

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Lecture	11	1.00	11.00
Tutorial	5	1.00	5.00
Private study hours			84.00
Total Contact hours			16.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			100.00

Private study

Lecture preparation: 22 hours;
Tutorial preparation: 25 hours;
Essay writing: 37 hours.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Fortnightly tutorial quizzes (see assessment);
The first assessed essay is formative.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Essay	1,500 words	50.00
Essay	1,500 words	50.00
In-course Assessment	Tutorial Quizzes: Each tutorial begins with a 5 min quiz concerning tutorial questions prepared in advance. The quizzes will be pass/fail. For each pass, the mark on the first essay will go up by one point; for each failure, the mark will go down by one point. Non-attendance will count as a failure. (No excuses will be accepted for non-attendance, but students will be able to attend a different tutorial group in order to make it up.)	0.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 08/06/2009

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