2024/25 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

MICR1202 The Microbial World

10 creditsClass Size: 198

Module manager: Dr Chris Randall
Email: C.P.Randall@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2024/25

Pre-requisite qualifications

A-level (or equivalent) in Biology

Module replaces

MICR1202

This module is approved as a discovery module

Module summary

The module will introduce learners to the diversity of microbial life and viruses on this planet, with an emphasis on how we interact with microbes that are responsible for infections. Learners will explore how microorganisms interact with each other and how they influence the lives of more complex organisms, for good or ill, and will learn how fungi, bacteria and viruses are observed and manipulated safely.

Objectives

This module will introduce learners to Microbiology as an academic discipline. The module will relate microbial structures to their function(s), providing the basis for exploring how microorganisms interact and exploit both the environment around them and other organisms through symbioses. With these key concepts in place, learners will be shown how we use these concepts to explore microbial symbioses with humans, in particular the parasitism we know as infectious disease. Learners will use concept of the cycle of infection to explore the molecular and cellular biology of infection, and how this cycle can be used to predict (and therefore prevent) infection spread in individuals and populations.

Learning activities will take place as in-person large-group lectures, with active learning opportunities embedded throughout for students to test and apply their understanding of concepts against questions and scenarios provided by staff. This will be supported with online resources created by the module team and external partners.

Learning outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will be able to:
1. Describe the key structures of microorganisms, their function(s) and how this information can be exploited by humanity.
2. Use the cycle of infection to:
a. explain how microorganisms cause disease in individuals and populations,
b. identify appropriate infection control measures.
3. Apply knowledge of microbial metabolism, growth, and diagnostic tests to identify an unknown microorganism and/or define the environment it inhabits in nature.

Syllabus

Introduction to the microbial world is broken down into five distinct units, introducing learners to microbiological topics, with a particular focus on infectious disease. These units comprise:
1. The world of bacteria
2. The world of viruses
3. The world of fungi
4. Introduction to infectious disease
5. Treatment & prevention of infection

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Lecture	17	1.00	17.00
Private study hours			83.00
Total Contact hours			17.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			100.00

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

This module will employ several approaches to ensure learners have continual formative feedback:
• In-class feedback through engaging with active-learning components of in-person teaching.
• Completion of End of Unit and revision question banks (with questions in a similar format to those found in summative assessments), and reviewing feedback comments (automated).
• Completion of a formative exam, identical in style to the summative assessment (i.e. fully invigilated, closed-book, timed assessment). This provides not only formative feedback on learner attainment against learning outcomes, but also allows learners to experience the exam environment – a hidden curriculum element for learners new to University.

Methods of assessment

Exams

Exam type	Exam duration	% of formal assessment
Standard exam (closed essays, MCQs etc)	1 hr	100.00
Total percentage (Assessment Exams)		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: 29/04/2024 16:18:19

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