Classes 

Lectures will be held on:    

Rather than running late Friday afternoon tutorials as scheduled (very poorly attended in the past), I will set weekly interactive activities and quizzes through the mastering microbiology software which comes packaged with your textbook for you to complete each week. 

Lectures begin on the 27th July 2015. Lectures graphics will be available in ilearn on the day before each lecture.

Microbiology Web Site: https://learn.mq.edu.au/

Laboratory classes

Students will need to register for one of the classes only. 

Practicals start the first week of the semester (29th  July 2013). Please note that practical classes are a compulsory component for this course with medical certificates being required should a student be absent due to illness.  These should be submitted online together with a disruption to studies request, which can be found at:http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html.

Required and Recommended Texts and/or Materials 

Prescribed text:

Brock Biology of Microorganisms Global Edition + Mastering Microbiology 14^th edition. Madigan,  Martenko, Stahl, Clark, Buckley. Publisher: Pearson education Inc, San Francisco. ISBN:9781486025442

Required:

CBMS215 Microbiology Practical Manual - each laboratory session will be available on iLearn for download one week before the laboratory session, please make sure you bring this to class.  Please note you must also bring a lab coat, closed shoes and lab notebook to each practical, beginning in Week 1.

Technology Used and Required 

You are expected to access the unit web site on a frequent basis and download PDF files provided.  Please note information may also be sent by email to your student email account so please look at your email account on a frequent basis.

Unit Web Page

The URL of the CBMS215 Microbiology ilearn site is:  http://learn.mq.edu.au/

You will be asked for a username and password.  Your username is your student MQID.  Your MQID and password have been mailed to you by the University.  If you have lost them go to the student portal:  http://my.mq.edu.au.

You are expected to access the unit web site very frequently.  This site contains important information including notes on ALL the topics to be covered.

Teaching and Learning Strategy

CBMS215 is a 3-credit point, half year unit and will require an average of 9 hours of work per week (contact hours plus self study time).

The unit expectation is that you will:

• Read the recommended material and prepare for the laboratory classes
• Attend all sessions, with laboratory classes being compulsory
• Demonstrate reasonable competence in the assignments and weekly quizzes
• Perform satisfactorily in both the practical component and the final exam

If you prepare and attend all components of the unit and work consistently and continuously throughout the semester, you should be able to develop a strong understanding of the subject, develop key microbiology practical skills and perform satisfactorily in this unit.

Laboratory classes are designed to develop basic laboratory skills, general safety practices and critical and analytical thought- this will be very useful if you continue with microbiology, but are also fundamental to modern molecular biology and many other areas of science.  In-lab and post-lab work are designed to allow you to appropriately record your experimental observations in a detailed and accurate manner and assess your understanding of the theory behind the experiments conducted and to use this understanding to solve related problems. 

Assessment in this Unit

For passing this Unit, the Theory (50%) and Practical (50%) component MUST be completed satisfactorily.

We are excited to offer a revised and updated CBMS215 in 2015, please be aware that there are a number of changes to the lecture, practical and assessment schedules from last year.

As this is the first year I have been the unit convenor for this course, which has been significantly revised since last year, i will be actively seeking feedback throughout the semester.  I am most open to suggestions for improving the content and delivery of the unit. Please provide any feedback to Dr. Sasha Tetu, Mrs E Mardones or your practical demonstrator. I will also endeavor to provide opportunities for anonymous feedback/suggestions/comments during semester in both lecture and practical time slots.

The University is committed to equity and fairness in all aspects of its learning and teaching.  In stating this commitment, the University recognises that there may be circumstances where a student is prevented by unavoidable disruption from performing in accordance with their ability.  The University has a policy on special consideration requests (now disruption to studies) that may be found at http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html.  The University recognises that at times an event or set of circumstances may occur that:

·    could not have reasonably been anticipated, avoided or guarded against by the student     AND

·     was beyond the student’s control AND

·      caused substantial disruption to the student’s capacity for effective study and/or completion of required work AND

·        substantially interfered with the otherwise satisfactory fulfillment of a unit or program requirements AND

·         was of at least three (3) consecutive days duration within a study period and/or prevented completion of a formal examination.

This policy is instituted to support students who experience serious and unavoidable disruption such that they do not reach their usual demonstrated performance level.  If this does occur please access this form and follow directions for submitting a disruption to studies notification as soon as possible to allow due consideration.

Non-Attendance:  Students unable to attend a laboratory session, assessment task or the final exam due to illness or other extenuating circumstances must submit online the relevant documentation together with a disruption to studies request, which can be found at: http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html.

Students MUST contact Dr. Sasha Tetu immediately to make alternative arrangements if a laboratory session or an assessment task has been missed.  Contact can be by email or phone. The intensive nature of laboratory sessions and assessments over a period of weeks means that non-attendance can significantly impact on your progress, can impact on your ability to complete the assignments and also impacts on your laboratory partner/group.

 Extensions and penalties

10% of the mark allocated for the assignment will be deducted per day for any work submitted late.

Only medical certificates and/or other appropriate supporting documents outlining other serious, extenuating circumstances will be considered when submitting an assignment after the due date.. All applications for special consideration or extension must be sought before the due date unless this is absolutely impossible.

All applications for extensions of deadlines must be submitted to the subject convenor.