Students

BIOL3640 – PACE: Experience in Biological Sciences

2025 – Session 1, In person-scheduled-weekday, North Ryde

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Culum Brown
culum.brown@mq.edu.au
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
130cp at 1000 level or above including 40cp in BIOL units
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

This PACE unit provides an opportunity for students to engage with the community through a variety of activities. Examples might include group activities with a regional or local focus on public-sector agencies, professional bodies, companies, industry partners and not-for-profit organisations. The unit promotes learning through participation with community partners as well as the development of Course Learning Outcomes and professional skills. Students will be encouraged to apply theory learnt through their degree to real-world situations. Student learning will be facilitated through orientation and induction activities, scaffolding for skill, and knowledge development and debriefing; supported throughout by rigorous academic assessment.

Visit Employability Connect for important information on this unit including required preparation and closing dates for PACE activities.

Learning in this unit enhances student understanding of global challenges identified by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) Quality Education; Life on Land; Life Below Water

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • ULO1: Critically reflect on the core knowledge and skills you have developed throughout your university course.
  • ULO2: Effectively communicate your professional capabilities to potential colleagues and employers.
  • ULO3: Apply your core knowledge and skills to real-life tasks.
  • ULO4: Articulate and demonstrate how engaging with others can contribute to the well-being of people, communities, and the planet.
  • ULO5: Identify how to integrate your discipline-specific knowledge and transferable skills to embark on your chosen career path.

General Assessment Information

To pass this unit you must a total mark of 50% across all assessments AND

complete 70 hours of your PACE placement activity.

 

Late Assessment Submission Penalty Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark of the task) will be applied for each day a written report or presentation assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day (including weekends). After the 7th day, a grade of ‘0’ will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. The submission time for all uploaded assessments is 11:55 pm. A 1-hour grace period will be provided to students who experience a technical concern. For any late submission of time-sensitive tasks, such as scheduled tests/exams, performance assessments/presentations, and/or scheduled practical assessments/labs, please apply for Special Consideration.

Special Consideration The Special Consideration Policy aims to support students who have been impacted by short-term circumstances or events that are serious, unavoidable and significantly disruptive, and which may affect their performance in assessment. If you experience circumstances or events that affect your ability to complete the assessments in this unit on time, please inform the convenor and submit a Special Consideration request through https://connect.mq.edu.au.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
iLearn Post 15% No 01/03/2025
Short essay 30% No 28/04/2025
PACE Activity Report 30% No 26/05/2025
Host Supervisor Evaluation 25% No 26/05/2025

iLearn Post

Assessment Type 1: Practice-based task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 3 hours
Due: 01/03/2025
Weighting: 15%

 

This assignment comprises an iLearn Post focusing on your learning journey.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Critically reflect on the core knowledge and skills you have developed throughout your university course.
  • Articulate and demonstrate how engaging with others can contribute to the well-being of people, communities, and the planet.
  • Identify how to integrate your discipline-specific knowledge and transferable skills to embark on your chosen career path.

Short essay

Assessment Type 1: Essay
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: 28/04/2025
Weighting: 30%

 

This assessment requires you to demonstrate your understanding of key theoretical content covered in the BIOL3640 workshops and online modules, then relate this content to yourself, your PACE activities, and your courses of study.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Critically reflect on the core knowledge and skills you have developed throughout your university course.
  • Apply your core knowledge and skills to real-life tasks.
  • Articulate and demonstrate how engaging with others can contribute to the well-being of people, communities, and the planet.

PACE Activity Report

Assessment Type 1: Reflective Writing
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: 26/05/2025
Weighting: 30%

 

This final assessment synthesises all of the learning objectives and outcomes in this unit. You will need to critically reflect on what you have learned in the unit, and the experience gained through your PACE activity. Then effectively communicate your capabilities and how your perception of them has changed over the course of the unit.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Critically reflect on the core knowledge and skills you have developed throughout your university course.
  • Effectively communicate your professional capabilities to potential colleagues and employers.
  • Apply your core knowledge and skills to real-life tasks.
  • Articulate and demonstrate how engaging with others can contribute to the well-being of people, communities, and the planet.
  • Identify how to integrate your discipline-specific knowledge and transferable skills to embark on your chosen career path.

Host Supervisor Evaluation

Assessment Type 1: Performance
Indicative Time on Task 2: 9 hours
Due: 26/05/2025
Weighting: 25%

 

Supervisors will provide a report on student performance, progress, abilities acquired and attendance throughout placement, however the unit convenor will grade performance.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Critically reflect on the core knowledge and skills you have developed throughout your university course.
  • Effectively communicate your professional capabilities to potential colleagues and employers.
  • Apply your core knowledge and skills to real-life tasks.
  • Articulate and demonstrate how engaging with others can contribute to the well-being of people, communities, and the planet.

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • the Writing Centre for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation

Delivery and Resources

There are 10 workshops associated with this subject. The first 6 are face to face on campus in weeks 1-6. There are then 3 conducted online (iLearn) and then a final face to face session on May 13th. Prior reading and activities are listed on iLearn.

Students will also be doing an industry/lab placement for 70hrs which is cooridinated through the PACE office.

 

Methods of Communication We will communicate with you via your university email and through announcements on iLearn. Queries to convenors can either be placed on the iLearn discussion board or sent to the unit convenor via the contact email on iLearn.

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit connect.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Academic Integrity

At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

The Writing Centre

The Writing Centre provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:

Student Enquiries

Got a question? Ask us via the Service Connect Portal, or contact Service Connect.

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/. 

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Unit information based on version 2025.03 of the Handbook