Module Information
Course Delivery
| Delivery Type | Delivery length / details |
|---|---|
| Lecture | 22 x 1 Hour Lectures |
| Practical | 3 x 4 Hour Practicals |
Assessment
| Assessment Type | Assessment length / details | Proportion |
|---|---|---|
| Semester Assessment | Questions on data analysis practical. | 12% |
| Semester Assessment | Questions on Sordaria practical. | 14% |
| Semester Assessment | Questions on Drosophila practical. | 14% |
| Semester Exam | 1.5 Hours 20 x MCQ questions, 6 x short-answer questions; 1 x long-answer question. | 60% |
| Supplementary Assessment | Students must take elements of assessment equivalent to those that led to failure of the module. | 40% |
| Supplementary Exam | 1.5 Hours Students must take elements of assessment equivalent to those that led to failure of the module. | 60% |
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
1. Describe genetic processes at all levels of organisation (e.g. molecular, chromosomal, population) with reference to the appropriate structures and concepts.
2. Describe and evaluate the application of genetics in fields such as health, agriculture and industry
3. Predict and interpret the results of genetics experiments (e.g. test crosses), using their understanding of genetics principles.
4. Analyse and interpret data from breeding programmes in terms of heritability
Brief description
This module aims to provide students with an understanding of the key principles underlying the theory and practice of genetics. Lectures will cover the basic principles of genetics at all levels, from molecules to populations and species. Practicals will reinforce this information by demonstrating how genetics is studied through experiments on model organisms and analysis of large datasets.
Content
1. History and basic principles of genetics
2. Segregation, recombination and gene mapping in eukaryotes
3. Prokaryote genetics
4. Mutation
5. Population genetics and evolution
6. Quantitative genetics
7. Transcription and translation
8. Control of gene expression
9. Applied genetics in health, agriculture and industry
Practicals
1. Recombination and linkage mapping
2. Environmental effects on gene expression
3. Heritability
Module Skills
| Skills Type | Skills details |
|---|---|
| Application of Number | Practical classes and exam questions require students to analyse quantitative data. |
| Communication | |
| Improving own Learning and Performance | Students receive feedback on practicals (marked worksheets), providing them with a basis to assess and improve their performance. |
| Information Technology | Students are encouraged to obtain information from recent research publications, accessed using ISI Web of Science and other internet resources for use in their exam answers. |
| Personal Development and Career planning | |
| Problem solving | Students are required to predict and interpret the results of genetics experiments in the practical classes and associated worksheets. Many exam questions also contain a problem solving element. |
| Research skills | Practical classes require students to follow laboratory protocols, use microscopes, prepare slides and interpret data. Students are encouraged to read widely around the subject and to include information from research publications in their exam answers. |
| Subject Specific Skills | |
| Team work |
Notes
This module is at CQFW Level 4