Course Coordinator:Kate Mounsey (kmounsey@usc.edu.au) School:School of Health - Biomedicine
UniSC Sunshine CoastUniSC Moreton Bay |
Blended learning | Most of your course is on campus but you may be able to do some components of this course online. |
Please go to usc.edu.au for up to date information on the
teaching sessions and campuses where this course is usually offered.
This course will advance your understanding of the complex and interesting world of your body's defence system. Immunology studies the body's defences against invading microorganisms, and the way in which these defences can break down and lead to disease. You will also discover that the immune system is impacted by physiological and environmental factors as well as aging and the course links immunological theory to the broader populations and social context.
Activity | Hours | Beginning Week | Frequency |
Blended learning | |||
Learning materials – Online learning modules including interactive concept checks and formative exercises. | 2hrs | Week 1 | 13 times |
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – Weekly interactive e-Lectorials will be delivered via Zoom | 1hr | Week 1 | 13 times |
Tutorial/Workshop 2 – Fortnightly tutorials will be delivered on campus, odd weeks of Semester, commencing week 1. | 1hr | Week 1 | 7 times |
Laboratory 1 – Laboratory classes are on-campus and delivered during even weeks of semester, commencing week 2 | 3hrs | Week 2 | 5 times |
Information session – Student poster conference, week 12 only, on campus | 4hrs | Week 12 | Once Only |
This course covers all of the key areas of contemporary immunological knowledge including:
300 Level (Graduate)
12 units
Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you should be able to... | Graduate Qualities Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming... | |
1 | Explain, describe and analyse practical lab results, principles, theories and concepts underlying immunology. |
Knowledgeable Empowered |
2 | Articulate some aspects of the place and importance of immunological science in the prevention and treatment of disease | Sustainability-focussed |
3 | Utilise scientific research and link immunological issue to a broader population or social context. | Sustainability-focussed |
Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.
LFS202 or LFS203 or (LFS112 and enrolled in Program SC301, SB301, SA301, SA308, SE303, UB001)
LFS203 and enrolled in Program SC357 or SC355 (Associate Degree Medical Laboratory Science pathway only)l
Not applicable
Not applicable
Standard Grading (GRD)
High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL). |
Early feedback will be provided through formative online quizzes and other activities via Canvas. Answers to Task 1B laboratory questions will be discussed during laboratory sessions.
Delivery mode | Task No. | Assessment Product | Individual or Group | Weighting % | What is the duration / length? | When should I submit? | Where should I submit it? |
All | 1a | Quiz/zes | Individual | 25% | varies, up to 45 minutes |
Throughout teaching period (refer to Format) | Online Test (Quiz) |
All | 1b | Portfolio | Individual | 10% | < 200 words x 5 sub-tasks |
Throughout teaching period (refer to Format) | In Class |
All | 2 | Artefact - Technical and Scientific | Group | 25% | A0 size Poster |
Week 10 | Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check |
All | 3 | Examination - Centrally Scheduled | Individual | 40% | 2 hours |
Exam Period | Exam Venue |
All - Assessment Task 1a:Review Quizzes | |
Goal: | To demonstrate your understanding of key theoretical, practical, and clinical concepts covered in weeks 1-12 of the course |
Product: | Quiz/zes |
Format: | Online quizzes consisting of multi-choice and short answer questions, completed in weeks 4, 8 and 12 |
Criteria: |
|
All - Assessment Task 1b:Laboratory portfolio | |
Goal: | To demonstrate your understanding of key theoretical and practical concepts covered in weeks 1-12 of the course |
Product: | Portfolio |
Format: | Data presentation, analysis, and responses to short questions related to laboratory activities in weeks 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10. This will include online pre-laboratory quizzes completed prior to laboratory sessions and worksheet completion within laboratory classes. |
Criteria: |
|
All - Assessment Task 2:Poster Assignment | |
Goal: | To demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of immunological issues and how they relate to a broader population or social context |
Product: | Artefact - Technical and Scientific |
Format: | Standard scientific poster: see Canvas for information and details. Also includes submission of team of evaluation and critical review components. |
Criteria: |
|
All - Assessment Task 3:End of semester exam | |
Goal: | To demonstrate your understanding of key theoretical, practical, and clinical concepts covered in weeks 1-12 of the course. |
Product: | Examination - Centrally Scheduled |
Format: | Multi-choice and short answer. |
Criteria: |
|
A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.
Period and Topic | Activities |
Week 1: Introduction to cells and organs of the immune system |
e-Lectorial (workshop 1, Zoom), tutorial class (workshop 2) |
Week 2: Innate immunity and the complement system |
e-Lectorial (workshop 1, Zoom), laboratory class |
Week 3: Mucosal and skin immunity, recognition and response |
e-Lectorial (workshop 1, Zoom), tutorial class (workshop 2) |
Week 4: The major histocompatibility complex and antigen presentation |
e-Lectorial (workshop 1, Zoom), laboratory class |
Week 5: The genetic organisation and expression of B and T cell receptor genes |
e-Lectorial (workshop 1, Zoom), tutorial class (workshop 2) |
Week 6: B and T cell development |
e-Lectorial (workshop 1, Zoom), laboratory class |
Week 7: B and T cell activation and expression |
e-Lectorial (workshop 1, Zoom), tutorial class (workshop 2) |
Week 8: Effector responses of the adaptive immune system |
e-Lectorial (workshop 1, Zoom), laboratory class |
Week 9: Immune hypersensitivities |
e-Lectorial (workshop 1, Zoom), tutorial class (workshop 2) |
Week 10: Tolerance, autoimmunity and transplantation |
e-Lectorial (workshop 1, Zoom), laboratory class |
Week 11: Infectious diseases and vaccines |
e-Lectorial (workshop 1, Zoom), tutorial class (workshop 2) |
Week 12: Immunodeficiencies and cancer immunology |
e-Lectorial (workshop 1, Zoom), poster presentations |
Week 13: Revision |
e-Lectorial (workshop 1, Zoom), tutorial class (workshop 2) |
Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.
Please note that you need to have regular access to the resource(s) listed below. Resources may be required or recommended.
Required? | Author | Year | Title | Edition | Publisher |
Required | Jenni Punt, Sharon Stranford, Patricia Jones, Judith A Owen | 2018 | Kuby Immunology | 8th Edition | WH Freeman |
To complete this course, students will need personal protective equipment (PPE) to be used within the laboratory classes. This includes: a clean laboratory coat, fully-enclosed footwear and safety glasses. Students must present with this PPE to gain entry to laboratory classes and assessments. Students are required to complete the online Laboratory Induction prior to gaining entry to the laboratory
Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation. It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline. This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.
Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person. You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.
In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin. This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.
Eligibility for Supplementary Assessment Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying: The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4% The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale You have not failed an assessment task in the course due to academic misconduct
Late submission of assessment tasks may be penalised at the following maximum rate (the rates are cumulative): - 5% (of the assessment task's identified value) per day for the first two days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. - 10% (of the assessment task's identified value) for the third day - 20% (of the assessment task's identified value) for the fourth day and subsequent days up to and including seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. - A result of zero is awarded for an assessment task submitted after seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. Weekdays and weekends are included in the calculation of days late. To request an extension you must contact your course coordinator to negotiate an outcome.
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For help with course-specific advice, for example what information to include in your assessment, you should first contact your tutor, then your course coordinator, if needed.
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