Course Coordinator:Georgia Kafer (gkafer@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.
Cell Biology explores the cellular foundation of life. You will explore the connection between the structure and function of cells (eukaryotic and prokaryotic), aspects of cellular evolution and the organisation and development of cells into primary tissues. The course offers you the opportunity to develop and demonstrate the skills important for scientific experimentation and investigation in the fields of science and biomedical science, including practical laboratory skills and science communication. It provides a strong foundation for further studies in physiology, molecular biology, and genetics relevant to biomedicine.
Activity | Hours | Beginning Week | Frequency |
Blended learning | |||
Learning materials – Online learning materials in a recorded format with interactive (H5P) modules and formative (revision) quizzes. | 2hrs | Week 1 | 13 times |
Tutorial/Workshop 2 – The weekly online sessions (also known as 'lectorials') allow you to engage with course academics. You will be guided through revision activities, the development of core skills for application in workshops and laboratory classes and also work through problems relating to theories learnt across the course. There is also 'open' time provided in these sessions for questions regarding all aspects of the course (including questions on course theory, skills and assessment). | 2hrs | Week 1 | 13 times |
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – Interactive small class workshops with skill development and collaborative learning. | 2hrs | Week 1 | 7 times |
Laboratory 1 – Science laboratory (wet labs) for collaborative learning and practical skill development. | 3hrs | Week 2 | 6 times |
100 Level (Introductory)
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 | Describe the basic structure and function of cells in living organisms. | Knowledgeable |
2 | Apply knowledge of cell structures and functions to solve problems. |
Knowledgeable Creative and critical thinker |
3 | Research, critically evaluate, and ethically present appropriate and relevant literature about cells in a creative and informative way. |
Knowledgeable Creative and critical thinker Ethical |
4 | Demonstrate the procedures for observing and recording biological specimens using compound light microscopy. |
Knowledgeable Empowered |
5 | Present results of an experiment in a standard scientific format. |
Knowledgeable Creative and critical thinker |
Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.
Not applicable
Not applicable
LFS101 or LFS103
Not applicable
Standard Grading (GRD)
High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL). |
This course will provide you with early feedback on your learning of cell biology topics and scientific skills. This feedback will be provided in the form of formative online quizzes and subsequent in class feedback on summative tasks from Week 2 onwards. In addition, there are weekly formative online quizzes (H5P) administered through online learning materials throughout semester. You can use the feedback provided to identify if you require additional support for your learning of cell biology.
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 | 1 | Portfolio | Individual and Group | 25% | Multiple elements, approximately 2-3 hours weekly. |
Throughout teaching period (refer to Format) | In Class |
All | 2 | Artefact - Creative, and Written Piece | Individual | 25% | Multiple elements equivalent to approx. 1000 words total. |
Refer to Format | Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check |
All | 3 | Examination - not Centrally Scheduled | Individual | 50% | This assessment has two components: Task 3A: Mid-Semester exam (60 minutes) Task 3B: End of semester exam (80 minutes) |
Refer to Format | Exam Venue |
All - Assessment Task 1:Theoretical and Practical Portfolio | |||||||||||||||||||
Goal: | For you to regularly engage in the theoretical and practical components of the course to facilitate your learning and skill development. |
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Product: | Portfolio | ||||||||||||||||||
Format: | This portfolio will include: Task 1A: Workshop preparation and participation (4%; Weeks 3,5,9,11) Task 1B: Laboratory class preparation and participation (6%; Weeks 2,4,6,8,10,12) Task 1C: In class (lab) graphing assessment (5%; Week 4) Task 1D: In class (lab) cell drawing assessment (5%; Week 6) Task 1E: In class (lab) zone diagram assessment (5%; Week 12) Please refer to the LFS100 assessment folder in Canvas for specific details for task description, format, marking rubrics and submission instructions. |
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Criteria: |
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Generic Skills: | Communication, Collaboration, Problem solving, Organisation, Applying technologies, Information literacy |
All - Assessment Task 2:Cell Specific Investigation (CSi) Assignment | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Goal: | This task is designed to help you explore the world of cells and how they are important for life. You will gain skills in searching for relevant academic literature, communicating in scientific language and creating figures to aid in scientific communication. You will revise and employ various concepts in cell biology and how they are important for cell structure and function. |
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Product: | Artefact - Creative, and Written Piece | |||||||||||||||||||||
Format: | This assignment consists of three parts: Task 2A: CSi Checkpoint (3%, Week 4) Task 2B: CSi Turnitin self-audit (2%, Monday of Week 10) Task 2C: CSi Final submission (20%, Friday of Week 10) Please refer to the LFS100 assessment folder in Canvas for specific details for task description, format, marking rubrics and submission instructions. |
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Criteria: |
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Generic Skills: | Communication, Problem solving, Applying technologies, Information literacy |
All - Assessment Task 3:Theory and Practical Examinations | ||||||||||||||||
Goal: | To assess your practical skills, understanding of and ability to apply knowledge of the theory of cell biology presented in the course. |
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Product: | Examination - not Centrally Scheduled | |||||||||||||||
Format: | This assessment has two components: Task 3A: Mid semester exam (20%, limited open book, held in class (Week 7 Workshop)). Task 3B: End of semester exam (30%, limited open book, held in class (Week 13 Workshop)). The mid semester exam (Task 3A) will allow you to demonstrate your knowledge, practical skills and understanding of topics including prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, the cell membrane, the introduction to cell metabolism, cell communication and the cell cycle. The end of semester exam (Task 3B) will allow you to demonstrate your knowledge, practical skills and understanding of topics including genetics and the basis of inheritance, molecular cell biology (DNA, RNA and protein), cells to tissues and the introduction to developmental cell biology. Both examinations will consist of various question types including multiple choice, fill in the blank and short answer style questions across both theory and practical elements of the course content. Further details will be provided on Canvas. |
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Criteria: |
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Generic Skills: | Communication, Problem solving |
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.
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 | n/a | 0 | Please note: choose one of the options below. If you are studying more biology courses you may want to choose the full text rather than the custom edition which only contains the reading for LFS100. | n/a | n/a |
Required | Urry LA, Meyers N, Cain ML, Wasserman SA, Minorsky PV, Orr RB, Burke da Silva K, Parkinson A, Lluka L and Chunduri P | 2021 | Campbell Biology | (12th Ed) | Pearson |
Required | Urry LA, Meyers N, Cain ML, Wasserman SA, Minorsky PV, Orr RB, Burke da Silva K, Parkinson A, Lluka L and Chunduri P. | 2022 | Cell Biology LFS 100 (Custom Edition) | (4th Ed) | n/a |
You must wear a lab coat, enclosed shoes, and safety glasses during laboratory classes. You must bring your own copy of the LFS100 Cell Biology Workbook: Workshop and Laboratory Manual to both laboratory and workshop classes. A bound copy of the workbook will be available for purchase from the UniSC MyPrint Shop, or alternatively, you may download a PDF copy from the Canvas course site, print the manual and bind it yourself.
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:
(a) The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4%; and
(b) The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale
Late submissions may be penalised up to and including the following maximum percentage of the assessment task’s identified value, with weekdays and weekends included in the calculation of days late:
(a) One day: deduct 5%;
(b) Two days: deduct 10%;
(c) Three days: deduct 20%;
(d) Four days: deduct 40%;
(e) Five days: deduct 60%;
(f) Six days: deduct 80%;
(g) Seven days: A result of zero is awarded for the assessment task.The following penalties will apply for a late submission for an online examination:
Less than 15 minutes: No penalty
From 15 minutes to 30 minutes: 20% penalty
More than 30 minutes: 100% penalty
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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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To book a confidential appointment go to Student Hub, email studentwellbeing@usc.edu.au or call 07 5430 1226.
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