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Course Outline

MBT361 Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology

Course Coordinator:Dilber Kurtboke (ikurtbok@usc.edu.au) School:School of Science, Technology and Engineering

2026Trimester 1

UniSC Sunshine Coast

UniSC 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 unisc.edu.au for up to date information on the
teaching sessions and campuses where this course is usually offered.

What is this course about?

Description

Microbial products such as antibiotics, microbial enzymes and bio-fuels contribute to global health and development. This course provides an overview of the diversity of microorganisms and their metabolic activities such as the microbial productsof major social, economic and environmental importance. Laboratory practicals in this course complement the theory through testing microbial compounds, their effects on pathogens and their hydrolytic and degradative effects. Gain of laboratory skills is an essential component of the course as well as understanding the theory behind each experiment.

How will this course be delivered?

Activity Hours Beginning Week Frequency
Blended learning
Learning materials – Asynchronous learning material 1hr Week 1 12 times
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – Tutorial 1 (online) 1hr Week 1 12 times
Tutorial/Workshop 2 – Tutorial 2 (face to face) 1hr Week 1 12 times
Laboratory 1 – Laboratory sessions 3hrs Week 3 6 times

Course Topics

The Big Picture; Applied and Environmental Microbiology and its place in sustainable global development

Biodiscovery of novel therapeutic agents and alternative therapies to combat superbugs

Marine biodiscovery and extremophiles and extremozymes

Bioremediation and biological control to replace environmentally hazardous chemicals

Microbial enzymes and industrial applications

Waste treatment, composting and landfills

Biofuels and bio-metallurgy

Advanced laboratory skills, ethics, communication and professionalism

What level is this course?

300 Level (Graduate)

Demonstrating coherence and breadth or depth of knowledge and skills. Independent application of knowledge and skills in unfamiliar contexts. Meeting professional requirements and AQF descriptors for the degree. May require pre-requisites where discipline specific introductory or developing knowledge or skills is necessary. Normally undertaken in the third or fourth full-time study year of an undergraduate program.

What is the unit value of this course?

12 units

How does this course contribute to my learning?

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 Demonstrate and apply theoretical and practical knowledge of:production and large-scale applications of microbial metabolitesinnovative approaches & strategies for discovering products of social, economic and environment importance Knowledgeable
Empowered
Sustainability-focussed
2 Critically analyse data generated by isolating and testing microbial compounds to determine:their beneficial and detrimental effects their large-scale use for environmental regional and global sustainabilitypossible implications for decision making & new biotechnologies Knowledgeable
Empowered
Sustainability-focussed
3 Demonstrate advanced laboratory skills and biosafety adhering to ethical codes of conduct in data collection and analysis Knowledgeable
Empowered
Ethical

Am I eligible to enrol in this course?

Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.

Pre-requisites

MBT263 or LFS261

Co-requisites

Not applicable

Anti-requisites

MBT363 or MBT364

Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)

Competent laboratory skills and scientific report writing

Microcredential Information

Not applicable

How am I going to be assessed?

Grading Scale

Standard Grading (GRD)

High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL).

Details of early feedback on progress

A formative exam will take place in week 4 covering the first 3 weeks of learning material of the course, this early assessment item will prepare students to the mid-term exam. In addition, in weeks 5-7 of the trimester students will be provided additional information on the laboratory report writing.

Assessment tasks

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 Quiz/zes Individual 0% 
1 hour
 Week 4 Online Test (Quiz)
All 2 Examination - not Centrally Scheduled Individual 20% 
2 hours
 Week 7 In Class
All 3 Practical / Laboratory Skills Individual 50% 
a] 30 min online quiz 
b] A lab report to be constructed in week 11 during the last laboratory session (1.5h).
 Throughout teaching period (refer to Format) In Class
All 4 Examination - Centrally Scheduled Individual 30% 
2 hours
 Exam Period Online Test (Quiz)
All - Assessment Task 1:Early Assessment Quiz
Goal: 
This is an important quiz that has been specifically designed to expose you to the key foundational theoretical knowledge you need in this course.This formative quiz directly relates and assists you to be successful for the mid-term exam. Covers the contents of the learning material from weeks 1-3
Product: Quiz/zes
Authorship Statement:
Format: 
Online 40 multiple choice questions.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
antibiotics and resistance issues and the search for new microbial bioactive metabolites
 1
2 
alternative approaches and strategies to combat infectious diseases
 1
3 
types of microbial metabolites and principles of fermentation
 1
4 
Assessment criteria are mapped to the course learning outcomes.
 1
Generic Skills: 
Communication, Information literacy
All - Assessment Task 2:Mid-term exam
Goal: 
This exam will allow you to demonstrate your knowledge of principles and strategies related to applications of microbiology (learning materials covered in weeks 1 to 6). Key ideas here will be theoretical and practical knowledge of production and large-scale applications of microbial metabolites innovative approaches & strategies for discovering products of social, economic and environmental importance.
Product: Examination - not Centrally Scheduled
Authorship Statement:
Format: 
in class written exam with five essay questions, 20 marks each covering the contents of lectures 1-6.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Demonstration and application of theoretical knowledge of:
i) principles of fermentation 
ii) strategies and current issues related to bioremediation
 1
2 
Critical interpretation of information on:
i) effectiveness of current antibiotic discovery strategies 
ii) large scale production and application of microbial products in industrial context
 1
Generic Skills: 
Communication, Problem solving, Applying technologies, Information literacy
All - Assessment Task 3:Laboratory Portfolio
Goal: 
This assessment has been designed for you to specifically develop your competencies in the laboratory - which is an essential skill for Biomed students and for many other disciplines in science, business and education. At the end of the course you should have graduate level competence in lab skills.
Product: Practical / Laboratory Skills
Authorship Statement:
Format: 
Laboratory quizzes (20%): 30 min 20 multiple choice questions online exam on the last day of the week after completion of each practical at both SD and MB Campuses. Only students who actively participated in the laboratory activity can take these quizzes as a quiz cannot be taken in absentia. Due to the resource issues catch ups cannot be provided for the missed lab sessions. Laboratory report (30%): A report will be constructed from practical #1 (Assessment the effectivity of Antibiotics produced by Actinomycetes) in the final practical (week 11, 1.5hrs). Guidelines will be provided by the course coordinator.
Submission due: Quizzes - week 3,5,7,9,11. Report - Week 11, in the last laboratory session.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Demonstration and application of theoretical and practical knowledge gained in the practicals Interpretation and analysis of data and related information (e.g. actinomycetes, bacteriophages, microbial enzymes, plant pathogenic fungi)
 2 3
2 
Interpretation and analysis data and related information (e.g. actinomycete isolations from environment, cfu calculations)
 2 3
3 
Application of ethical codes of conduct to work safely while gaining laboratory skills and collecting data
 2 3
4 
Scientific communication
 2 3
Generic Skills: 
Communication, Problem solving, Organisation, Information literacy
All - Assessment Task 4:Final Exam
Goal: 
This exam will allow you to demonstrate your knowledge of principles and strategies related to applications of microbiology (learning materials covered in weeks 7 to 12). Key ideas here will be theoretical and practical knowledge of: production and large-scale applications of microbial metabolites innovative approaches & strategies for discovering products of social, economic and environmental importance.
Product: Examination - Centrally Scheduled
Authorship Statement:
Format: 
Online 80 multiple choice questions
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Application of theoretical and practical knowledge of:
i) production of microbial metabolites
ii) innovative approaches and strategies for discovering products of social, economic and environment importance (e.g. biofuels, enzymes)
 1
2 
Critical analysis of data generated by isolating and testing microbial compounds to determine:
i) their effects on environmental regional and global sustainability
ii) possible implications for decision making and new biotechnologies
 1
Generic Skills: 
Communication, Problem solving, Applying technologies, Information literacy

Directed study hours

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.

What resources do I need to undertake this course?

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.

Prescribed text(s) or course reader

You need regular access to the resource(s) below. Many texts are available as ebooks through the Library at no additional cost.

Required? Author Year Title Edition Publisher
Required Michael J. Waites, Neil L. Morgan, John S. Rockey, Gary Higton 0 Industrial Microbiology Latest edition Wiley-Blackwell
Recommended James G. Cappuccino, Chad T. Welsh 0 Microbiology Latest Edition Benjamin Cummings
Recommended Ronald M. Atlas, Richard Bartha 0 Microbial Ecology Latest Edition Benjamin Cummings
Recommended Ian L. Pepper,Charles P. Gerba,Terry J. Gentry 0 Environmental Microbiology Latest Edition Academic Press

Specific requirements

Protective clothing for laboratory and strict adherence to the laboratory safety guidelines. Students fail to adhere the code or do not present a hard copy of their online laboratory safety quiz results in the first laboratory practical will not be admitted to the laboratory.

How are risks managed in this course?

Risk assessments have been performed for all laboratory classes and a moderate level of health and safety risk exists. Moderate risks are those associated with laboratory work such as working with chemicals and hazardous substances. You will be required to undertake laboratory induction training and it is also your responsibility to review course material, search online, discuss with lecturers and peers and understand the health and safety risks associated with your specific course of study and to familiarise yourself with the University’s general health and safety principles by reviewing the online induction training for students, and following the instructions of the University staff

What administrative information is relevant to this course?

Assessment: Academic Integrity

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.

Assessment: Additional Requirements

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

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

Assessment: Submission penalties

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

Links to relevant University policy and procedures

For more information on Academic Learning & Teaching categories including:

  • Assessment: Courses and Coursework Programs
  • Review of Assessment and Final Grades
  • Supplementary Assessment
  • Central Examinations
  • Deferred Examinations
  • Student Conduct
  • Students with a Disability

For more information, visit https://www.usc.edu.au/explore/policies-and-procedures#academic-learning-and-teaching

Student Charter

UniSC is committed to excellence in teaching, research and engagement in an environment that is inclusive, inspiring, safe and respectful. The Student Charter sets out what students can expect from the University, and what in turn is expected of students, to achieve these outcomes.

General Enquiries

For course-specific questions, contact your teaching staff or Course Coordinator.  

For other enquiries or to access support, please contact Student Central: 

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