University of St Andrews

Programme Specification for Bachelor of Science (Honours) Biochemistry

Awarding institution:	University of St Andrews
Teaching institution:	University of St Andrews
Programme type:	Undergraduate
Programme title:	Biochemistry
Faculty:	Faculty of Science
School:	School of Biology
Language of study:	English
Programme length:	4 years
SCQF credit level:	Level 10
UCAS code:	C700
Contact details:	See the School of Biology website at http://biology.st-andrews.ac.uk/ For further details about this programme contact biology@st-andrews.ac.uk or biodot@st-andrews.ac.uk
Admissions criteria:	ABBB/BBBBB Highers ABC/BBB A-levels 31 IB points
Accreditation details:	None known
QAA benchmarks:	For general QAA information on academic infrastructure see http://www.qaa.ac.uk/academicinfrastructure/default.asp For subject specific benchmarking see http://www.qaa.ac.uk/academicinfrastructure/benchmark/honours/biosciences.pdf
Date(s)of production:	June 2009
Date(s)of revision:
Authorised by:	Dr Rona Ramsay
Route code:	USHFBCHSBCH

Educational aims of programme

This programme will involve study of Biochemistry at an advanced, research-led level in which students will gain an understanding of how knowledge is created, advanced and renewed. The programme will encourage in all students a desire to pursue learning with curiosity, integrity, tolerance and intellectual rigour.

Programme outcomes / Graduate attributes

In the course of this programme students will develop programme-specific skills. On completing the programme students should be able to demonstrate the graduate attributes outlined below.

a) Intellectual skills and attributes

• Creativity and originality
• Curiosity and an enquiring mind
• Deductive reasoning
• Direct engagement with current research and developments in the subject
• Discipline specific technical abilities
• Independence of thought
• Numeracy
• Quantitative and Qualitative methods of analysis
• Identification of goals
• Planning and strategy
• Taking responsibility
• Objectives orientation; focus on goals
• Adaptability in response to developments and feedback
• Delivery of outcomes to time and scale demands
• Self motivation and independence
• Self-reflection

b) Transferable skills

• Audio-Visual presentations
• Oral presentations
• Written material
• Team working
• Active engagement
• Initiative

Teaching, Learning and Assessment strategies

The skills and graduate attributes listed above will be accomplished through delivery of the following teaching, learning and assessment strategies appropriate to the programme aims.

a) Teaching and Learning

Students will engage with independent and group study in a supportive framework of teaching and learning. The strategy is to use methods of teaching and assessment that will facilitate learning appropriate to the aims of joint degree programmes. The following methods will be employed where appropriate to the level of study and the particular content of each module in the programme.

• Demonstrations
• Dissertation
• Independent study activities (supervised and unsupervised)
• Laboratory work
• Lectures
• Practical work
• Problem solving in laboratory style environment
• Project work
• Seminars
• Small group discussion tutorials
• Tutorials

b) Material submitted for assessment

Assessment can be a blend of diagnostic work to determine student needs, formative work submitted for assessment and feedback (but not necessarily for academic credit) or summative work submitted for academic credit.

Continuous assessment

• AV media presentations
• Class tests
• Data analysis exercises
• Essays, dissertations (short and long)
• Laboratory reports
  
• Oral presentations
• Poster presentations
• Practical reports

End of semester examinations

• Seen examinations in which students are told the questions in advance but still attend an examination to complete the assessment
• Unseen written examination - standard end of module examinations (including for example, multiple choice questionnaires, multiple short answer questions, essays)
• Viva voce examinations

c) Learning and Teaching support

Students' scholarship skills (in, for example, academic writing, information gathering and academic conduct) will be supported and developed through this programme. The following will be available, where appropriate to the level of study and the particular content of each module in the programme.

• Access to specialist University support units
• Class handouts/handbooks
• eLearning - web-based and via the virtual learning environment (VLE)
• Feedback on work submitted (in accordance with School and University policies)
• School guidelines for good scholarship
• Library support
• Recommended reading lists and booklets (for the programme and specific modules and courses)

Programme structure

This is a four-year programme of study leading to the degree of Bachelor of Science (Honours). As with all St Andrews programmes, it is made up of credit bearing modules. Students must earn 480 credits over the duration of the programme, with 120 credits normally earned each academic year. Typically, the first two years of study include core modules specific to the programme as well as other modules chosen from a range of options (in some cases, including modules from a different Faculty). The remaining years offer advanced research-led learning through modules that provide a programme-specific curriculum.

For information about core and optional modules for each programme, please consult the Course Catalogue, which can be found at http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/admissions/ug/Choosingyourdegree/Coursecatalogue/. This catalogue describes the detailed structure of the course and the contents of all the modules that can be included in the programme. Teaching, learning and assessment are progressive, with both the content and methods of delivery changing to suit the increasing level of complexity in the material, and independence of students, as they work through the programme.

Distinctive programme features

Distinctive features of this programme include a broad foundation across the range of Biology. The programme progresses to biochemistry with molecular biology with options across a range of cellular topics, and incorporates substantial practical laboratory training and development of quantitative skills. Students can expect to have the opportunity to engage with a number of specialist topics that reflect the research interests of the Centre for Biomolecular Sciences including for example, protein structure and function, gene regulation, bioenergetics, and drug design.