Life Sciences Degrees
Further information about the degrees offered in Life Sciences can be obtained from the academic co-ordinators of the individual courses or from Leah Anderson.
Structure of Life Sciences Degrees
One of the aims of the final year is to prepare you for the years following graduation. The teaching will be structured differently, and you will be encouraged to work independently. We expect you to develop a breadth to your thinking and writing. This is the time to bring together knowledge gained throughout your university career, looking for general principles which can be used productively. This mature approach should be expressed in your coursework, project report and examination answers. The key to success in final year is good time-management.
Final Year Structure
Component courses
The five component courses which make up the final year of your programme are:
- 1 x project or dissertation course (40 credits)
- 1 x the core course for your programme (20 credits)
- 3 x Honours options (3 x 20-credits)
| Semester | Day | Course block | Suffix on Course Name |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1 1 1 1 1 |
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday |
Core block
S1 option block |
"...4X core"
"...4Y option" |
|
2 2 2 2 2 |
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday |
S2-A option block S2-B option block S2-E option block S2-C option block S2-D option block |
"…4A option" "…4B option" "…4E option" "…4C option" "…4D option" |
Project
You should devote three days per week to the research phase of the project, normally all-day Tuesday, Wednesday AM and all day Thursday during 10 weeks of Semester 1. The remaining half day can be undertaken Monday and/or Friday and/or Wednesday PM, depending on your own taught course timetable and the nature of your project.
Honours Options
You take three Honours options in total: one in Semester 1 and two in Semester 2.
The Semester 1 options are usually taught on Fridays, and you choose one option from the 4Y list.
Semester 2 options are arranged in five blocks, one for each day of the week (4A, 4B, 4C, 4D and 4E options). You choose two options from these five blocks, but no more than one for any block.
Once enrolment opens in August, you choose the options that you wish to study in final year. Please note that the list of offered Honours options changes slightly each year as options are introduced, withdrawn or moved to a different block.
Available option choices
You do not have complete free choice when choosing options. The following factors determine which options you can take.
- Each programme specifies which options are compulsory and recommended for that programme. You must choose options which satisfy the stated Requirements for your programme.
- In addition, each option specifies restrictions on admission (“Requirements of Entry” or “Enrolment Requirements”) to ensure that only students with the necessary academic background can enrol on that option. A few options allow any Life Sciences final-year student to enrol while other options only accept enrolment from students registered for a particular programme or set of programmes (for example Behavioural Ecology 4B option specifies the following: “Normally, only available to final-year Life Sciences students in the Animal Biology group programmes”).
- A few options require you to apply in advance during Year 3. You cannot take one of these options if you have not been approved in advance.
- Most options limit the number of students that may enrol. Enrolment is on a first-come, first-served basis.
- An option may be cancelled if too few students wish to do it or if there are other circumstances which mean an option cannot run.
Honours Project or Dissertation
You undertake a piece of independent work in final year, either a project or a dissertation. University regulations stipulate that you MUST obtain at least D3 in the “independent work” course for an Honours degree to be awarded.
There are four types of projects within the Life Sciences portfolio:
- Investigative (both laboratory-based “wet” projects and traditional “dry” projects)
- Dissertation
- Outreach (both School and Public Engagement)
- Internship *
* Although the Internship type of project is available in theory to students on any programme, this will depend on internships being offered which are suitable to the programme.
It may not be possible to allocate projects in line with your aspirations, but staff seek to maximise each student’s preference. Your grades from Year 3 may be considered when project allocations are being made.
SUBJECTS AVAILABLE FOR STUDY
Anatomical Sciences
Co-ordinator:
Dr Emma Bailey
tel: +44 (0)141 330 1699
The Anatomical Sciences course for intercalating students runs in parallel with our BSc (Honours) and MSci in Anatomy programmes. Most of the teaching is delivered in the form of lectures and tutorials, however, there is great emphasis on all our students to build on this material through further independent learning.
Our students select four taught courses from the Life Sciences catalogue, which they will study in Semesters 1 and 2. These courses focus on particular areas of anatomical research. The Core Skills for Modern Anatomists 4X course runs in Semester 1 and is designed to broaden your scientific knowledge and develop your skills in critically appraising the scientific literature. All students will undertake a research project, giving them experience in a range of techniques used by modern anatomists including human dissection, histology, immunohistochemistry, light, confocal and electron microscopy and other imaging methods. Intercalating students will also participate in a course designed specifically for them: Scientific Skills for Intercalating Students. Here, you will learn about data handling, develop your understanding of statistics, and participate in regular group presentations.
Biochemistry
Co-ordinator:
Dr Brian Hudson
tel: +44 (0)141 330 7160
Biochemistry concerns the study of proteins, nucleic acids, cellular organisation and energy metabolism and plays a central role in modern medicine both in its clinical practice and in the fundamental molecular understanding of the operation of the body in health and disease. Furthermore, modern Biochemistry underpins the development of therapeutic targets and understanding of their mechanism in pathophysiological states. All of the teaching places an emphasis on the development of key generic skills including report writing, data analysis, problem solving and oral communication, thereby complimenting other skills developed among the group of intercalated degree students in the common course.
Students initially take the core Central Approaches in Biochemistry 4X course, which is designed to provide students with a thorough background in basic concepts in modern biochemistry, coupled to a detailed theoretical background in addition to the broader scientific skills needed for the coming year.
In semester 1, students will undertake an investigative project in a research laboratory for 10-weeks or dissertation in which they are supervised by an academic drawn from the College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences. The project report is assessed in Semester 2.
Genetics
Co-ordinator:
Dr Tom Van Agtmael
tel: +44 (0)141 330 6200
The application of molecular genetics in the fields of medicine and healthcare has been one of the major growth areas of the last decade and will continue to grow. It provides new insights into the most fundamental aspects of growth, development, disease and ageing. Already we are seeing tangible rewards through the development of improved diagnostic techniques and novel therapies based on genetics, DNA sequencing and gene therapy. Despite the achievements, these advances represent only the tip of the iceberg. Not only should medical students be aware of the revolution that is taking place, it is expected that this application of genetics will play a significant role in any future clinical research and practice. The intercalated degree course in Genetics provides you with a firm grounding and a critical understanding of likely future developments to help you prepare for the personalised precision medicine of the future.
Students take the compulsory course "Current Topics in Genetics course (CTiG)" that introduces students to current research in selected areas of Genetics. The aim is for students to develop a deep understanding of the state and practice of modern Genetics research such as genomics, RNA biology, epigenetics etc. This is achieved through reading of the primary research articles as the course is geared towards the latest research. The course primarily involves student-centred, active learning, supplemented with limited didactic teaching but only as required. Group work and presentations will feature heavily. Significant preparation work (pre-session reading and inter-session work) and individual study will be required most weeks.
This compulsory course is combined with 3 option courses that the student chooses. Courses include Human Molecular Genetics (Mendelian disorders), Genetics of Complex Traits and Diseases (genetics of diseases such as stroke/diabetes etc), DNA (molecular biology of DNA including manipulation of DNA), Genes & Development (genetic/molecular mechanisms of select biological processes across different species). There is also the potential to incorporate data analysis-focused courses such as Statistics for Life Sciences and Bioinformatics that will enable students to graduate with a degree in Genetics with Data Science.
Microbiology
Co-ordinator:
Dr Nicola Veitch
tel: +44 (0)141 330 5143
Microbiology is the study of all aspects of microorganisms, which include bacteria, viruses, algae, fungi and protozoa. Some of these are agents of infectious disease; others play essential roles in maintenance of the biosphere. Students taking an intercalated BSc (MedSci) or BSc (DentSci) degree in Microbiology develop not only specific knowledge of selected topics in microbiology, but also a liberal appreciation of how science operates and how a biological scientist gains an understanding of nature through thinking, reading, discussion, literature searching, research and data analysis.
Microbiology is one of the programmes delivered by the School of Infection and Immunity. In semester 1, all Microbiology students take the Core Skills in Microbiology 4X course, designed to provide a firm grounding in the broader scientific skills needed for the coming year and for onwards progression in science. Alongside this course, students may choose from one of the following
• Industrial and Environmental Microbiology 4Y
• Molecular and Cellular Microbiology 4Y
• Business in Bioscience 4Y
• Statistics for the Life Sciences 4Y
In semester 2, two of the following courses can be selected
• Emerging Viruses 4A
• Chemotherapy, Resistance and Parasite Control 4B
• Bioinformatics and Data Analysis using R 4B
• Medical Virology 4C
• Grand Challenges in Medical Microbiology 4D
• Statistics for the Life Sciences 4E
In the summer prior to the intercalated year, students will be offered a choice of 10-week research projects in which they are guided by an academic project supervisor from the College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences during semester 1. An investigative research project affords students the opportunity to develop practical laboratory skills related to medical microbiology and also to experience the workings of a research laboratory. Alternatively, projects can take the form of a supervised dissertation on a topic of interest to the student, or schools outreach, public engagement or an internship within a local company. The project is assessed via a written report and an oral presentation, delivered during the Level 4 pre-Christmas retreat to the Field Studies Council at Millport on the beautiful Isle of Cumbrae.
Molecular & Cellular Biology
Co-ordinator:
Dr Mathis Riehle
tel: +44 (0)141 330 2931
The techniques and concepts of Molecular & Cellular Biology are leading a dramatic acceleration in our understanding of fundamental cellular processes. Including the fruits of the human and other genome projects, the new knowledge gained will revolutionise prevention, diagnosis and therapy in many areas of medicine during the careers of today's students. Central to these spectacular developments are methods of isolating, sequencing and manipulating genes, which in the test-tube provide fast routes to synthesis of proteins and determination of their structures. Expression of the genes, subject to precisely-controlled variation, in animal cells in culture, and in transgenic animals, allows detailed investigation of the roles of specific proteins in normal processes and diseases.
Pharmacology
Co-ordinator:
Dr Simon Kennedy
tel: +44 (0)141 330 4763
Students will be introduced to the principles of Pharmacology through in-depth investigation of specific areas of pharmacological interest and a research project assigned within MVLS which can be a practical project within an active research group. The degree will build on the expertise in pharmacology gained within the first years of the MBChB course and extend knowledge in specific areas of pharmacology to the forefront of research thinking. Students initially take the Core Skills in Pharmacology (Drug Discovery & Development) 4X course, as well as one other taught course in Semester 1, followed by two taught courses in Semester 2. Options available include: Cancer Immunopharmacology, CNS Neurotransmitter and Drug Development, Cardiovascular Pharmacology & Therapeutics and Cell Signalling & Disease.
These options take up ~2 days/ week and the remaining time will be devoted to a research project in the first semester which can be either laboratory- or non-laboratory-based (current non-laboratory-based projects include analysis/interpretation of data, library projects, computer-based and commercial projects). The second semester includes coursework on data analysis and presentation.