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MC5009: CURRENT MICROBIOLOGY (2021-2022)

Last modified: 31 May 2022 13:05


Course Overview

This course will provide students with microbiology knowledge for further advanced studies and will provide training in microbiological laboratory techniques. At the end of this course students will have an understanding of microbes associated with health and disease (including bacteria, fungi and viruses), academic understanding of laboratory techniques required for the culture, identification and characterisation of microbes, and increased confidence in reading and critiquing primary research literature.



Course Details

Study Type Postgraduate Level 5
Session First Sub Session Credit Points 15 credits (7.5 ECTS credits)
Campus Aberdeen Sustained Study No
Co-ordinators
  • Dr Donna M. Maccallum

What courses & programmes must have been taken before this course?

  • One of Master Of Science In Immunology And Immunotherapy or Master Of Science In Biotechnology And Bioinformatics or MSc Microbiology or Master Of Science In Industrial Biotechnology

What other courses must be taken with this course?

None.

What courses cannot be taken with this course?

None.

Are there a limited number of places available?

No

Course Description

The aim of this course is to provide students with microbiology knowledge and experience for further advanced studies and will provide training in microbiological laboratory techniques and experimental design.

Lectures will cover basic microbiology and microbes associated with health and disease.

Practical classes will cover selective culturing of microorganisms, Gram staining, other techniques and microscopy to characterise microorganisms, tests to assist in identification of species, and antimicrobial drug susceptibility testing.

Journal clubs will be held on a weekly basis and will be used to encourage students to engage with current scientific literature and to become confident in critiquing the information.

Students will be assessed by two class tests (MCQs and short answer questions), preparing a grant proposal and a final end-of-course short answer question exam paper.


Contact Teaching Time

Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.

Teaching Breakdown

More Information about Week Numbers


Details, including assessments, may be subject to change until 31 August 2023 for 1st half-session courses and 22 December 2023 for 2nd half-session courses.

Summative Assessments

Alternative Assessment

2x 15% Online Multiple Choice Question Assessment

20% Online Short Answer Question Test

50% Grant Application to Plan a Project

Alternative Resit Assessment

30 minute oral exam examining all ILOs. Two examiners would be present.

Formative Assessment

There are no assessments for this course.

Course Learning Outcomes

Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
ReflectionEvaluateIncreased confidence in reading and critiquing primary research literature
ConceptualUnderstandUnderstanding of microbes associated with health and disease, including bacteria,fungi and viruses
ProceduralApplyPractical and academic understanding of laboratory techniques required for theculture, identification and characterisation of microbes.
ProceduralCreateCreate a grant application based upon the techniques, analyses and results obtained during the practical sessions and from knowledge obtained in lectures and journal club

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