An undergraduate course in Science.

Study for this course begins on 1 May in preparation for a one-week residential school in which you’ll undertake a laboratory-based intensive practical project, learning the methods and principles of investigating the molecular basis of human disease. You will study how variation or mutation at the gene level affects protein function, and whether this alteration can account for increased or decreased susceptibility to disease or infection. Essential preparatory work is assessed by a compulsory computer-marked assignment (CMA) before the first residential week. During the school your participation and performance will be assessed, you will give a short oral presentation during the week, and write a report afterwards on your experimental work. It’s a good idea to register early if you have a preferred date and venue, as unfortunately we can’t always offer your first choice.

Register for the course

What you will study

This 15-credit course requires study of preparatory material including reading that provides essential theoretical background to the project, and a ‘virtual experiment’, which will introduce you to the principles of experimental design and analysis and interpretation of results. It will be assessed by a compulsory CMA. Submission of this CMA by the given cut-off date is essential to pass the course.

During the residential week, you will use a variety of molecular biology techniques (such as DNA isolation, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA gel electrophoresis) to study specific genetic variations found in human cells. You will also investigate the consequences of any variation or mutation upon protein function, using sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS PAGE), western blotting and immunocytochemical techniques. Through this combination of study at the genetic, protein and cellular level, you will gain an understanding of how variation or mutation in genes can be identified. You will also discover how to investigate their effect on protein structure and function. 

The week in the laboratory at residential school in July/August is a core component of this course. Satisfactory attendance is required if you want to gain credit for this course. The cost of the residential school (excluding travel) is included in the course fee.

Entry

This course is suitable for anyone who is studying biological sciences at third-year degree level, either with The Open University or elsewhere, who would like to develop their knowledge of this aspect of biology and their laboratory techniques. This course builds on skills taught in our Level 1 residential school course Practising science (SXR103) and our discontinued Level 2 residential school course Investigative biology (SXR270) (previously coded SXR204). Molecular and cell biology (S377) and Biology: uniformity and diversity (S204) (now discontinued provide much of the necessary background biology on which SXR376 is based. If you already have some degree-level knowledge or experience in biological sciences, you may be able to complete SXR376 without taking our other courses. It is essential that you establish whether or not your background and experience give you a sound basis on which to tackle the course, since students who are appropriately prepared have the best chance of completing their studies successfully. The Science Faculty has produced a booklet Are You Ready For SXR376?, which can be viewed or printed, to help you to decide whether you already have the recommended background knowledge or experience to start the course or whether you need a little extra preparation. 

If you have any doubt about the suitability of the course, please contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service.

Regulations

As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the Module Regulations and the Student Regulations which are available on our Essential documents website.

If you have a disability or additional requirement

Support services will be available during the residential week, and every effort will be made to accommodate additional requirements. The laboratories and tutorial rooms are accessible to wheelchair users, but the site and design of the host institution’s buildings can present some problems, so please ask the Disability Resources Team for advice.

The health and safety of all our students is always our priority in the laboratories; for this reason it is essential that we know details of additional requirements well in advance.

The study materials contain complex visual material that is NOT accessible to screen-reading software. A text version of audio material is included on the CD-ROM.

The study materials are available in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). Components may not be available or fully accessible using a screen reader and mathematical, scientific, and foreign language materials may be particularly difficult to read in this way. The books are available in a comb-bound format. Our Services for disabled students website has the latest information about availability.

After you have registered you will receive detailed information about the residential schools site and the facilities available to help with the academic programme.

If you are a new student, or new to courses using a computer or the internet, you will need to inform us of your particular needs as soon as possible, as some of our support services may take several weeks to arrange. Details of how to do this and our range of support services are described in our publications Meeting Your Needs and Meeting your residential school needs. If you have concerns about taking this course or the support that you would have, please contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service or the Disability Resources Team for advice; the curriculum manager Terri Battrick would also like to hear from you to aid advance planning.

You can also find information about accessible study materials, the Disabled Students' Allowance, equipment and other services, on our Services for disabled students website. It also includes our contact details for advice and support both before you register and while you are studying.

Study materials

What's included

Preparatory reading, virtual experiment CD-ROM and a laboratory manual; one-week residential school for laboratory-based investigations and tuition, including evening tutorials and seminars.

You will need

A scientific calculator and a laboratory coat. Other protective equipment will be provided, although you may bring your own if you prefer.

Computing requirements

You will need a computer with internet access to study this course. It includes online activities – you can only access using a web browser with Flash and Java – and some course software provided on disk.

• If you have purchased a new desktop or laptop computer running Windows since 2006 you should have no problems completing the computer-based activities.
• If you’ve got a netbook, tablet or other mobile computing device check our Technical requirements section.
• If you have an Apple Mac or Linux computer – please note that you can only use it for this course by running Windows on it using Boot Camp or a similar dual-boot system.

You can also visit the Technical requirements section for further computing information including the details of the support we provide.

Teaching and assessment

Support from your tutor

You will have tuition from specialist tutors during each activity held at the residential school. There will be advice and support available from a study adviser via the course forums for the duration of the course.

Contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service if you want to know more about study with The Open University before you register.

Assessment

Both the preparatory and the residential components of the course are assessed. There is one compulsory computer-marked assignment (CMA) covering the preparatory material that MUST be submitted before the residential week in order to pass the course. You will be assessed on your laboratory work and the oral presentation of results that your group will give at the end of the week. There is an end-of-module assessment, in the form of a scientific report based on your laboratory work, to complete after the residential school. This is designed to test your understanding of the work that you have performed and your skills in scientific writing.

To pass the course you must pass all assessment components and attend the compulsory part of the residential school which includes some evening tutorials.

Future availability

The details given here are for the course that starts in May 2012 when it will be available for the last time.

Students also studied

Students who studied this course also studied at some time:

• Practising science (SXR103)
• Molecular and cell biology (S377)
• Human biology (SK277)
• Signals and perception: the science of the senses (SD329)
• Evolution (S366)

How to register

We regret that we are currently unable to accept registrations for this course. Where the course is to be presented again in the future, relevant registration information will be displayed on this page as soon as it becomes available.

Student Reviews

Distance learning

The Open University is the world’s leading provider of flexible, high quality distance learning. Unlike other universities we are not campus based. You will study in a flexible way that works for you whether you’re at home, at work or on the move. As an OU student you’ll be supported throughout your studies – your tutor will guide and advise you, offer detailed feedback on your assignments, and help with any study issues. Tuition might be in face-to-face groups, via online tutorials, or by phone.

For more information about distance learning at the OU read Study explained.

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Study explained

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