Human biology
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This course presents human biology in a way that connects it directly with health and disease. It starts with the concept of a healthy body and explores the mechanisms that enable it to maintain its integrity. Although you’ll deal with the physiology of each body system separately, the overall emphasis is on interaction and coordination. You’ll acquire sufficient background to appreciate how systems can fail and which medical interventions can be successful. Entry to this course is open only to students doing the pre-registration nursing programme, who are sponsored by their employer and registered as part of a group.
Fees 2012
See fees and funding options for study from September 2012.
Course facts
An undergraduate course in Health and Social Care.
| About this course: | |
|---|---|
| Course code | SKYN277 |
| Credits | 30 |
| OU Level | 2 |
| SCQF level | 8 |
| FHEQ level | 5 |
| Course work includes: |
|---|
| 3 Tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) |
| Examination |
| No residential school |
Register for the course
This course is available for study in the countries shown. Fees and financial support may vary by country.
What you will study
This course is jointly produced by the Science Faculty and the Faculty of Health and Social Care. It presents the biological foundations of physiology and health as a dynamic process. The core of the course is concerned with an integrated study of human biology, drawing on the disciplines of anatomy, physiology, immunology, biochemistry, and endocrinology. It includes all the biological ‘facts and figures’ familiar from traditional courses in human biology, but they are presented as part of a functional account that is different from the usual format, which rarely assembles the parts into an integral human being. A distinctive feature of the course is a series of case reports integrated within each chapter; these reports explore individuals’ experiences associated with particular disease states.
The course is presented in four books, accompanied by a Study Guide and a range of other materials.
Book 1 begins with an introduction to the course, explaining both its scope and approach. It first discusses how living processes are maintained, before considering diet and nutrition in depth.
Book 2 looks at communication and control (nervous and endocrine systems), and responses to the world around us (sensory and musculo-skeletal systems).
Book 3 continues to guide us around the anatomy and physiology of body systems: circulation and respiration; fluid regulation and excretion; and responding to the non-self (the immune system).
Book 4 considers some of the challenges of life: obesity; sleep; stress; reproduction; and our varied responses to them in the context of genetic and environmental diversity.
Entry
Human biology (SKYN277) is not available as a stand-alone course.
To register for this course you must:
- be studying it as a module of the pre-registration nursing programme
- be sponsored by your employer and registered as part of a group.
As this course is offered only to students sponsored by their employers, no individual course fees apply.
This is a Level 2 course. It would be an advantage to have studied biology or human biology to GCSE or, preferably, A-level standard. In addition, you are expected to have the study skills appropriate to progress on a Level 2 course, and these can be acquired through achieving a pass in one of the University's Level 1 courses; we particularly recommend Introducing health sciences: a case study approach (SDK125), Exploring science (S104), or An introduction to health and social care (K101).
If you are not a student doing the pre-registration nursing programme but this course interests you, look at the details of Human biology (SK277), which is identical to SKYN277 and is open to you.
If you have any doubt about the suitability of the course, please contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service.
Preparatory work
Students who particularly wish to improve their study skills are advised to read The Sciences Good StudyGuide (1997) by A. Northedge, J. Thomas, A. Lane and A. Peasgood.
If you have a disability or additional requirement
Please note that this course makes substantial use of complex visual material and includes a significant number of interactive animations on CD-ROMs. You will need to spend considerable amounts of time using a personal computer and probably also the internet.
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 publication Meeting your needs.
You can also find information about accessible study materials, financial support and 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
Course books, study texts and other printed materials, CD-ROMs.
Computing requirements
This course includes online computer activities – you can access these using a web browser that can play Flash and Shockwave.
You will need internet access and a computer. If you have purchased a new computer since 2005 it should meet your course computing requirements. Check our Technical Requirements section if your computer is older than this or is otherwise unusual.
Teaching and assessment
Support from your tutor
You will have a tutor who will help you with the study material, encourage and moderate your tutor-group conference, mark and comment on your written work, and whom you can ask for advice and guidance. We may also be able to offer group tutorials or day–schools that you are encouraged, but not obliged, to attend. Where your tutorials are held will depend on the distribution of students taking the course. Contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service if you want to know more about study with the OU before you register.
Assessment
The assessment details for this course can be found in the facts box above.
You will be expected to submit your tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) online through the eTMA system unless there are some difficulties which prevent you from doing so. In these circumstances, you must negotiate with your tutor to get their agreement to submit your assignment on paper.
Professional recognition
This is one of a set of courses that together constitute an approved programme that leads to the professional qualification of Registered Nurse (Part 12: NMC (Part 1 on the new register from April 2004)).
Students also studied
Students who studied this course also studied at some time:
Future availability
The details given here are for the course that starts in October 2012. We expect it to be available once a year.
Fees 2012
See fees and funding options for study from September 2012.
Course facts
An undergraduate course in Health and Social Care.
| About this course: | |
|---|---|
| Course code | SKYN277 |
| Credits | 30 |
| OU Level | 2 |
| SCQF level | 8 |
| FHEQ level | 5 |
| Course work includes: |
|---|
| 3 Tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) |
| Examination |
| No residential school |
Study explained
- Financial support
- - find out if you qualify for support with your fees with our eligibility checker.
- Study explained
- - all you need to know about distance learning with the OU.
Course satisfaction survey
See the satisfaction survey results for this course.
Your questions
We may have already answered it in our frequently asked questions.
Or contact an adviser in our Student Registration & Enquiry Service Email or call +44(0) 845 300 60 90+44(0) 845 366 60 35
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