Researching biology and health science
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| 3 Tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) | |
| End-of-course assessment | No residential school |
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This course is available for study in the countries shown. Fees may vary by country.
Summary
This course, designed for students studying the Life Sciences degree programme, requires you to undertake individual investigations within a range of defined topics: stem cells, emerging infectious disease, the human senses and coevolution. The topic chosen depends on the Level 3 courses included in your degree profile. Investigations will be literature-based, so you’ll need access to scientific literature, probably from electronic library sources. The course materials provide a guide to planning and conducting project work; help with searching and using the literature; and writing a report. Tutor support will be provided by email and online forums – there is no face-to-face tuition.
Course content
Early in the course you will be guided by the course materials and by your tutor to select a specific aspect of your chosen topic to investigate in depth. Unless you have access to an academic library, you may find that you have to spend up to two-thirds of your time in the early part of the course online, identifying suitable material to inform your choice of project topic from the electronic journals available via the Open Library website. In discussion with your tutor, you will define your individual investigation that must cover the following four components: contextualisation, application or development, detailed analyses, and future directions.
Entry
This course is a Level 3 course. Level 3 courses build on study skills and subject knowledge acquired from previous studies at Levels 1 and 2. They are intended only for students who have recent experience of higher education in a related subject.
You should take the Science Project course at the end of your Science undergraduate degree, since you will need to apply knowledge and skills from your prior studies. Normally you should have passed at least 60 points of the Level 3 requirements for the BSc (Honours) Life Sciences (B28) before embarking on your project course.
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 your Science Level 3 Project Course? 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. This can be viewed or printed from the Science Faculty website.
If you have any doubt about the suitability of the course, please contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service.
Qualifications
SXL390 is an optional course in our
It can also count towards most of our other degrees at bachelors level, where it is equally appropriate to a BA or BSc. We advise you to refer to the relevant qualification descriptions for information on the circumstances in which this course can count towards these qualifications because from time to time the structure and requirements may change.
If you have a disability or additional requirement
The course materials are available on the course website in Adobe (PDF) format. 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. Large print versions of the course material can be provided on request. Other alternative formats may be available in the future. Our Services for disabled students website has the latest information about availability.
Your project requires you to complete an appropriate literature review. Many literature sources and parts of the course guidance are accessed electronically, and much of the contact with your tutor will be by email and online forums, so time spent using a computer and the internet will be considerable. If you use specialist hardware or software to assist you in operating a computer or the internet and have any concerns about accessing the Library's electronic databases or course materials you are advised to talk to our Student Registration & Enquiry Service before enrolling for the course about the support which can be given to meet your needs.
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 booklet Meeting your needs which you can download or request from our Student Registration & Enquiry Service.
You can also find information about accessible course 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.
Course materials
What's included
Printed materials, course website.
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 2002 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 initiate contact at key points during the course, will mark and comment on your written assignments, and whom you can ask for advice and guidance. Much of your contact with your tutor will be by email or online forums. There is no face-to-face tuition for this course. Contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service if you want to know more about study with The Open University before you register.
Assessment
The assessment details for this course can be found in the facts box above.
You must use the online eTMA system to submit your tutor-marked assignments (TMAs).
The TMAs help you to record progress with your investigation and build up the elements required for the project report. The project is a serious piece of science writing and comprises a substantial part of the end-of-course assessment (ECA). It must be word processed and submitted on paper. You will be expected to keep a log of your project work and to submit your cumulative log with your TMAs and the ECA.
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 February 2011. We expect it to be available once a year.
How to register
To register a place on this course return to the top of the page and use the Click to register button. For more information and advice about registration see OU Study Explained.
About this page
An undergraduate course in Health and Social Care and Science.
Study explained
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- Credit points
- - show how much study is required to complete a course or qualification. One credit point represents roughly 10 hours of study.
- Level
- - indicates how difficult a course is. Undergraduate study starts at Level 1.
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- - find out if you qualify for support with your fees with our eligibility checker.
- Study explained
- - all you need to know about studying with the OU.
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