Advanced Seminars in Physiology (PHYS90008)

Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)

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Overview

Availability
Semester 1
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This subject uses Research Seminars as a vehicle to teach students the experimental approach to contemporary physiological questions. The seminars will be presented by a mixture of Physiology Department faculty, invited speakers from outside the department, and postgraduate students. The seminars will be chosen to cover each of the three main research areas of the department; Cardiovascular Physiology, Neurophysiology, and Muscle and Exercise Physiology. Students will engage with a diverse range of physiological questions and the experimental strategies used to address them. Students will learn to critique seminars and to focus on the scientific essentials, i.e. what question is being addressed? What led up to this question? What strategies are being used to answer the question, and how well have they succeeded? Three seminars will receive particular attention. Questions and recommended reading, set by the speaker, will be distributed several days in advance, to assist the student to start thinking along helpful lines before each of these three seminars. After attending each of these seminars, students will participate in workshops in which directed questions and structured discussion will be used to engage students further with the scientific issues arising from the seminars.

Intended learning outcomes

To develop student awareness and knowledge of how contemporary physiological questions are addressed in a broad range of sub-disciplines; To cultivate an appreciation and understanding of the major sub-disciplines of physiological research; To increase students’ knowledge of the experimental approaches and strategies used in different areas of physiology, and to think of ways that these could be applied to their own research projects; To teach students to think critically about the limitations and weaknesses that are associated with virtually all experimental strategies; To encourage students to conceptualize their own experimental strategies and approaches to physiological questions.

Generic skills

Analysing complex scientific issues.
Identifying critical and essential factors from a large body of information
Making a constructive critique of a scientific presentation
Performing written and oral communication skills at a high standard.
Contributing to intellectual discussion
Generating new ideas for scientific experiments

Last updated: 3 November 2022

Eligibility and requirements

Prerequisites

Students must be enrolled in the Bachelor of Biomedicine (Honours), Bachelor of Science (Honours) or Master of Science to complete this subject.

Code Name Teaching period Credit Points
BIOM40001 Introduction To Biomedical Research
February (On Campus - Parkville)
 12.5

Corequisites

Code Name Teaching period Credit Points
PHYS40005 Physiology Research Project Part 1
June (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
 25

Non-allowed subjects

None

Recommended background knowledge

Undergraduate 3 year sequence in relevant experimental science discipline.

Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)

The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.

Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home

Last updated: 3 November 2022

Assessment

Due to the impact of COVID-19, assessment may differ from that published in the Handbook. Students are reminded to check the subject assessment requirements published in the subject outline on the LMS

DescriptionTimingPercentage

Written assignments (three 1500-2000 word assignments, each worth 25%).

  • 4500-6000 words (total)
During the teaching period75%

Workshop presentations.

15%

Attendance at the weekly seminars.

Throughout the teaching periodN/A

Last updated: 3 November 2022

Dates & times

  • Semester 1
    Principal coordinatorMary Wlodek
    Mode of deliveryOn Campus (Parkville)
    Contact hours30
    Total time commitment170 hours
    Teaching period 2 March 2020 to 7 June 2020
    Last self-enrol date13 March 2020
    Census date30 April 2020
    Last date to withdraw without fail 5 June 2020
    Assessment period ends 3 July 2020

    Semester 1 contact information

    Subject Coordinator:

    Mary Wlodek

    m.wlodek@unimelb.edu.au 

    Administrative Coordination:

    BiomedSci-AcademicServices@unimelb.edu.au

     

     

Time commitment details

An estimated total time commitment of 170 hours (including non-contact time)

Last updated: 3 November 2022

Further information

  • Texts

    Prescribed texts

    No specific text. Recommended reading will be given with the pre-seminar questions for the three seminars used for assignments.

  • Subject notes

     

     

  • Related Handbook entries

    This subject contributes to the following:

    TypeName
    CourseMaster of Science (BioSciences)
    Informal specialisationBioSciences
    Informal specialisationPhysiology
    Informal specialisationBioSciences
    Informal specialisationPhysiology
  • Links to additional information

    http://www.physiology.unimelb.edu.au/

  • Available through the Community Access Program

    About the Community Access Program (CAP)

    This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.

    Please note Single Subject Studies via Community Access Program is not available to student visa holders or applicants

    Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.

  • Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students

    This subject is available to students studying at the University from eligible overseas institutions on exchange and study abroad. Students are required to satisfy any listed requirements, such as pre- and co-requisites, for enrolment in the subject.

Last updated: 3 November 2022