Introduction to Human Disease (C7139)

15 credits, Level 4

Autumn teaching

This module is an introductory module in microbiology and human diseases. The main aim is to introduce you to the fundamentals in microbiology and discuss key medical conditions thus laying the foundation for future courses. The first set of lectures will introduce you to prokaryotes, their classification, structure and genetic mechanisms, methods of identification including the use of staining and microscopy, culture media and biochemical tests, concept of asepsis and an introduction to viruses. Learning would be facilitated with the help of practical sessions in microbiology and regular feedback and assessment. In the second series of lectures, selected human conditions such as neurodegenerative diseases, chronic lung diseases and cancer will be taken in detail.

Contact hours and workload

This module is approximately 150 hours of work. This breaks down into about 35 hours of contact time and about 115 hours of independent study. The University may make minor variations to the contact hours for operational reasons, including timetabling requirements.

We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2023/24. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to COVID-19, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum. We’ll make sure to let our applicants know of material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.