PHYSIOL 399 : Capstone: Physiology

Medical and Health Sciences

2020 Semester Two (1205) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Advancements in science come through integrating knowledge and excellence in experimental design. Students will integrate and communicate knowledge attained during their physiology degree by developing a research proposal. Working in small groups, and in research group placements will explore scientific knowledge, and experimental design, as well as wider issues such as ethics, health economics, and Māori and Pasifika health advancement.

Course Overview

Capstone course is designed to bring closure to the physiology major and provide students with the opportunity to apply and integrate the knowledge and skills they have acquired in a comprehensive and challenging course. The common expectation for these courses is that students learn independently, and synthesize material from previous physiology classes with new material presented in the Capstone course. 

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: 30 points at Stage III in Physiology Restriction: BIOMED 399, PHARMCOL 399

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice
Capability 2: Critical Thinking
Capability 3: Solution Seeking
Capability 4: Communication and Engagement
Capability 6: Social and Environmental Responsibilities
Graduate Profile: Bachelor of Science

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Develop and undertake an academic research project by conceptualising a problem with reference to physiology using appropriate research methodology. (Capability 1, 2 and 6)
  2. Gain practical skills and experience by acquiring essential empirical resources to conduct the research. (Capability 1, 2, 3 and 4)
  3. Expand and enhance communication skills to disseminate research findings among academic and public communities. (Capability 4)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Literature Review 25% Individual Coursework
Research Proposal 45% Individual Coursework
Poster Presentation 15% Group & Individual Coursework
Discussions 5% Group Coursework
Reflection Journal 10% Individual Coursework
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3
Literature Review
Research Proposal
Poster Presentation
Discussions
Reflection Journal
We expect you to meet the deadlines for assignments. It is vital to establish good time-keeping skills to meet the deadlines for assignments.
Penalties for missing the deadlines
Other than under exceptional circumstances, assignments will have marks deducted for each day they are late (10%).

Learning Resources

For each refresher tutorial session, we will provide general  objectives to help focus your study. We have a recommended text to assist in revision of basic physiology covered across your studies thus far. If this text does not work for you, the library holds many more that may better suit. The more detailed knowledge required for the course will be found in specialist literature: books, reviews and original scientific papers. 
We highly recommend reading latest scientific papers presented during the "refresher" tutorial  sessions or suggested in the readings. You will have a much better outcome if you expand from what is presented in the 2 hourly tutorial sessions.

Course Contacts

Course Director
Dr. Joanne Davidson
joanne.davidson@auckland.ac.nz
extn: 89659

Course Coordinator
Anuj Bhargava
a.bhargava@auckland.ac.nz
extn: 86200

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect 2 hours of small group "refresher" tutorials, 3 hours of reading and thinking about the content and 5 hours of work on assignments and/or test preparation.

Other Information

At the end of this course, students should be able to:
demonstrate knowledge about experimental design, problem solving, data analysis and statistics, and analysis of scientific literature, and critical assessment of wider societal issues related to research such as human and animal ethics, health economics, and Māori and Pacifica health advancement and workforce development. Demonstrate communication skills in written and oral presentation of their work and in small group and research group placements.

Digital Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Session slides will be uploaded on CANVAS, where applicable: it is the policy of the Department of Physiology not to automatically provide lecture Powerpoints on Canvas. Guests contributing to the course may choose to do so, but this is at their discretion. They will either be put up prior to the lecture or just after the session

NO CELLPHONES ARE ALLOWED IN THE LABORATORY VISIT SESSIONS.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. Further information can be obtained from: http://www.auckland.ac.nz/teachingandlearning/ (Students - Plagiarism and Cheating section).
If you are under pressure or stressed by deadlines, discuss this with the Course co-ordinators. We are here to help you.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website at http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter (https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html).

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.

Published on 12/08/2020 05:18 p.m.