PHYSIOL 399 : Capstone: Physiology

Medical and Health Sciences

2025 Semester Two (1255) (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, MEDSCI 399, PHARMCOL 399

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

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: People and Place
Capability 2: Sustainability
Capability 3: Knowledge and Practice
Capability 4: Critical Thinking
Capability 5: Solution Seeking
Capability 6: Communication
Capability 7: Collaboration
Capability 8: Ethics and Professionalism
Graduate Profile: Bachelor of Science

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. You will develop and demonstrate and undertake an academic research project by conceptualising a problem with reference to physiology using appropriate research methodology. (Capability 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8)
  2. Gain practical skills: and experience by acquiring essential empirical resources to conduct the research. (Capability 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8)
  3. Expand and enhance communication skills to disseminate research findings among academic and public communities. (Capability 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8)

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

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.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is required at scheduled activities including labs/tutorials to complete and receive credit for components of the course.
Learning activities including seminars/tutorials/labs might be available as recordings.
The course will include live online events including group discussions/tutorials.
Attendance on campus is required.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable. 

Learning 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.

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.

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.

Based on the SET feedback around the lab report feedback from various research groups, we will also be providing more feedback in form of specially designed rubric and opportunity to discuss feedback with cluster leads. 

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.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework, tests and examinations 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. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against electronic source material using computerised detection mechanisms. Upon reasonable request, students may be required to provide an electronic version of their work for computerised review.

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.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

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 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.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the University Website for information about how to proceed.

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 29/10/2024 09:49 a.m.