Biological Concepts (11722.1)

Please note these are the 2025 details for this unit
Home
/
Find your course
/
Biological Concepts
Available teaching periods Delivery mode Location
View teaching periods On-Campus
 Bruce, Canberra
EFTSL Credit points Faculty
0.125 3 Faculty Of Science And Technology
Discipline Study level HECS Bands
Academic Program Area - Science Level 1 - Undergraduate Introductory Unit Band 2 2021 (Commenced After 1 Jan 2021)
Band 3 2021 (Commenced Before 1 Jan 2021)
This unit provides an introduction to biology and a foundation for further studies in the Life Sciences. It examines the unifying themes of living organisms including their biomolecules, the structure and function of their cells and how they evolve and interact with their environment. Students undertaking this unit also gain insight into the principles of the scientific process through the collection, recording, analysis and interpretation of biological data, and the effective communication of their findings.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
1. Understand and explain foundational biological concepts related to cells, metabolism, inheritance, and evolution;

2. Apply knowledge of biological concepts to predict and explain observations of the natural world; and
3. Apply knowledge and skills of the scientific process to collect, record, analyse and interpret biological data from a range of sources.


Graduate attributes

1. UC graduates are professional - communicate effectively
1. UC graduates are professional - employ up-to-date and relevant knowledge and skills
1. UC graduates are professional - use creativity, critical thinking, analysis and research skills to solve theoretical and real-world problems
1. UC graduates are professional - take pride in their professional and personal integrity
1. UC graduates are professional - display initiative and drive, and use their organisation skills to plan and manage their workload
1. UC graduates are professional - work collaboratively as part of a team, negotiate, and resolve conflict
2. UC graduates are global citizens - behave ethically and sustainably in their professional and personal lives
2. UC graduates are global citizens - make creative use of technology in their learning and professional lives
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - adapt to complexity, ambiguity and change by being flexible and keen to engage with new ideas
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - be self-aware
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - evaluate and adopt new technology
4. UC graduates are able to demonstrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing, being and doing - use Indigenous histories and traditional ecological knowledge to develop and augment understanding of their discipline


Prerequisites

None.

Corequisites

None.

Incompatible units

None.

Equivalent units

483 Concepts in Biology

Assumed knowledge

None.
Availability for enrolment in 2025 is subject to change and may not be confirmed until closer to the teaching start date.
Year Location Teaching period Teaching start date Delivery mode Unit convener
2024 Bruce, Canberra Semester 1 05 February 2024 On-Campus Dr Katie Cohen
2024 Bruce, Canberra Semester 2 29 July 2024 On-Campus Dr Michael Sydney
2025 Bruce, Canberra Semester 1 03 February 2025 On-Campus Dr Katie Cohen
2025 Bruce, Canberra Semester 2 28 July 2025 On-Campus Dr Margarita Medina
The information provided should be used as a guide only. Timetables may not be finalised until week 2 of the teaching period and are subject to change. Search for the unit timetable.

Required texts

There are no required texts for this unit. However, you may want to purchase our custom text: Biological Concepts 11722 (2022), Pearson Publishing. 

This may be purchased online as an e-text, or a print version. There are copies of this text, and copies of the parent book: Campbell Biology 11th edition by Urry et al, 2018, in the University of Canberra library.

Submission of assessment items

Extensions & Late submissions

All assessment items are to be submitted electronically via the unit Canvas site Dropbox, unless explicitly stated.

Special assessment requirements

Your participation in both class and online activities will enhance your understanding of the unit content and therefore the quality of your assessment responses. Lack of participation may result in your inability to satisfactorily pass assessment items. Participation in the face-to-face classes will enable students to achieve the learning outcomes of this unit. 

Requirements to pass the unit are as follows:

  1. Participation in at least 75% of the face-to-face practical sessions (6 out of 8 on-campus practical sessions).
  2. A total mark of at least 50% must be achieved.

The unit convenor reserves the right to question students on any of their submitted work for moderation and academic integrity purposes, which may result in an adjustment to the marks awarded for a specific task.

Academic integrity

Students have a responsibility to uphold University standards on ethical scholarship. Good scholarship involves building on the work of others and use of others' work must be acknowledged with proper attribution made. Cheating, plagiarism, and falsification of data are dishonest practices that contravene academic values. Refer to the University's Student Charter for more information.

To enhance understanding of academic integrity, all students are expected to complete the Academic Integrity Module (AIM) at least once during their course of study. You can access this module within UCLearn (Canvas) through the 'Academic Integrity and Avoiding Plagiarism' link in the Study Help site.

Use of Text-Matching Software

The University of Canberra uses text-matching software to help students and staff reduce plagiarism and improve understanding of academic integrity. The software matches submitted text in student assignments against material from various sources: the internet, published books and journals, and previously submitted student texts.

Learner engagement

In this unit, there are 16 compulsory contact hours (16 hours of practical sessions).  It is expected that students will also attend 24 hours of workshops during the semester. The remaining 110 hours are devoted to private and group study to prepare assessments and develop a good depth of understanding of the content delivered in this unit. This includes viewing a weekly recorded lecture and completing the relevant formative quizzes. There are also PALS sessions (it is strongly recommended that students attend these).

Inclusion and engagement

Students are encouraged to contact the Wellbeing team if they would like extra support in order to thrive at UC. 

For support in this unit, please contact the convener via email - michael.sydney@canberra.edu.au

Participation requirements

It is a requirement of this unit that you participate in at least 75% of the face-to-face practical sessions (6 out of 8 on-campus practical sessions). If you are unable to attend your allocated workshop or practical session, please contact the unit convener to arrange attendance at another session. A medical certificate, or other supporting documentation, is required when a student is unable to participate in a practical session in any given week.

Required IT skills

It is assumed that students have skills in Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

In-unit costs

A laboratory coat and a botany exercise book (with alternating ruled and blank pages) are to be purchased for this unit. These items can be purchased from the UC Shop.

Work placement, internships or practicums

None

Additional information

The practical classes in this unit are held in a biological laboratory. Safety standards are strictly followed in this environment, and all students are expected to read the safety instructions found in the practical and workshop manual prior to entry into the laboratory for the first time. The use of Generative AI is not permitted for any assessment item in this unit.

Next step

Apply now Enquire