School: Medical and Health Sciences

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

  • Unit Title

    Medical Microbiology
  • Unit Code

    MMS2102
  • Year

    2024
  • Enrolment Period

    1
  • Version

    3
  • Credit Points

    15
  • Full Year Unit

    N
  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
  • Unit Coordinator

    Dr Tenielle Louise PORTER

Description

In this unit students will gain a theoretical and practical understanding of pathogens and the mechanisms underlying infectious disease development in humans. Students will learn how to evaluate a variety of clinical samples using microbiological identification techniques, and will be introduced to the holistic One Health method of human disease prevention.

Prerequisite Rule

Students must have passed SCH2235

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Describe the microorganisms responsible for causing disease in humans.
  2. Discuss the health significance of vaccines through the analysis of literature.
  3. Select and utilise appropriate methods of isolating and observing microorganisms.
  4. Apply a holistic approach to evaluating human infectious disease using One Health strategies.

Unit Content

  1. Bacterial species and their pathogenic strategies. Diseases caused by specific bacterial species. The microbiome and its contribution to human health and disease.
  2. Acellular microorganisms (including viruses and prions) and their infectious processes, detection and treatment.
  3. The role of eukaryotic microorganisms in disease including yeasts and fungi and parasitic infections.
  4. Measurement of microbial growth, physical and chemical control of microbial growth, antibiotics and other chemotherapeutic agents.
  5. Mechanisms of immunity to microbial infection including non-specific, humoral and cell-mediated immunity, and the immune response to vaccines.
  6. Commonly used laboratory tests for the isolation and detection of microbial infection.
  7. The use of One Health concepts in reducing human infectious disease.

Learning Experience

Students will attend on campus classes as well as engage in learning activities through ECU's LMS

JoondalupMount LawleySouth West (Bunbury)
Semester 213 x 2 hour labNot OfferedNot Offered
Semester 213 x 2 hour lectureNot OfferedNot Offered

For more information see the Semester Timetable

Additional Learning Experience Information

This unit will be taught using lectures, tutorials, and hands-on laboratory sessions where practical microbiology techniques will be mastered using relevant case studies and advances in medical technology will be discussed. LMS will also be utilised for content delivery.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant School Progression Panel.

Due to the professional competency skill development associated with this Unit, student attendance/participation within listed in-class activities and/or online activities including discussion boards is compulsory. Students failing to meet participation standards as outlined in the unit information may be awarded an I Grade (Fail - incomplete). Students who are unable to meet this requirement for medical or other reasons must seek the approval of the unit coordinator.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
Annotated Bibliography Annotated bibliography - Vaccines30%
Laboratory WorkLaboratory practical assessment30%
ExaminationEnd of semester exam40%

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Assessment

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. Informal vivas may be conducted as part of an assessment task, where staff require further information to confirm the learning outcomes have been met. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant School Progression Panel.

Academic Integrity

Integrity is a core value at Edith Cowan University, and it is expected that ECU students complete their assessment tasks honestly and with acknowledgement of other people's work as well as any generative artificial intelligence tools that may have been used. This means that assessment tasks must be completed individually (unless it is an authorised group assessment task) and any sources used must be referenced.

Breaches of academic integrity can include:

Plagiarism

Copying the words, ideas or creative works of other people or generative artificial intelligence tools, without referencing in accordance with stated University requirements. Students need to seek approval from the Unit Coordinator within the first week of study if they intend to use some of their previous work in an assessment task (self-plagiarism).

Unauthorised collaboration (collusion)

Working with other students and submitting the same or substantially similar work or portions of work when an individual submission was required. This includes students knowingly providing others with copies of their own work to use in the same or similar assessment task(s).

Contract cheating

Organising a friend, a family member, another student or an external person or organisation (e.g. through an online website) to complete or substantially edit or refine part or all of an assessment task(s) on their behalf.

Cheating in an exam

Using or having access to unauthorised materials in an exam or test.

Serious outcomes may be imposed if a student is found to have committed one of these breaches, up to and including expulsion from the University for repeated or serious acts.

ECU's policies and more information about academic integrity can be found on the student academic integrity website.

All commencing ECU students are required to complete the Academic Integrity Module.

Assessment Extension

In some circumstances, Students may apply to their Unit Coordinator to extend the due date of their Assessment Task(s) in accordance with ECU's Assessment, Examination and Moderation Procedures - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000001386.

Special Consideration

Students may apply for Special Consideration in respect of a final unit grade, where their achievement was affected by Exceptional Circumstances as set out in the Assessment, Examination and Moderation Procedures - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000003318.

MMS2102|3|1

School: Medical and Health Sciences

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

  • Unit Title

    Medical Microbiology
  • Unit Code

    MMS2102
  • Year

    2024
  • Enrolment Period

    2
  • Version

    3
  • Credit Points

    15
  • Full Year Unit

    N
  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
  • Unit Coordinator

    Dr Tenielle Louise PORTER

Description

In this unit students will gain a theoretical and practical understanding of pathogens and the mechanisms underlying infectious disease development in humans. Students will learn how to evaluate a variety of clinical samples using microbiological identification techniques, and will be introduced to the holistic One Health method of human disease prevention.

Prerequisite Rule

Students must have passed SCH2235

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Describe the microorganisms responsible for causing disease in humans.
  2. Discuss the health significance of vaccines through the analysis of literature.
  3. Select and utilise appropriate methods of isolating and observing microorganisms.
  4. Apply a holistic approach to evaluating human infectious disease using One Health strategies.

Unit Content

  1. Bacterial species and their pathogenic strategies. Diseases caused by specific bacterial species. The microbiome and its contribution to human health and disease.
  2. Acellular microorganisms (including viruses and prions) and their infectious processes, detection and treatment.
  3. The role of eukaryotic microorganisms in disease including yeasts and fungi and parasitic infections.
  4. Measurement of microbial growth, physical and chemical control of microbial growth, antibiotics and other chemotherapeutic agents.
  5. Mechanisms of immunity to microbial infection including non-specific, humoral and cell-mediated immunity, and the immune response to vaccines.
  6. Commonly used laboratory tests for the isolation and detection of microbial infection.
  7. The use of One Health concepts in reducing human infectious disease.

Learning Experience

Students will attend on campus classes as well as engage in learning activities through ECU's LMS

JoondalupMount LawleySouth West (Bunbury)
Semester 213 x 2 hour labNot OfferedNot Offered
Semester 213 x 2 hour lectureNot OfferedNot Offered

For more information see the Semester Timetable

Additional Learning Experience Information

This unit will be taught using lectures, tutorials, and hands-on laboratory sessions where practical microbiology techniques will be mastered using relevant case studies and advances in medical technology will be discussed. LMS will also be utilised for content delivery.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant School Progression Panel.

Due to the professional competency skill development associated with this Unit, student attendance/participation within listed in-class activities and/or online activities including discussion boards is compulsory. Students failing to meet participation standards as outlined in the unit information may be awarded an I Grade (Fail - incomplete). Students who are unable to meet this requirement for medical or other reasons must seek the approval of the unit coordinator.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
Annotated Bibliography Annotated bibliography - Vaccines30%
Laboratory WorkLaboratory practical assessment30%
ExaminationEnd of semester exam40%

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Assessment

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. Informal vivas may be conducted as part of an assessment task, where staff require further information to confirm the learning outcomes have been met. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant School Progression Panel.

Academic Integrity

Integrity is a core value at Edith Cowan University, and it is expected that ECU students complete their assessment tasks honestly and with acknowledgement of other people's work as well as any generative artificial intelligence tools that may have been used. This means that assessment tasks must be completed individually (unless it is an authorised group assessment task) and any sources used must be referenced.

Breaches of academic integrity can include:

Plagiarism

Copying the words, ideas or creative works of other people or generative artificial intelligence tools, without referencing in accordance with stated University requirements. Students need to seek approval from the Unit Coordinator within the first week of study if they intend to use some of their previous work in an assessment task (self-plagiarism).

Unauthorised collaboration (collusion)

Working with other students and submitting the same or substantially similar work or portions of work when an individual submission was required. This includes students knowingly providing others with copies of their own work to use in the same or similar assessment task(s).

Contract cheating

Organising a friend, a family member, another student or an external person or organisation (e.g. through an online website) to complete or substantially edit or refine part or all of an assessment task(s) on their behalf.

Cheating in an exam

Using or having access to unauthorised materials in an exam or test.

Serious outcomes may be imposed if a student is found to have committed one of these breaches, up to and including expulsion from the University for repeated or serious acts.

ECU's policies and more information about academic integrity can be found on the student academic integrity website.

All commencing ECU students are required to complete the Academic Integrity Module.

Assessment Extension

In some circumstances, Students may apply to their Unit Coordinator to extend the due date of their Assessment Task(s) in accordance with ECU's Assessment, Examination and Moderation Procedures - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000001386.

Special Consideration

Students may apply for Special Consideration in respect of a final unit grade, where their achievement was affected by Exceptional Circumstances as set out in the Assessment, Examination and Moderation Procedures - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000003318.

MMS2102|3|2