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University of Bedfordshire
Park Square
Luton
Bedfordshire
UK, LU1 3JU
This course provides good quality, broad-based training in biological sciences. Although firmly grounded in biological sciences and as a work-related Foundation Degree, the programme will not restrict you in your eventual choice of career.
You will gain a firm understanding of biosciences, together with a series of personal and professional development units. Together with a framework of core applied science activities, these provide the course with its distinctive biological sciences content. Guest-speakers and a final year work based learning project will help inform your understanding and application to the work environment.
This course is studied at North Hertfordshire College's Stevenage campus.
The course offers a unique mix of well established practical, scientific, technical and business principles which underpin applied science. When you complete this Foundation Degree you could be employed in a wide range of medical and bioscience facilities such as: commercial, health and educational laboratory settings, schools, university laboratories, scientific publishers.
During the course you will:
Areas of study you may cover on this course include:
Throughout the Foundation Degree in Bioscience, assessment is used to:
Your skills, knowledge acquisition and understanding will be demonstrated by the successful completion of the range of assessments embedded in the programme. The details of each assessment are described in the relevant unit information form.
Assessment of this course has been designed to suit your mode of study either full-time or part-time. The organisation and timings of assessments are arranged to avoid bunching. You will, however, need to manage your time effectively and will be supported in this through the Study Skills unit. Both formative and summative assessment methods will be used to enhance your progress and measure your achievement. Assessment methods will include in-class closed and open book tests, examinations, oral presentations, report and essay writing, on-line quizzes, and demonstration of skills in the laboratory. A variety of assessment methods is employed to accommodate all learning styles.
You will receive detailed and timely feedback to support your continuous progress. You should reflect on this feedback and use it to further develop your understanding and skills.
You will carry out your work-based learning project throughout your final year, demonstrating the skills and knowledge that you have acquired throughout the course. The work-based learning unit will be assessed via a literature review and project proposal, written report and final presentation. In the first year of your studies, and in preparation for this unit, you will undertake career planning activities during the tutorial program, evidenced through a completed portfolio.
Wherever possible during your course, there will be particular emphasis on the involvement of members of the bioscience and medical science industries to inform your understanding and application to the work environment. Feedback on your time spent with any employer will be taken into consideration when assessing your work.
Upon successful completion of this course, you should be able to:
1. Have developed a range of key transferable critical, analytical and communication skills, to promote your professional practice as Medical scientists in the workplace and to support lifelong learning.
2. Have developed your knowledge across the key specialisms (Cell Biology, Biochemistry, Immunology, Microbiology, Anatomy and Physiology) of medical and biological sciences to support your professional practice.
3. Have successfully completed a work-based learning project, with minimum guidance, collecting, analysing and sampling inferential statistics.
4. Be able to demonstrate an ability in a range of appropriate practical techniques and skills relevant to work in the medical and biological sciences industry.
5. Have demonstrated a professional and academic knowledge and understanding of medical and biological sciences information from a variety of sources and communicated the principles both orally and in writing.
6. Have demonstrated a critical understanding of the personal responsibilities and professional conduct of an operative within the medical and biological science industry and evaluated the relevant ethical and social issues.
QAA Foundation degree qualification benchmark (2010)
QAA Biosciences subject benchmark statement (2007)
QAA Code of practice Section 9: Work-based and placement learning (2007)
SEMTA National Occupational Standards for Science (2010)
The aim of this Foundation Degree in Bioscience is to provide you with a vocationally relevant Higher Education qualification, the content of which reflects the knowledge, skills and competencies expected by the current and/or prospective employers.
Specifically, these include:
The course provides a good quality, broad-based training in medical and biological sciences. Although firmly grounded in biological sciences and as a work-related Foundation Degree, the programme does not restrict successful graduates in their eventual choice of career.
This degree, then, is based around a framework of core applied science activities, ensuring that graduates have a firm understanding of biosciences, together with a series of personal and professional development units. Together, these provide the course with its distinctive medical and biological sciences content.
Induction:
A full Induction programme is provided by staff at the college for new students, during which you are introduced to the colleges academic and administrative staff. You are given information about the running of the course and procedures for practical sessions including some formative laboratory work. Other presentations are given by representatives from North Hertfordshire College on academic advice, about the Learning Resources Centre (LRC), on finance and personal support offered by the college and the Student Union.
On-course
1. Academic
You are all assigned a personal tutor who arranges a meeting with tutees once a term. Personal Tutors can be contacted by e-mail or in person to discuss issues of concern. Contact will be made, especially if there appear to be unauthorised absences or problems with studies. There is a planned weekly tutorial session which will help you develop wider academic skills and provide specific and individual support, advice and guidance as well as supporting personal development plans.
The College currently uses the BREO VLE system, which is available to staff and students and is used to provide a great deal of help and back-up material such as lecture notes and additional background information on all units. In some cases there are discussion boards and you can contact lecturers and tutors via e-mail. BREO also provides a certain amount of distance learning, revision material and formative assessments as well as containing all the administrative material you need such as the unit handbook and regular announcements. The system also supports you, through a system called PebblePad, to build e-portfolios.
The VLE system also offers additional support during the course:
Throughout Year 1 through Induction and the tutorial programme, you are given further guidance from representatives of the Learning Resources Centre (LRC) and Study Support staff internally with Professional and Academic Development (PAD) support also available to help improve information literacy, referencing and report writing skills.
In Year 2, you are given guidance in terms of preparation for the final year work-based learning project.
While the main contact in terms of academic advice is the Personal Tutor, you may also book an appointment to see the Course Leader for course related academic advice. For more independent and confidential advice you may talk directly to one of the Colleges Guidance Advisors on more substantive issues such as extenuating circumstances, suspension of studies, possibly withdrawing from a course, and other issues that cannot be covered by the Personal Tutor.
2. Finance:
Confidential financial advice, information and support, including details of alternative sources of funding (for example, scholarships and bursaries) is available through the colleges Advice Centre. The Student Union can also offer advice on bank accounts, budgeting and other financial challenges.
3. Health & Wellbeing:
You will be offered advice on looking after yourself whilst at College, together with information on local health centres and hospitals, and you will be encouraged to sign up to a local GP.
Personal support:
The Personal Tutor is the key to your accessing any support needed whilst on course. There is a planned weekly tutorial session which will help you develop wider academic skills and provide specific and individual support, advice and guidance as well as supporting personal development plans. Through the Colleges Student Support system, you have access (should you need it) to counselling and mental health support.
Students may be required, at the discretion of the Course Leader, to undergo diagnostic testing for academic English language abilities, and may further be required, at the Course Leaders discretion, to participate in academic English support workshops or classes laid on by the University.
Working collaboratively and as a member of a team is an important aspect in working in the bioscience and medical science industries and as a student on this Foundation Degree.
Throughout the course there are opportunities for you to develop and refine your skills of working collaboratively. These include working as small groups in practical sessions or producing group reports and presentations. Further details are outlined in the Unit Information Forms for each unit.
You will sometimes be placed in working groups, to share your skills and to learn from other students at other times you may select who you wish to work with. All these group activities are designed to develop your team working skills as a preparation for professional life; they may also be used as part of the assessment process.
1. Developing a set of career management skills is important for your employability. This Foundation Degree course encourages all students to discuss their career intentions and requirements with staff at the college or at their work-placement.
2. One of the reasons for arranging guest speakers and visiting lecturers who are experts in their fields is to benefit you by providing a careers and employment focus to the course. By meeting these people, all of whom are currently working in the bioscience and medical science industries, you will get up-to-date information to enable you to plan for your future career development.
3. Staff from the Centre for Personal and Career Development regularly give talks to students from Induction week through the two levels to encourage you to think about your future career.
4. The Division of Science encourages students to keep an up-to-date curriculum vitae in their Progress File.
Careers:
When you complete this Foundation Degree you could be employed in a wide range of medical and bioscience facilities such as: commercial, health and educational laboratory settings, schools, university laboratories, scientific publishers.
Further study:
Completion of the Foundation Degree will enable you to progress to a range of further and higher qualifications.
If you wish to continue your studies at the University of Bedfordshire, progression onto the final year of the BSc Biological Science course is straightforward, subject to achievement. A Progression Accord is in place to support you if you wish to follow this pathway.
Additional:
A degree of a United Kingdom university, or the Council for National Academic Awards (CNAA).
A foundation degree will be of particular interest if you have completed a Modern Apprenticeship, vocational A levels, BTEC National or equivalent.
Foundation degrees are also particularly suitable if you want to qualify while working.
Many students studying for foundation degrees come to us through work-based routes so you can apply for a foundation degree even if you don’t have traditional academic qualifications.
We welcome applicants with relevant work experience.
We will consider you as an individual and take into account all elements of your application, not just your qualifications. We are looking for both breadth and depth in your current studies as well as enthusiasm for the subject you wish to study.
The general requirement is one of the following:
Postgraduate applications (MA/MSc) should be made direct to the University using the standard University application form. There are some exceptions, please see individual course descriptions for details.
As a general guide, to apply for a place on an undergraduate course (BA/BSc) at the University you need to have completed your high school education and have the required English qualification.
We have students from all the European Union member countries so we are quick to make decisions on most qualifications.
(Please note that applicants on a full student visa are not eligible for part-time study)
We recommend that you apply directly to the University where possible, as this allows us to offer the quickest turnaround time for your application.
Please read the Direct application instructions before completing the course application form.
Application forms for accommodation in the student halls at Bedford campus and Luton campus are available in the Student life section
APL is available for international students applying for undergraduate (Bachelor degree) study. Please do not use this APL form to apply for postgraduate courses.
Use the APL form to tell us about any non-standard qualifications and/or work experience you have that you think should be taken into consideration with your application. `
The APL form should be submitted at the same time as the course application form.
We regret we are unable to process APL forms from students who have not submitted a formal course application form.
Return your completed application to:
University of Bedfordshire
International Admissions
Park Square
Luton
Bedfordshire
LU1 3JU
United Kingdom
T: +44 (0)1582 489326 (non-EU Students)
F: +44 (0)1582 743469
E: international-admissions@beds.ac.uk
A broad range of teaching methods is used including lectures, seminars, visiting speakers, one-to-one and small group tutorial sessions, workshops, group activities, case studies, laboratory / practical sessions, role-play and discussion. The teaching/learning methods employed are tailored to the content and requirements of each unit.
Employers will be involved where possible at each stage of delivery e.g. as guest speakers or through work-place visits by individuals or groups of students. Field work and enrichment activities will also involve employers where possible.
Across the course, a Blended Learning approach is taken, using a range of experiences and opportunities for you to gain the knowledge and skills you need to succeed on this programme.
Underpinning the teaching strategy is the learner-centred approach, adopted by the College. This enables you to actively relate your academic studies to your work-based experiences, and to develop independent styles of learning which best suit you.
The Course includes a work-based investigative project giving you the opportunity for more in-depth and exploratory study, designed to let you further explore the links between learning and practice, and to develop and demonstrate your skills.
These learning activities are supported by the Colleges online interactive tools, available through BREO. This system is used across the curriculum and contains a variety of information such as lecture notes, presentations, student workbooks and guidebooks, other information sources, reference lists etc., which allow you to develop your own portfolio as part of your Personal Development Planning, and to more effectively use social networking tools to develop your own learning.
Students with a wide range of disabilities or health conditions can achieve the required standards of knowledge and skills to enable them to gain this Foundation Degree in Bioscience, but it needs to be recognised that each case is different and has to be viewed on its merits. The safety of students, employers, the public and other colleagues must always take priority.
Appropriate individual arrangements will be made for students with disabilities to enable their full participation in field trips and laboratory work, and during `weekend school periods. Discussions with employers / host organisations will include the provision for students with disabilities during WBL periods.
Learners with specific disabilities, though, may be excluded from studying this course.
Staff at the college and at the university have experience of supporting learners with dyslexia and many students cope well with the amount of reading / writing required for Foundation Degrees. Additional time can be given, for example, in written examinations. However, those with a severe level of dyslexia will need to be considered by the Colleges Disability Officer before being accepted.
Impaired vision: although students with colour blindness and monocular vision should be able to cope with the demands of the course, those with severe visual impairment will need to be considered by the Colleges Disability Officer before being accepted.
Hearing Impairments: as long as the individual has developed appropriate coping strategies and makes use of appropriate aids they should be able to study on this programme. However, Admissions staff will need to consider the individuals ability to communicate with others, as well as their ability to cope in a range of contexts so as not to be a danger to themselves, colleagues, employers and staff.
Absence or partial loss of a limb: On its own, this would not necessarily stop an individual from joining this course. However, the individuals ability to handle laboratory equipment safely will need to be considered by Admissions staff.
Wheelchair users: An individual who is permanently based in a wheelchair might be unable to safely handle the full range of laboratory equipment for this practically-based course and access to the course will need to be considered by Admissions staff.
Asthma and other allergies: In the interests of the individuals safety, self-disclosure of such conditions is important at the point of entry to the course. Generally, such conditions are controllable and students can cope well. In some severe cases, however, an allergy may prove to be uncontrollable and life threatening and thus could be grounds for non-admission.
Practical Skills:
To help your development you will:
Transferable Skills:
To help your development you will:
Communication
To help your development you will:
Work-Based Investigative Project
Information Literacy
To help your development you will:
Research and Evaluation
To help your development you will:
Creativity and Critical Thinking
To help your development you will:
This Foundation Degree course encourages all participants to identify and address their own personal and professional development needs.
During the early part of the course you will be given advice and support to find your personal strengths and weaknesses. It will help you if you pay particular attention to feedback, both written and verbal, from various sources and throughout the programme. You should take the lead in talking with your tutor, College teaching staff or work-placement supervisors about your needs, for they will be able to offer you help and support.
As a student on this course, you need to be aware of Progress Files and the range of opportunities open to you for enhancing your academic development and employability.
Further guidance and support on Progress Files is available on the CETL web site (see http://bridgescetl.beds.ac.uk/curriculum/curriculum_guides)
All students following this Foundation Degree course are expected to maintain high professional standards by:
This is in compliance with the Code of practice for the assurance of academic quality and standards in higher education Section 6: Assessment of students General principles: Student conduct in assessment 14 Institutions encourage students to adopt good academic conduct in respect of assessment and seek to ensure they are aware of their responsibilities.
The professional standards will be introduced to you during the induction week. The standards required of you, and those you can expect from staff are clearly laid out. You will be introduced to safe laboratory working in Induction Week and this is emphasized throughout Levels 4 and 5 both by the use of pre-practical talks and in the Laboratories themselves.
You are expected to be proactive in maintaining these professional standards. The professional standards will be monitored and issues addressed throughout the programme. Failure to address professional Health and Safety standards in particular will not be tolerated.
Ethical issues related to bioscience and medical sciences and wider issues will be addressed within individual units as they arise and will form a basis for assessment in some instances.
In formulating the project proposal and in its implementation, you will have the opportunity to show how well embedded the professional standards are by: your reliability in collaborating with fellow students, meeting deadlines and keeping appointments, showing an awareness of the ethical issues surrounding your area of research and by successful completion of health and safety risk assessments for your practical work.
