Lectures

Students will attend in-person lectures in which the instructor presents the core scientific and technical concepts of the course. These concepts are intended to provide the foundation for subsequent independent study and deeper understanding. Student participation will be encouraged through interactive teaching methods, including the regular discussion of case studies and problem-solving activities.

Problem-Solving Sessions

Students will reinforce the knowledge acquired during the lectures by solving problem sets. A collection of exercises will be provided for students to work on throughout the course. A selected number of these exercises will be solved during the problem-solving sessions to demonstrate appropriate solution strategies and methodologies. Active student participation will be encouraged throughout these sessions. The instructor will foster critical thinking and logical reasoning skills to enhance students' ability to solve scientific problems.

Laboratory Sessions

The laboratory sessions focus on teaching fundamental laboratory techniques and familiarizing students with the safety procedures required for handling chemical substances. To attend the laboratory sessions, students must provide evidence that they have successfully completed the laboratory safety tests available on the Virtual Campus and confirm that they are familiar with and accept the operating regulations of the Faculty of Biosciences laboratories.

Annotation: within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Continuous Assessment (Default Option)

Continuous assessment consists of three components:

• Continuous assessment activities (10%): exercises, quizzes, or other individual or group assignments completed inside or outside the classroom.
• Laboratory (10%): reports on the compulsory laboratory sessions.
• Written midterm examinations (80%): two written exams, weighted 30% for the first midterm and 50% for the second midterm.

To pass the course, students must obtain a minimum grade of 4/10 in each of the three assessment components and an overall weighted average of at least 5/10.

Students who fail the written midterm examination component may take the resit examination on the date established in the academic calendar. To be eligible for the resit examination, students must have sat both midterm examinations. Students who have already passed the course may also take the resit examination to improve their grade, with the understanding that the grade obtained in the resit examination will replace the previous grade. Students wishing to do so must notify the course instructor before the date of the final examination.

From the second enrolment in the course onwards, students who successfully demonstrated the required competencies during the previous academic year will not be required to repeat the laboratory sessions or resubmit the continuous assessment activities.

Students will receive a grade of "Not Assessable" (NA) if they complete less than 50% of the scheduled assessment activities (continuous assessment activities, both midterm examinations, and laboratory sessions).

Single Assessment (Must be requested through the Faculty of Biosciences Academic Office, the Degree Coordinator, and the Course Instructor)

Students opting for the single assessment pathway must complete:

• one comprehensive final examination covering theory and problem-solving (80%);
• one written assignment (10%); and
• the reports for the compulsory laboratory sessions (10%), which must be submitted at the end of each laboratory session together with those of the continuous assessment students.

The single assessment examination will take place on the same date, at the same time, and in the same location as the final continuous assessment examination for the course.

Students will pass the course by obtaining a final grade of at least 5.0 out of 10.

Students following the single assessment pathway may take the resit examination on the date scheduled for the general course resit.

Any irregularity committed during an assessment activity (including academic misconduct, plagiarism, or the unauthorized use of artificial intelligence, unless such use is expressly permitted in the course guide) that may lead to a significant alteration of the assessment outcome will result in a grade of 0 for that assessment. If the course guide establishes that obtaining a minimum grade in that assessment is a compulsory requirement for passing the course, or if multiple irregularities occur in the assessment activities of the same course, the final course grade will be 0. In addition, disciplinary proceedings may be initiated against any student found responsible for such misconduct.