A. General Information – Level 4

Welcome to the University of Manchester and the School of Biological Sciences

We hope that you will have an interesting and exciting year.

The aims of this handbook are to:

• explain what you should do now
• tell you who does what, and where you can find people and places
• give you details of the coming year of your programme and help you in your selection of optional units
• give you general information about the School of Biological Sciences

The information provided herein is of great importance to you, so please do READ IT.

MSci Final LEVEL HANDBOOK 2017-2018
IMPORTANT DATES IN 2017-2018

First Semester:
Monday 18^th September 2017 - Friday 26th January 2018
Degree Programme Registration:  Thursday 21st September 2017
Welcome Week events: Thursday 21st – Friday 22^nd September 2017
Projects begin:  Monday 25^th September 2017

 Christmas Break:
Friday 15th December 2017 - Monday 15th January 2018

Second Semester:
Monday 29^th January 2018 - Monday 8^th June 2018
Easter Break:
Friday 23rd March 2018 - Monday 16th April 2018

Viva Examinations
Week commencing 18th June 2018
NB: This will be AFTER the official end of the semester.  See section Pass marks and degree classification.

Final Degree Class publication date:
on or before 18.00 Monday 25th June 2018

Careers Talk:
Tuesday 26th September 2017 17:00-18:00  (Simon Theatre B)

Postgraduate study opportunities:
PhD Programmes - application & funding:  Date and time TBC

Research Project
TBC no later than 16.00 (online submission via Blackboard)

Academic Calendar

http://www.manchester.ac.uk/discover/key-dates/

 

Student Charter

One of the University’s three core goals is “To provide a superb higher education and learning experience to outstanding students, irrespective of their backgrounds, and to produce graduates distinguished by their intellectual capabilities, employability, leadership qualities, and their ability and ambition to contribute to society” (from the University of Manchester Strategic Vision 2020).

Our Student Charter, developed jointly by the University and the Students’ Union, is an important part of how we establish and maintain clear mutual expectations for the experience of all students: undergraduate, postgraduate taught and postgraduate research. It sets out what we can expect from each other as partners in a learning community.

The Charter provides an overview of the Manchester experience and refers to regulations, policies and procedures.

To access the Charter please go to: http://www.studentnet.manchester.ac.uk/enhancing-my-experience/charter/

Service level agreement for the Student Support Office

Communication

When fully staffed and for at least 95% of cases the following performance standards will be met:

• Respond to all emails within 2 working days. Where this will not be possible, for example, Welcome Week, students and staff will be notified by an automatic reply of the estimated response time if it differs from the normal service level agreement.
• Activate auto-replies when staff are out of the office providing an alternative contact for any urgent queries (this includes staff who work part-time)
• Answer the telephone within 4 rings where possible
• Pick up colleagues phones when they are away from their desk including when they are out of the office/on annual leave
• Set up voicemail messages only when colleagues cannot answer telephones.
• When the Student Support Reception is busy two members of the Education Team will cover it. e.g. Welcome Week
• Reception will be manned continuously between the hours of 0830 and 1700.

Aims and intended learning outcomes of the School with regard to undergraduate Teaching and Learning

Aims

The School's general aims are to offer undergraduate students a broad and thorough education in biological sciences within an institutional culture of high quality research and scholarship. The School aims to:

• deliver a range of broad and specialist degrees, informed by current research, which will equip students for careers within and outside science;

• meet student requirements for diversity of provision and opportunity of transfer between disciplines within biological sciences by providing a structure of flexibility and choice within the undergraduate programmes;

• provide students with subject-specific knowledge and practical skills linked to generic transferable skills which are integrated within the curriculum;
• ensure students develop skills in independent learning;
• employ a variety of teaching methods and assessment strategies to meet programme aims and needs of students with high entry qualifications;
• provide students with effective induction information, and ongoing academic and pastoral support and advice in order to enhance their progress and academic development;
• provide appropriate academic and support staff, laboratory, library and other facilities to ensure a high quality learning environment and experience;
• operate a management structure which monitors the delivery and quality of teaching provision in order to ensure high standards across our wide range of programmes;
• attract high quality students to undergraduate programmes;
• endeavour to ensure that students progress through programmes and acquire qualifications, knowledge and skills appropriate to their academic abilities.
• endeavour to ensure that students enhance their employability.

Intended Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of their programmes undergraduate students should have:

• a detailed theoretical knowledge, based on a firm foundation, of the appropriate areas of biological sciences developed within an environment of excellent research and scholarship;
• attained appropriate subject-specific and transferable skills in preparation for further study or employment either within or outside science;
• acquired practical laboratory skills in well-equipped teaching laboratories under the instruction of appropriate staff;
• the ability to evaluate biological scientific material and to answer questions through theoretical analysis, hypothesis, experimentation and data analysis;
• developed skills, where appropriate, of fieldwork at sites away from the University in the UK and/or Continental Europe; learned to appreciate the influence of environmental factors on biological systems;
• acquired additional training in mathematics at a level appropriate to the analysis of biological data;
• where appropriate, acquired a suitable training in chemistry sufficient to enable them to study modern biological sciences;
• either become actively involved in laboratory or field-based research in a research group within the School or associated institutions under the supervision of an expert in the relevant area OR have applied their theoretical and practical knowledge to one of a variety of situations ranging from: the development of computer-based teaching programmes for universities, to designing biology programmes for schools; to furthering the public understanding and communication of science; to preparing and presenting a business plan for an enterprising biotechnology project;
• the ability to search the relevant literature both in written and electronic form and to assimilate and evaluate critically the information obtained;
• developed the ability to write a substantial scientific report based on either a literature survey or results obtained from a research project;

• developed skills in computer literacy, IT, oral and written communication, team work and problem solving;
• developed skills in independent learning;
• benefitted generally from an education which has been broadened by the Faculty’s links with other institutions and the experience of working alongside international students.

In addition
On completing the four-year placement degrees with industrial/professional experience students will have:

• gained experience of transferring their theoretical and practical skills developed within the University to the workplace;
• developed high quality practical skills and specific knowledge relating to the practice of science in an applied setting;
• developed interpersonal skills within the workplace.

On completing the four-year joint degrees with a language, students will have:

• acquired a sound working knowledge of the target language including aspects specific to biological sciences;
• acquired an appreciation of the culture and institutions of an appropriate country;
• gained experience of research work in an overseas institution.

On completing the four-year MSci programmes, students will have:

• gained experience in the planning and design of research addressing a timely research question;
• developed high quality practical skills and the ability to analyse multiple lines of experimental evidence;
• acquired skills in the presentation of research findings.

Administration of the School of Biological Sciences

The School of Biological Sciences forms part of the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health (FBMH).

Although your main contacts in the School will be your Personal Advisor (see Section Personal Advisors) and Programme Director (see Section Programme Directors and where to find them (Undergraduate) (Postgraduate Taught)), some aspects of your course will be dealt with by the Student Support Office (see below) within the School. Management of Teaching and Learning in the School of Biological Sciences is the responsibility of the Education Management Team.

Your official contacts in the School

Student Support Office - Opening hours: 08.30 - 17.00 Monday to Friday

Room G.483 Stopford Building
Email: studentsupportoffice.sbs@manchester.ac.uk
Telephone number: 0161 2751487
Fax number: 0161 2751488

Director of Undergraduate Studies- Dr Nicky High
Room G.554 Stopford Building
Email: nicky.high@manchester.ac.uk
Telephone number: 0161 2755749

Deputy Directors of Undergraduate Studies – School of Biological Sciences
Dr Donald Ward
Dr David Boam

Senior Advisor - Dr Tracey Speake
Room 1.104 Stopford Building
Email: tracey.speake@manchester.ac.uk
Telephone number: 0161 2755693

Deputy Senior Advisor - Dr Richard Prince
Room 1.100 Stopford Building
Email: richard.prince@manchester.ac.uk
Telephone number: 0161 2755469

In addition, the following academic roles support the School:

Head of School – Biological Sciences - Professor Jane Worthington

Finally, the School has two ‘Writers in Residence’ Mrs Margaret Murphy and Mr Robert Chapman, who are funded by The Royal Literary Fund.

Margaret can offer students 45 minute tutorials on effective writing, which run on Thursdays and Fridays and can be booked at Http://www.wejoinin.com/writer.lifesciences@manchester. Students can email Margaret at writer.lifesciences@manchester.ac.uk.

Robert is available for tutorials on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 11am-5pm (term-time only). Students can book appointments with Robert via email: rob.chapman@manchester.ac.uk

Robert and Margaret are based in room 2.532 in the Stopford Building.

Students can email Margaret at writer.lifesciences@manchester.ac.uk.

Programme Directors and where to find them

The Programme Director oversees the content of your Degree Programme, agrees your choice of optional course units during Welcome Week and assists your Personal Advisor in giving you advice on academic matters.

Degree Programme	Programme Director
Anatomical Sciences	Dr Stefan Gabriel
Biochemistry	Dr Martin Pool
Biology	Dr Thomas Nuhse
	Dr Matthew Ronshaugen (Deputy)
Biology with Science & Society	Dr Matthew Cobb Dr Simone Turchetti
Biomedical Sciences	Dr Tristan Pocock (Year 3) Dr Michelle Keown  (Year 1) Dr Rebecca Dearman  (Year 2)
Biotechnology	Dr Jon Pittman
Cell Biology	Dr Sue Crosthwaite
Cognitive Neuroscience & Psychology	Dr Maria Canal
Developmental Biology	Dr Matthew Ronshaugen
Genetics	Dr Christian Heintzen
Immunology	Dr Kathleen Nolan
Life Sciences	Dr Minsung Kim
Medical Biochemistry	Dr Andrew Gilmore
Microbiology	Dr Jen Cavet
Molecular Biology	Dr Sue Crosthwaite
Neuroscience	Dr Maria Canal
Pharmacology	Dr Susan Cochran
Pharmacology & Physiology	Dr Susan Cochran
Physiology	Dr Liz Sheader
Plant Science	Dr Minsung Kim
Zoology	Dr Robert Nudds

Where to find people and places

There are maps showing room numbers posted in various corridors around the buildings
you are likely to use.

Finding rooms may be difficult at first and if time is short, it is usually quicker to ask the staff at the reception desks found at the front of most buildings. However, here are some guidelines:

Staff may have offices in the Michael Smith Building, the Core Technology Facility, the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, the Stopford Building, AV Hill Building or Simon Building.

 

In the Stopford Building

• The first number or letter (G., 1., 2., 3.) indicates the floor. G = ground level.
• The second shows how far back in the Stopford building you need to go.
• The final two figures indicate approximately the position across the Stopford building.
• Lecture theatres are listed as T or LT, followed by a number e.g., LT1 stands for Lecture Theatre 1.
• Practical labs in Stopford are “multi user labs” – MUL 1 is on the first floor, MUL 2 is on the second.
• There are 3 computer clusters for student use on the ground floor: Stopford PC Clusters 1-3

 

To gain access to these buildings, you must first report to the Reception desk in that building.

Sometimes you will find the room you want inside another one. You will discover which ones by experience! During the free time in Welcome Week it would be wise to visit all of the locations for lectures, tutorials and practicals you are expecting to attend for the rest of the semester so that you feel confident about locating them in the short time between timetabled periods (sometimes less than 10 minutes).

You can find campus maps at http://www.explore.manchester.ac.uk/campus/

Communication – email/mail/announcements/texts

The Student Support Office is open 08.30 -17.00 Monday to Friday and should be your first stop for queries relating to your programme and general student support. Occasionally the opening times may vary, but we will inform you of this via the email announcement service (see below).

Effective communication between you, the staff of the School and the central administration of the University is vital. There will be many important official notices (including those on timetables, examinations and course assessment marks) for you to read and act upon during the year. There are three important channels of communication: electronic (email via your University email account,
announcements, the intranet, text messages nd Blackboard); paper (e.g. letters to your postal address); verbal (e.g. announcements in lectures and practicals).

Electronic communication: as part of registration you will be provided with a University email address and will be given a username and password. You must not pass on your username or password to anyone else and must not divulge email addresses of fellow students or staff to anyone else without their permission.

Verbal communication: staff may occasionally make verbal announcements in lectures and practicals that do not appear in any other fashion, so if you are late, or unable to attend something, be sure to check with a fellow student or the staff member concerned that you did not miss an important announcement. This is especially important for practical work; as if you are late you may miss health and safety announcements and may be denied entry to the lab.

Email and the Faculty Intranet Announcement Service are the standard methods used to communicate with students so you must ensure that you check your University email messages (including "Announcements" emails) on a regular and frequent basis - at least once a day. If you do not regularly check your email, your inbox may become full and important messages will not then get through to you.

Failure to respond to notices and mail means that you may miss lectures, tutorials or meetings, or it may even cost you money (e.g. library fines).

Email will be the main medium for communication with academic staff, including your Advisor. You will find their addresses in the email address books on the University network and on the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health (FBMH) Intranet.  

PLEASE NOTE: email communication will only occur via your University email address and staff will not use or respond to any other email address except in very exceptional circumstances. Furthermore, you should not autoforward University email to a personal email address. Once personal email folders are full, new messages are deleted.

Text Messages: The School will endeavour to send any urgent messages that require immediate notification (such as cancellation of a lecture) via SMS text message to your mobile phone. To ensure that you receive these message you must ensure that your personal details held by the University are updated with any changes to your mobile phone number. If you do not wish to receive urgent messages in this format, please contact the Student Support Office.

MyManchester: My Manchester is a personalised online space for current students, which provides easy access to learning resources, services, student support and information, all in one place.

If your personal details change (term-time or home postal addresses, phone numbers, etc.) you must update your student record promptly or notify the Student Support Office if you are unable to make the changes via MyManchester. It is also your responsibility to ensure that your programme and unit information are correct and to notify the Student Support Office if changes are required. Any difficulties obtaining emails should be reported to IT Services -  http://www.itservices.manchester.ac.uk/help/.

As a rule, it is advisable to have mail sent to your local accommodation rather than to the School. However, if you need to quote a University address for mail, the correct form is:

Undergraduate Mail Box
Student Support Office
School of Biological Sciences
G.483 Stopford Building
The University of Manchester
Oxford Road
Manchester
M13 9PT

All mail will be delivered to the Student Support Office.

 

Society of Biology accreditation

All four-year ‘with industrial/professional experience’ and ‘with language’ degrees have been accredited by the Society of Biology.  Degree accreditation by the Society recognises academic excellence in the biosciences, and highlights degrees that educate the research and development leaders and innovators of the future (for more information see https://www.societyofbiology.org/education/accreditation/degree-accreditation). The accreditation criteria require evidence that graduates from the programme meet defined sets of learning outcomes, including gaining a substantial period of research experience. Our School has been successful in demonstrating that these programmes meet these criteria.

In recognition of your time spent on industrial/professional, or with language placement, as a graduate of an accredited programme, you can apply for membership of the Society of Biology at Member (MSB) level after just one year of practice, rather than the usual three years. This will allow you to attain the qualifications of Chartered Biologist or Chartered Scientist two years sooner than graduates from other Degree Programmes.  Further information is available from the Society of Biology at http://www.rsb.org.uk/index.php/membership

The British Psychological Society (BPS) sets out accreditation requirements for Degree Programmes that provide eligibility for the Graduate Basis for Registration of the Society. These may be important if graduates wish to work as a Psychologist or practise Psychology in their future careers. In the case of the Cognitive Neuroscience & Psychology Degree Programme, the BPS requirements stipulate completion of a minimum number of course units in Psychology and that the third year project comprises a significant Psychology component. Please note that there will be a limited number of such projects available. If students do not have any intention of applying to the BPS for registration, then these constraints do not apply.

Health and Safety

The work that you do this year will require knowledge of and conformity with health and safety rules. It is consequently important for you to gain a wide understanding of the legal and practical requirements for working safely. The University of Manchester is subject to British and European Community law on health and safety. The University has therefore, a duty to formulate health and safety policies and to promote these. From time to time the University issues its updated “Health and Safety Policy Statement”, as well as Codes of Practice and Guidance Notes. Following the requirements stipulated in the latter, the School of Biological Sciences is required to devise regulations that are suited to its work.  These regulations apply to staff, students and visitors to the Faculty. Similar obligations and procedures apply to all employers in the UK, so that preparation and familiarity gained now could stand you in good stead for future employment. Please see the Health and Safety pages on the Faculty intranet.

An important set of regulations that require close attention are those that relate to the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health; the COSHH Regulations. Everyone is required by these regulations to make an assessment of the risks that might arise during the storage or use of the substances that they use in their work. You must ensure that no one will be adversely affected as a consequence of the decisions that you make. During first year undergraduate practicals you will find that this will usually have been done for you by the practical coordinators (bear in mind that the term substance covers a wide range in relation to risk - biological as well as chemical). See https://app.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/hs/coshhdocuments.aspx.

It should be understood that these rules are not designed to prevent potentially hazardous work from taking place, but that they are designed to make sure that the work is done safely. This means that substances that might be hazardous to health can continue to be used when due precautions are taken by those engaged in the work. You are thus obliged to take these things into account yourself.  You are entitled to expect that due care has been taken by those responsible for supervising your work, but it is important to remember that your willing co-operation for the implementation of safety measures is required. It is thus reasonable to expect that, so far as is reasonably practicable, you prepare in advance for the work that you will undertake. You are required to take notice of the relevant safety information provided at the start of each practical laboratory class and to wear the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).  In all cases this will consist of a white laboratory coat and goggles for all ‘wet’ practicals.  Other items of PPE will be made available as appropriate e.g. gloves.  You are required to keep the use of all personal items to a minimum in the laboratory in line with Good Laboratory Practice (GLP).  This includes mobile phones and other electronic devices.  If digital devices are required then iPads will be provided, which are fully disinfected between classes and do not get used outside of the laboratory to minimise the risk of contamination to other users.

The first stage in the COSHH process is called risk assessment. You are required to refer to published information and, where appropriate, to ask for advice when carrying out this assessment. Manufacturers and suppliers are legally obliged to provide written information about the storage and use of substances. The range of examples to be considered is large, so that each individual substance must be considered, both alone and in conjunction with other substances to be found adjacently e.g. the same cupboard or in a mixture. The fact that a substance is within a container may not provide sufficient protection in all the circumstances that might arise, i.e. you are required to anticipate what could happen in the event of an accident.  Flammability is one example of the information to be provided but you would also need to know if a substance became hazardous or more hazardous upon heating (physically and/or chemically): i.e. would it become explosive; how it might react in combination with other things?  Then, what safety precautions and remedies must be provided?

The next stage is to decide how and in what circumstances a substance might be used safely, even if there is a risk. If there is a risk or the consequences of an accident could be serious, it would be necessary to consider the use of a satisfactory substitute. Someone in authority must decide this. The principles of risk assessment cover all forms of activity in the place of work, and every activity should be assessed before you start work.  A person in authority will normally have carried out this assessment on your behalf, and it is important to adhere to the protocol you have been given.  You must be familiar with the contents of the relevant Risk Assessment before you start any form of work, and you must not make any changes to work procedures without the permission of your supervisor.  Risk Assessments for most common procedures can be found at on the Faculty intranet.

Finally, a decision has to be made by a person in authority, e.g. your supervisor; about who should do the work and in what circumstances should the work be done. You can expect to be informed about any particular hazards and methods that apply in a laboratory, so please take note during the safety briefing at the start of any practical class. Please note that if you are pregnant or breastfeeding you should inform the relevant member of academic staff (e.g. Practical Unit Coordinator or Supervisor) immediately, so that an individual risk assessment can be undertaken.  Please be assured that your confidentiality will be maintained and the outcome of the risk assessment will be handled with discretion.

You will be issued with additional Health and Safety information at the start of your research project which you should read in conjunction with the above information.

Human subjects and animal tissues

The life sciences are observational and experimental sciences concerned with living systems. Therefore, some of the projects may require the use of invertebrates or tissues or cell components from vertebrates, including humans. If you have any reservations about participation in projects using animals or their tissues, you should discuss them with you Programme Director before registration.

Bring Your Own Device

Within lectures and practical sessions there will be increasing use of interactive eLearning resources, therefore you should bring your own mobile device (Smart Phone/Tablet) for use in these sessions. Help configuring your devices for use with the University applications will be available during Welcome Week for first year students and through the Library help desk for all years.

Podcasting

The university has an automatic lecture capture system, that allows you to re-visit your lectures as podcasts at a later date to supplement your learning and allow you to revise. For more detailed information on the service, you can see the podcasting home page here.

Important Points of Note

• The podcast system allows any member of staff to "opt out", hold back or remove recordings if they see fit. Additionally on rare occasions a podcast may fail to complete properly and therefore not become available at all. For these reasons, it is essential that you continue to attend all lectures and use the podcasts for revision or to assist you to catch up in the case of an unavoidable absence. Should a podcast not be available for any of the above reasons, there will be no way for you to re-visit a missed lecture.
• For students who are DASS registered, please remember to take a look at the information available to you here on the podcasting service.

Safeguarding your work

You must ensure that you back up your work on a regular basis to safeguard against loss, machine failure or theft. In addition to saving your work regularly to the secure University system in your ‘my documents/P: drive’ (for further information on P:drives please refer to the IT Services website.), you should back up your work on an external hard drive, USB memory stick, cloud storage, etc. (which you are advised to keep secure and separate from your computer). Do not save your work on the hard disc of Stopford PC cluster or other networked computers. Loss of data (i.e. your work) will not be accepted as a valid reason for extension requests or for late submission of work as this is deemed to be a preventable occurrence.

Do you need more space to save your files?

As academic submission deadlines approach, you may find that you need additional space in your "My Documents" area. Should you find that this is the case then please contact the IT Service Desk.

 NOTE: Access to "My Documents" will cease when you leave the University.

 

Student Societies

A number of societies run by students and covering a range of interests are affiliated with the Students’ Union and several of these concern the life sciences, in particular the School of Biological Sciences Society (SBSSoc). These societies are open to students and staff of the University. They usually provide a series of lectures, social or sporting events. You are likely to be canvassed for a subscription, and invited to participate in social and sporting activities, during Welcome Week.

 

 

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