BIOL2374: Principles of Human Biology

ONLINE QUIZES - 10%
These are MC quizzes that happen at the end of week 5,8 and 12. It basically just there to make sure you are learning the material, as with all tests are. They are ~ 25-30 questions long.
Quiz 1 - Tests your knowledge on the basic anatomy as well as all the different cells and organs in your body. Defence (the immune system) is also tested.
Quiz 2 - These tests your knowledge about movement, transportation and communication in the human body. Waste is also tested.
Quiz 3 - This test includes the rest of the topics: Support, genes and genetics, Vertebrate body plan and sex, growth and development.

Pracs - 10%
These happen depending on whether your course is odd(wks: 3,5,9,11) or even(wks: 4,6,8,10). The pracs are in small groups not individually.
Prac 1 - Will test your knowledge in identifying the different bones and joints in the human body as well as the different terminology used to describe them.
Prac 2- Tests you knowledge about waste in the the human body, how it is made and how it is excreted......this prac is not a pretty sight *shivers*
Prac 3 - Relatively normal. This prac is about movement and support (diffusion basically).
Prac 4 - Pretty cool, this is where you get to touch cadavers. Basically there are ~3 tables in the lab each with its own cadaver. The cadaver has all these labels attached to most of the muscles/bones and your job will be to identify each of them.
I found what I thought was a gall bladder once.....turns out it was a tumor

The Dreaded Group Assignment - 20%
To make it worse its in the form of a poster (-.-)

Did you do biology in year 12? Well it doesn't matter, because your mind will be blown from week 2. This course makes you learn all the major bones and tendons and organs of the human body in about 3 weeks then moves onto the next topic. Its pretty crazy. But, if you hang in there it will get easier. The topics down the track are topics that are familiar in VCE biology. The work load is alright, its not too demanding. I kid you not, but the lecturer Jeremy Keens is actually a pretty cool hippy (not being rude, he calls himself a hippy of modern day science). His lectures are always hilarious (which made me go to all of them). The other lecturer Bruce Byrne is actually kinda intimidating at times.
The 100 MC final exam was a killer for me. The most MC I have ever done in an exam was 45 and that was in VCE psychology. I guess for this subject, don't go in thinking its going to be a piece of cake since its a biology subject, it won't end well, trust me, the only reason why I ended up with a HD in it was because I left a $50 in the exam paper..nah im kidding, I just really worked my butt off made sure I was never too far behind in terms of the workload.

Yes, the lecture is recorded with screen capture.

Dr. Jeremy Keens
Dr. Bruce Byrne

Maybe 1 or two, which is a similar trait that most health science courses have in common. Besides the limited past exams, you can do the quizzes as many times as you want

4/5

You should definitely get 'Human Physiology: An Integrated Approach (either 5th or 6th edition)', this textbook is pretty much made for this course, as it covers every topic.
Pocock and Richards The Human Body: An introduction for the biomedical and health sciences, Oxford is recommended to get (I just borrowed it from the library), it gets your head around the detailed parts of the human anatomy and physiology.

Other than textbooks, obvious things such as lab coats and safety glasses must be bought (if you don't have them already).

3 x one hour lectures
1 x one hour tutorial
4 x ~ 2 hour Pracs (though everyone normally finishes early)

2013 semester 1

91 (HD)