Food crises, GMOs, loss of biodiversity, climate change and increased incidence of abiotic stress- these are hot topics, and all of them are intrinsically linked to plants. Modern plant science holds unprecedented opportunities to link processes at the genetic, molecular and physiological level to patterns at the crop or plantation level to address these important issues and ensure future food security. This multidisciplinary course exposes you to an exciting breadth of contemporary plant sciences so you can develop a synthetic understanding of this rapidly changing field. Links between genetics, molecular biology, anatomy and physiology will be made. You will develop skills in several techniques important in contemporary plant science. You will apply your newly honed plant science skills to a detective problem - an intensive research project diagnosing consequences of specific genetic mutations to plant growth and physiology. This research project gives students a taste of a real research environment.
Note: Graduate students attend joint classes with undergraduates but are assessed separately
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
On satisfying the requirements of this course, students will have the knowledge and skills to:- Understand and critically evaluate the way plants function at a whole organism level - linking gene function with performance in nature
- Develop, evaluate and apply a range of contemporary techniques in plant science through guided independent laboratory research: Plant Detectives
- Analyse, interpret evaluate and present results of independent research
- Work collaboratively in a group to critically interpret results and present these findings orally
- Write a review of recent advances in particular field based on a chosen paper related to the course. Identify the main research question(s) being addressed and the advance(s) in understanding. Find 2-3 subsequent papers that describe new advances in knowledge in this particular area. write an essay the presents the important contributions of the selected papers.
Other Information
The Biology Teaching and Learning Centre is located in Building 116. Alternatively you can email rsb.studentadmin@anu.edu.au to request a permission code to enrol in this course.Indicative Assessment
- Theory exam (40%; LO 1)
- Practical quizzes (5%; LO 1, 2)
- Final practical written report written in form of a scientific paper (25%; LO 2, 3)
- Group symposium presentation around lab project and participations in discussions (5%; LO 1, 4)
- Review of recent advances in particular field (20%; LO 5)
- Participation during lectures and/or via online forum. Assessed by active participation in lectures and/or forum, and answers to study questions (Participation mark: 5%; LO 1-4)
The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.
Workload
Three lectures each week for the first 10 weeks, practical sessions weekly starting from Week 5 and up to 10 tutorial sessions.Requisite and Incompatibility
You will need to contact the Biology Teaching and Learning Centre to request a permission code to enrol in this course.
Prescribed Texts
Plant Physiology and Development 6th edition (Taiz, Zeiger, Moller Murphy)Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
If you are a domestic graduate coursework or international student you will be required to pay tuition fees. Tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 2
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are an undergraduate student and have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). You can find your student contribution amount for each course at Fees. Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2019 | $3840 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2019 | $5460 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.
First Semester
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4261 | 25 Feb 2019 | 04 Mar 2019 | 31 Mar 2019 | 31 May 2019 | In Person | View |
