BS132-4-AP-CO:
General and Organic Chemistry

The details
2024/25
Life Sciences (School of)
Colchester Campus
Autumn & Spring
Undergraduate: Level 4
Current
Thursday 03 October 2024
Friday 21 March 2025
15
04 August 2023

 

Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)

 

(none)

Key module for

BSC C700 Biochemistry,
BSC C701 Biochemistry (Including Placement Year),
BSC C703 Biochemistry (Including Year Abroad),
BSC CR00 Biochemistry (Including Foundation Year),
BSC B990 Biomedical Science,
BSC B991 Applied Biomedical Science (NHS placement),
BSC B995 Biomedical Science (Including Year Abroad),
BSC B999 Biomedical Science (Including Placement Year),
BSC BD00 Biomedical Science (Including Foundation Year),
MSCIB099 Biomedical Science,
MSCIBA99 Biomedical Science (Including Placement Year),
MSCIBB99 Biomedical Science (Including Year Abroad),
BSC C400 Genetics,
BSC C402 Genetics (Including Year Abroad),
BSC C403 Genetics (Including Placement Year),
BSC CK00 Genetics (Including Foundation Year),
BSC C110 Biotechnology,
BSC C111 Biotechnology (Including Foundation Year),
BSC C112 Biotechnology (Including Year Abroad),
BSC C113 Biotechnology (Including Placement Year),
BSC C200 Human Biology,
BSC C201 Human Biology (Including Year Abroad),
BSC C202 Human Biology (Including Placement Year),
BSC C220 Human Biology (Including Foundation Year),
MSCIC098 Biochemistry and Biotechnology (Including Year Abroad),
MSCIC099 Biochemistry and Biotechnology (Including Placement Year),
MSCICZ99 Biochemistry and Biotechnology,
BSC C555 Microbiology,
BSC C556 Microbiology (Including Foundation Year),
BSC C557 Microbiology (Including Year Abroad),
BSC C558 Microbiology (Including Placement Year),
MSCIC559 Microbiology and Biotechnology

Module description

This module will examine, in detail, fundamental concepts including chemical bonding, electronegativity, acidity, basicity, hydrogen bonding, the range of common organic functional groups and different types of isomerism.


This module will then examine, in mechanistic detail, a range of reactions that model those commonly occurring in biological systems.

Module aims

The aim of this module is:



  • To provide a grounding in chemistry suitable for students of the molecular life sciences.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:



  1. Describe basic chemical principles including the structure of the atom, chemical bonding and layout of the periodic table, and also apply the concept of orbital hybridisation.

  2. Demonstrate how 3 dimensional molecules are represented in 2 dimensions.

  3. Describe the concept of functional groups and how these groups give rise to characteristic properties including biological activity.

  4. Describe the nature of stereoisomers and their implications for biological systems.

  5. Draw mechanisms for a range of organic reactions.

  6. Describe how the fundamental principles of electronegativity and polarity underpin organic reactions.

  7. Describe how the reactivity of organic compounds can be related to Lewis and hybridisation models for bonding.

  8. Demonstrate competence in experimental practice, written communication, and data analysis & interpretation.


Skills for your professional life (Transferable Skills)


By the end of this module, students will be expected to have developed the following transferable skills:



  1. Preparative and analytical chemistry.

  2. Retrieval, evaluation and selection of scientific information.

  3. Problem solving.

  4. Numeracy.

  5. Data analysis and interpretation.

Module information

Autumn Term
In order to fully appreciate the roles of biological molecules it is first necessary to understand how they are formed from individual atoms, and moreover how the properties of these constituent atoms influence molecular structure and reactivity.


Spring Term
In order to fully understand the complex molecular processes involved in the cell it is first necessary to gain an appreciation of the reactivity of simple organic compounds.


Learning and teaching methods

This module will be delivered via:

  • One 1-hour lecture per week.
  • Two MCQ revisions classes.
  • One revision class before the summer exam.
  • Four 3-hour practical sessions or equivalent.

The lectures will include on lecture on directed learning material.

The MCQ revision classes will be at the end of the autumn and spring terms.

Bibliography

This module does not appear to have any essential texts. To see non - essential items, please refer to the module's reading list.

Assessment items, weightings and deadlines

Coursework / exam Description Deadline Coursework weighting
Coursework   Worksheet 4    25% 
Coursework   Worksheet 1    25% 
Coursework   Worksheet 2    25% 
Coursework   Worksheet 3    25% 
Exam  MCQ exam: In-Person, Closed Book, 50 minutes during January 
Exam  MCQ exam: In-Person, Closed Book, 50 minutes during Early Exams 
Exam  Main exam: In-Person, Closed Book, 60 minutes during Summer (Main Period) 
Exam  Reassessment Main exam: In-Person, Closed Book, 60 minutes during September (Reassessment Period) 
Exam  Reassessment MCQ exam: In-Person, Closed Book, 50 minutes during September (Reassessment Period) 

Exam format definitions

  • Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
  • In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
  • In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
  • In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary, for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.

Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.

Overall assessment

Coursework Exam
33% 67%

Reassessment

Coursework Exam
33% 67%
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Dr Paul Dobbin, email: pdobbin@essex.ac.uk.
Dr Paul Dobbin
School Undergraduate Office, email: bsugoffice (Non essex users should add @essex.ac.uk to create the full email address)

 

Availability
No
No
No

External examiner

No external examiner information available for this module.
Resources
Available via Moodle
Of 16 hours, 7 (43.8%) hours available to students:
9 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s), module, or event type.

 

Further information
Life Sciences (School of)

Disclaimer: The University makes every effort to ensure that this information on its Module Directory is accurate and up-to-date. Exceptionally it can be necessary to make changes, for example to programmes, modules, facilities or fees. Examples of such reasons might include a change of law or regulatory requirements, industrial action, lack of demand, departure of key personnel, change in government policy, or withdrawal/reduction of funding. Changes to modules may for example consist of variations to the content and method of delivery or assessment of modules and other services, to discontinue modules and other services and to merge or combine modules. The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will also keep students informed appropriately by updating our programme specifications and module directory.

The full Procedures, Rules and Regulations of the University governing how it operates are set out in the Charter, Statutes and Ordinances and in the University Regulations, Policy and Procedures.