PHILADELPHIA UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF SCIENCE AND HEALTH

Lecture Syllabus for Microbiology BIOL-221 (Pre-requisite - Biology II, BIOL-104)

 Spring Semester 2009

The objective of this course is to introduce students to the biology of microorganisms with emphasis on bacteria and viruses. Topics include the aspects of microbial structure, biochemistry and nutrition which allow them to succeed in wide-ranging and often hostile environments; an exploration of the groups of medically important microorganisms and the response of the human body to disease.

Recommended Textbook: Schaum’s Outlines in Microbiology (1997) I.E. Alcamo, McGraw Hill, NY

Microbiology notes: Essential for lectures. Packet direct from University Bookstore.

Lectures: Chapters to be focused are in the course outline. You should read the appropriate chapters and sections in the Microbiology notes prior to class.

Assignments: There are three written assignments associated with the course. The allotted time given for the completion of each is one week to ten days. If you are unable to complete the assignment in the given time due to illness or personal emergency, it is your responsibility to contact me at least 3 days prior to the submission deadline date either by voice or E-mail.  If you are absent it is your responsibility to find out any assignments due that week. Uncompleted assignments will obtain a zero grade.

Academic Honesty: Neither cheating on exams nor plagiarism on written assignments will be tolerated. In the case of written assignments, ideas and descriptions are to be independent and not discussed with your fellow pupils. Students guilty of infractions face immediate action as described in the student handbook.

Attendance policy: You are expected to attend all classes and laboratories and be punctual (not late by more than 10 minutes). Chronic absence or tardiness will result in a lowering of your final semester grade by as much as a full letter grade.

Evaluation: NB your assignments and exams can not be made up. There will be four, one hour exams which consist of short answer questions (multiple choice, fill in the blank, definitions, short essays) and case history analyses.

Grades:  Your final letter grades will be assigned as follows with below 60 as failing grade.

Course outline: The topics and chapters to be read in the textbook each week are indicated.

 Laboratory Syllabus

Spring Semester 2009

Practical studies will enable students to gain experience in isolating and culturing known and unknown organisms using a variety of staining and identification techniques routinely used in public health laboratories.

Laboratory Studies: Practical classes will be held beginning the week of January 26^th 2009 (i.e. January 29^th and 30^th). You are expected to write down and/or draw what you did, what you observed and compare your findings with what you would have expected to see given the guidelines of the course laboratory manual. Practical write-ups must represent individual observations and not collaborations. There will be no labs on March 12^th and 13^th or on March 26^th and 27^th, the weeks prior to and after Spring Break, and from the week beginning April 13^th onwards. Laboratories must be submitted on time to receive a full grade for the assigned work. Those received within three days of the assignment, without prior contact with the instructor, will be reduced by a letter grade. Laboratory write-ups received more than three days late, without prior contact, will receive a zero grade. Attendance at all laboratories is mandatory. Absence from more than 2 laboratories will result in automatic failure of the course.

Academic Honesty: Neither cheating on exams nor plagiarism on written assignments will be tolerated. In the case of written assignments, ideas and descriptions are to be independent and not discussed with your fellow pupils. Students guilty of infractions face immediate action as described in the student handbook.

Attendance policy: You are expected to attend all laboratories and be punctual (not late by more than 10 minutes). Chronic absence or tardiness will result in a lowering of your final semester grade by as much as a full letter grade.

Evaluation: NB your quizzes and lab reports can not be made up. There will be ten, 15-20 minute quizzes which consist of short answer questions (multiple choice, fill in the blank, definitions, short essays) and case history analyses; the lowest grade of which will be removed. In addition there will be eight major lab reports associated with the course. These should be typewritten and either emailed as an attachment or printed out for the instructor.

Grades:  Your final letter grades will be assigned as follows with below 60 as failing grade.