Industrial Fermentation BIOL5450

  • Academic Session: 2025-26
  • School: MVLS College Services
  • Credits: 10
  • Level: Level 5 (SCQF level 11)
  • Typically Offered: Semester 1
  • Available to Visiting Students: No
  • Collaborative Online International Learning: No
  • Curriculum For Life: No

Short Description

This course discusses the past, current, and potential future applications of fermentation in industrial contexts. Fermentation will be discussed with regards to the chemical processes, production of desirable compounds, and other uses in an industrial setting. The course will also discuss the potential future uses of fermentation with a focus on the use of directed, precision, and consortium approaches.

Timetable

This course will run in Semester 1.

Requirements of Entry

None

Excluded Courses

None

Co-requisites

None

Assessment

Group media output (12 minutes, 25%) (ILOs 1 & 2)

Written Assignment (1500 words, 75%) (ILOs 1 - 3)

Are reassessment opportunities available for all summative assessments? No

Reassessments are normally available for all courses, except those which contribute to the Honours classification. Where, exceptionally, reassessment on Honours courses is required to satisfy professional/accreditation requirements, only the overall course grade achieved at the first attempt will contribute to the Honours classification. For non-Honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions for this course are described below. 

 

Groupwork is not reassessable.

Course Aims

The aim of this course is to develop student understanding and knowledge of the fermentation process. Focussing on its historical significance, current industrial usage, and the potential future applications of fermentation processes. The course will provide a background of the study of fermentation, outline the utilisation of fermentation traditionally and currently with a focus on food, drinks, and other major industrial processes, and discuss potential future uses of fermentation in industrial, agricultural, and ecological contexts.

Intended Learning Outcomes of Course

By the end of this course students will be able to:

1. Critically appraise industrially relevant fermentation processes and their applications

2. Critically evaluate the effects of external factors on fermentation and fermentation products

3. Critically discuss the potential future capabilities of fermentation, how they might be implemented, and what they can be implemented for

Minimum Requirement for Award of Credits

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.