This course discusses the potential applications of biotechnology in crop improvement and the potential applications of biotechnology for novel uses for plants

Students will attend a series of lectures and tutorial sessions in Semester 2.

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1500 - 2000 word essay (50%)

Poster presentation (50%)

The aim of this course is to develop students' knowledge and understanding of a key aspect of plant biotechnology. These include both the application of biotechnological approaches towards crop improvement and the modification and use of plants for novel biotechnological purposes. Students should gain in their ability to critically evaluate both the potential for food security and the ethical and social aspects of plant biotechnology.

Specifically, this course aims to:

■ provide students with state-of-the-art knowledge and understanding of some of the most important methods and applications of biotechnology in crop improvement and their significance with respect to food security;

■ enable students to evaluate the ethical and social implications of crop biotechnology;

provide students with state-of-the-art knowledge and understanding of how biotechnological approaches can provide novel uses and applications of plants and their significance with respect to sustainable development.

■ enable students to critically appraise journal articles, reports and popular media articles relating to plant biotechnology;

■ enhance students' conceptual, analytical and presentation skills.

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

Knowledge and Understanding

■ critically discuss the application of biotechnological approaches in crop improvement and their relevance to food security with reference to the scientific literature;

■ explain state-of-the-art technologies used in plant biotechnology;

■ critically discuss and understand the uses of plants for novel biotechnological applications:

■ identify, debate and critically evaluate the ethical and social issues raised by plant biotechnology.

Skills and Other Attributes

On completion of the programme, students will be able to:

Intellectual skills

■ research and critically evaluate an ethical/social aspect of plant biotechnology in the form of an essay;

■ produce and discuss a poster that presents and critically evaluates an application of plant biotechnology in relation to either food security or the use of plants in novel applications;

■ identify, summarise and critically evaluate published papers, reports and media articles on aspects of plant biotechnology;

■ learn independently.

Transferable/key skills

■ demonstrate oral communication skills by presenting and discussing a poster on a topic in plant biotechnology;

■ write a well structured and carefully written essay on an ethical/social aspect of plant biotechnology;

■ plan and manage time effectively by prioritising tasks and meeting deadlines

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