PHYSIOL 2520 - Physiology IIB: Systems & Homeostasis
North Terrace Campus - Semester 2 - 2025
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General Course Information
Course Details
Course Code PHYSIOL 2520 Course Physiology IIB: Systems & Homeostasis Coordinating Unit Medical Sciences Term Semester 2 Level Undergraduate Location/s North Terrace Campus Units 3 Contact Up to 9 hours per week Available for Study Abroad and Exchange Y Prerequisites ANAT SC 1102 or (BIOLOGY 1101 and BIOLOGY 1201) or MEDIC ST 1000B Assumed Knowledge PHYSIOL 2510 Assessment Examinations, online quizzes and practical assessments Course Staff
Course Coordinator: Mr John Cirillo
Email: physiology2b@adelaide.edu.auCourse Timetable
The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from .
The course timetable will be available on the MyUni site. -
Learning Outcomes
Course Learning Outcomes
1 Display an integrated knowledge and understanding of the fundamental principles of homeostasis involved in the maintenance of health. 2 Recognise and describe the main components of the endocrine, digestive, renal and nervous systems and demonstrate knowledge of how they contribute to the maintanence of homeostasis. 3 Demonstrate and apply understanding of the concepts of adequate experimental design, experimental controls, sound experimental technique, data analysis and interpretation. 4 Locate, analyse, evaluate and synthesize information relevant to the testing and evaluation of a scientific hypothesis. 5 Use contemporary approaches and techniques (including scientific databases, data acquisition equipment and analysis software) to test a scientific hypothesis and for the presentation of research findings. 6 Use appropriate professional skills (including ethical conduct, teamwork and effective time management) when addressing a scientific problem. 7 Assemble and communicate research findings in appropriate scientific formats. University Graduate Attributes
This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:
University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s) Attribute 1: Deep discipline knowledge and intellectual breadth
Graduates have comprehensive knowledge and understanding of their subject area, the ability to engage with different traditions of thought, and the ability to apply their knowledge in practice including in multi-disciplinary or multi-professional contexts.
1 - 7 Attribute 2: Creative and critical thinking, and problem solving
Graduates are effective problems-solvers, able to apply critical, creative and evidence-based thinking to conceive innovative responses to future challenges.
3 - 7 Attribute 3: Teamwork and communication skills
Graduates convey ideas and information effectively to a range of audiences for a variety of purposes and contribute in a positive and collaborative manner to achieving common goals.
6 - 7 Attribute 4: Professionalism and leadership readiness
Graduates engage in professional behaviour and have the potential to be entrepreneurial and take leadership roles in their chosen occupations or careers and communities.
5 - 7 Attribute 5: Intercultural and ethical competency
Graduates are responsible and effective global citizens whose personal values and practices are consistent with their roles as responsible members of society.
6 Attribute 8: Self-awareness and emotional intelligence
Graduates are self-aware and reflective; they are flexible and resilient and have the capacity to accept and give constructive feedback; they act with integrity and take responsibility for their actions.
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Learning Resources
Required Resources
One of the following textbooks is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED:
Sherwood, Human Physiology: From Cells to Systems (7th edition – 9th edition) Cengage
OR
Silverthorn, Human Physiology: An Integrated Approach (4th edition – 6th edition) Pearson
The publishers of these textbooks offer both electronic and hardcopy versions of these texts.
Additional course materials and assessment activities will be provided on-line (via MyUni)Recommended Resources
Individual lecturers within the course will direct students to the appropriate textbook sections and additional resources to support the content of their lectures.
Course materials (or appropriate references) will be accessible via MyUni course pages.
Links to additional library resources (including scientific databases such as Pubmed and Medline) will be available via the MyUni course pages in addition to ethics, statistics and referencing information.
Information Technology Services:
http://www.adelaide.edu.au/its/
MyUni support tutorials for students:
http://www.adelaide.edu.au/myuni/student/tutorials/Online Learning
The following course materials will be provided online via MyUni:
- Course timetable (including both lecture and practical times)
- Lecture notes
- Lecture recordings (audio and video where appropriate)
- Links to recommended readings
- Ethics resources and guides
- Data analysis and statistics resources
- Supporting materials on experimental design
The following course assessment activities will be provided online via MyUni:
- Online research methods practorials and quizzes (3 practorials with quizzes)
- Pre-practical quizzes
Students can obtain information regarding marks obtained for assessment items via Gradebook on MyUni
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Learning & Teaching Activities
Learning & Teaching Modes
Lectures
Lecture modules include (delivered online): the role of endocrine glands and their hormones in the ongoing maintenance of a suitable internal environment; the function of the central and peripheral nervous systems in sensing and responding to changes in the external environment; the gastrointestinal tract in providing nutrition to the body and; the renal system in regulation of fluid and ion levels. The consequences if these control systems become dysfunctional or fail are also considered.
Revision sessions (and/or open office tutorial sessions)
Optional revision class meetings (50 mins duration) with the module lecturer are used to revise concepts from the lectures, answer students' questions, and to provide guidance and feedback on any formative study questions that may be provided by the lecturer. Revision lectorials help students confirm their mastery of concepts, identify areas in which further study will be beneficial and provide students with study questions which reinforce physiological concepts and mechanisms.
Research methods practorials and quizzes
The practical component of the course is supported by on-line research methods practorials and quizzes, which cover topics that include: ethical considerations, sound experimental design and data analysis methods utilised in scientific research.
Practical sessions
In practical sessions, students conduct experiments related to parallel lecture blocks. Students are encouraged to consider how hypotheses are formulated and tested, the importance of keeping up-to-date with relevant research literature and appropriate methods for the collection, analysis and presentation of data. These practical sessions help illustrate and reinforce concepts covered in lecture sessions, but also provide a forum for discussion of research methodology, including appropriate experimental design, controls, the potential for error and working safely and ethically in a research environment.Workload
The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.
Students are reminded that the overall predicted workload for a full time student is an average of 48 hours per week per teaching semester. This includes contact and non-contact hours and includes general study and time to complete assignments.
As PHYSIOL IIB: Systems & Homeostasis is a 3 unit course, it is expected that you spend approximately 12 hours per week studying this course (including contact hours). The table below provides a suggestion as to how you may divide your time between the various learning activities - bearing in mind that this can be flexible depending on each student's individual learning methods.
Contact sessions Number of sessions Duration of each
session (hrs)Total hours
(hrs/semester)Lectures 25 1 25 Practicals 4 4 16 Revision sessions 4 1 4 In-semester exams 2 1 2
Non-contact Number Expected preparation
time (hrs)Total hours
(hrs/semester)Preparation for practicals 4 4 16 Weekly review of lecture material and associated reading 12 3 36 Online practorials and quiz completion 3 5 15 Exam preparation 4 8 32
Total workload (hrs/semester): 146
Expected workload/week (hrs): 12
Learning Activities Summary
An up-to-date timetable of course activities can be downloaded from MyUni.
The course is organised into 4 teaching modules, with in-class and end-of-semester examinations to test comprehension of theory concepts. In-class exams will contribute to the final course grade (16% for each exam) and therefore it is important that students factor these examination sessions into their schedules. Timetable conflict overrides cannot be granted for examination sessions.
Specific Course Requirements
For practicals close-toed shoes must be worn.
Absence from a practical classes or participation in online exams will require the provision of appropriate paperwork documenting medical and/or compassionate reasons for non-attendance. (Students are advised to consult the appropriate sesions on the MyUni course pages to determine the exact documentation required).
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Assessment
The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:
- Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
- Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
- Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
- Assessment must maintain academic standards.
Assessment Summary
Assessment Task Assessment Type Weighting Learning Outcome(s) being addressed Revision quizzes Formative 0% 1, 2 In-class exam 1 Summative (individual) 15% 1, 2 In-class exam 2 Summative (individual) 15% 1, 2 Integrative Physiology Exam Summative (individual) 25% 1, 2 Online practorial quizzes Summative (individual) 6% 3 Pre-practical quiz Summative (individual) 4% 1-3 Practical worksheets Summative
(group)20% 1-7 Practical Skills Exam Summative
(individual)15% 3, 4, 7 Assessment Related Requirements
Students should be aware that they are required to attend both in-class exams (In-class exam 1 and In-class exam 2). Failure to attend these exams will result in forfeiting the marks assigned to these assessment activities. The course timetable available on MyUni will clearly indicate the dates and times these examinations will take place. If attendance at an in-class exam is missed due to severe medical or compassionate circumstances, students will be required to apply for a replacement assessment using the appropriate university application form, with the relevant sections completed by a health professional. It should be noted that, in line with University regulations, students will not be granted a replacement exam if they have already attended the original examination session.
In order to pass Physiology IIB: Systems & Homeostasis students are required to attain an overall grade of 50% AND achieve a composite score of 50% in the theory component of the course (in-class and end-of-semester module exams).
Absence from a practical class will require the provision of appropriate paperwork documenting medical and/or compassionate reasons for non-attendance at the relevant session.
Assessment Detail
Theory examinations (55% of total course grade)
The theory component of PHYSIOL 2520 is split into 3 separate exams. The first two exams (In class exams 1 & 2), each 50 minutes in duration, will examine material covered in lecture blocks 1-4. Each in class exam will be weighted 15% of the total course grade. During the end of semester university examination period students will sit an integrative physiology exam which contributes 25% of the total course grade. Students must achieve at least 27.5 out of 55 total exam marks (50% in exams) in order to pass the course.
Individual practical assessments (25% of total course grade)
- Online research methods quizzes (6%) - These online activities are designed to reinforce and promote understanding of concepts delivered through online practorial presentations on research ethics, experimental design and statistics. Each of the 3 quizzes contribute 2% to the total course grade.
- Pre-practical quizzes (4%) – Prior to each practical session students are asked to read pre-practical reading material and complete a short quiz. This will help introduce and/or reinforce the concepts that will be covered in the practical sessions.
- Research skills exam (15%) – This exam, also conducted during the end-of-semester examination period, will provide students an opportunity to demonstrate mastery of concepts from the on-line research methods practorials and practical classes (including ethical considerations, experimental design, data presentation and analysis.
Group practical assessments (20% of total course grade)
- Practical worksheets (20%) - Practical worksheets have been designed to guide students through a series of research experiments to study a particular physiological concept, or mechanism. By working through practical worksheets students will answer questions and complete activities designed to challenge students to consider the underlying physiological mechanisms; the most appropriate analysis methods and presentation of the data collected and their interpretation previously published results (from review of primary research articles). Each student group (4-6 students per group) will complete a worksheet for each of the 4 practical sessions, each weighted at 5% of the total course grade.Submission
Submission process/requirements
Group practical worksheets should be submitted to the practical class demonstrator by the end of the scheduled practical session. Further information regarding the submission of practical worksheets will be provided during the practical sessions.
Penalties for late submission
On-line quizzes (and associated materials) will be made available on MyUni at least one week in advance of the quiz deadline. Late submissions are not accepted and will receive no score. Extensions or supplemental assessments will not be provided for on-line quizzes unless there are exceptional extenuating circumstances (at the discretion of the course coordinator).
Late submissions of any additional assessment items (individual or group) shall be governed according to the Adelaide Medical School late submission policy. This policy will be enforced strictly throughout the course.
Practical attendance requirements to attain practical group marks
If a practical is missed due to a medical or exceptional circumstance a Practical Absence Form (available on MyUni course pages) must be completed and submitted to the course coordinator (along with appropriate supporting documentation) within 5 days of the missed practical if an opportunity to participate in an alternative practical assessment is to be considered. Failure to submit a completed and signed Practical absence form will result in forfeit of the group worksheet mark for that particular practical class.
Staff “turn-around” timeline on assessments (including exam results)
Wherever possible, staff will endeavour to have assignments and/or examinations marked and grades submitted within two weeks of the submission/examination deadline.
Provision of feedback to students:
PHYSIOL 2520 contains multiple assessment tasks that are set, submitted, marked and returned to students within two weeks of submission/completion. Module lecturers will provide feedback on revision study questions in revision lectorials and open office sessions. If used appropriately, formative revision quizzes and study questions have also the potential to provide feedback to students on their grasp of concepts covered in lecture sessions.
Replacement examinations
Students missing in-class examinations due to medical/compassionate circumstances will be provided with the opportunity to sit replacement examinations at a later date. Applications for replacement examinations will only be considered if the necessary application form (provided on MyUni course pages) has been appropriately completed and submitted to the course coordinator within 5 working days of the original examination date.
Students missing end-of-semester examinations due to medical/compassionate circumstances will be provided with the opportunity to sit replacement examinations at a later date. Applications for replacement examinations will only be considered if the necessary application form has been appropriately completed and submitted to the Faculty of Health & Medical Sciences Assessment Team within 3 working days of the original examination date.
Additional examinations / Academic supplementary examinations
As multiple exam papers (and associated medical replacement exams) are set for this course, additional examinations (formerly known as academic supplementary examinations) are NOT offered to students who fail the course due to a failure to meet a composite score of 50% in theory examinations (even if the overall course grade >50%)Course Grading
Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:
M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme) Grade Mark Description FNS Fail No Submission F 1-49 Fail P 50-64 Pass C 65-74 Credit D 75-84 Distinction HD 85-100 High Distinction CN Continuing NFE No Formal Examination RP Result Pending Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.
Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.
Final results for this course will be made available through .
Examinations are held during teaching weeks (in-class) and during the end-of-semester university examination period. Dates and times of in-class exminations will be provided at the start of the semester and students are expected to be available to sit both in-class exams and the end-of-semester exam held during the official university examination period. Students who fail to sit exams on the set date and time without satisfactory medical or compassionate reasons submitted in writing in the appropriate time frame, will forfeit the marks for these examinations.
Student requests for replacement in-class examinations are to be directed to the course coordinator using the University application for replacement examination due to a medical or compassionate circumstances. Only one sitting for replacement assessment is offered and students who are present at the original exam are not applicable to apply for a replacement assessment.
Examinations WILL NOT be rescheduled for students on holidays or away attending weddings etc.
Information provided in applications for replacement/additional assessments or extensions for assignments will be treated in confidence
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Student Feedback
The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.
SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.
SELTs will be used to evaluate the course on a yearly basis. The results will be compared with benchmarks established in the Faculty of Health & Medical Science and aggregate reports throughout the University.
Feedback provided via SELTs and specialised practical component surveys over the past 3 years have led to a number of important and beneficial PHYSIOL IIB course modifications and therefore student input is encouraged and highly valued. -
Student Support
- Academic Integrity for Students
- Academic Support with Maths
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- Careers Services
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- Student Life Counselling Support - Personal counselling for issues affecting study
- Students with a Disability - Alternative academic arrangements
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Policies & Guidelines
This section contains links to relevant assessment-related policies and guidelines - all university policies.
- Academic Credit Arrangements Policy
- Academic Integrity Policy
- Academic Progress by Coursework Students Policy
- Assessment for Coursework Programs Policy
- Copyright Compliance Policy
- Coursework Academic Programs Policy
- Intellectual Property Policy
- IT Acceptable Use and Security Policy
- Modified Arrangements for Coursework Assessment Policy
- Reasonable Adjustments to Learning, Teaching & Assessment for Students with a Disability Policy
- Student Experience of Learning and Teaching Policy
- Student Grievance Resolution Process
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