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Course Tabs

Overview

Course Prescription

A solid grounding in the principles underlying pharmacology and toxicology, including the nature of drug targets, their interaction and response (pharmacodynamics), the fate of drugs within the body (pharmacokinetics), toxicity classification and testing, poisons and antidotes, adverse drug reactions, selective toxicity, drug discovery and development. Selected drug examples will be studied to illustrate key principles of clinical pharmacology.

Course Overview

The science of the safe and effective use of drugs - pharmacology and toxicology are integrative sciences, encompassing disciplines from genetics to biochemistry to physiology. 

MEDSCI 204 teaches concepts and capabilities through lectures, interactive workshops, practical laboratories, and related assessments. 

The test and exam will be held in person.

Course Contacts

medsci204@auckland.ac.nz

Course Director: Deborah Young ds.young@auckland.ac.nz

Course co-coordinator: Leslie Schwarcz l.schwarcz@auckland.ac.nz

Course co-coordinator: Rachel Cameron r.cameron@auckland.ac.nz

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect 3 hours of lectures per week, a 2-hour workshop or laboratory practical per fortnight, 1 hour of reading and thinking about the content, and 4-6 hours of work on assignments and/or test preparation. 

Course Prerequisites, Corequisites and Restrictions

Prerequisite

Advice on Course Limits

This is a limited entry course: there is a limit on the number of enrolments due to staff or space capacity. In cases where the courses is taught under two separate codes (e.g. concurrently taught courses, general education courses) the course limit specified is the total across both versions of the course. For more information, please see the Programme and Course Limitations section of the University Academic and General Statutes and Regulations.

Locations and Semesters Offered

LocationSemester
Grafton

Teaching and Learning

Campus Experience

Attendance is required at scheduled activities including workshop/labs to complete components of the course.
Attendance on campus is required for the test.
Lectures will be available as recordings 24 hours after the lecture except in the event of technical difficulties. Other learning activities including workshops/labs will not be available as recordings.
The course will not include live online events including group discussions.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

Learning Resources

Taught courses use a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas to provide students with learning materials including reading lists and lecture recordings (where available). Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Additional Information on Learning Resources

Powerpoint slides delivered at the lectures will be provided to students electronically through Canvas. Presentations may be modified prior to delivery at the discretion of each lecturer. 

Workshop/lab resources will be provided through Canvas. 

Supplemental reading is available via the Talis Reading List.

Copyright

The content and delivery of content in this course are protected by copyright. Material belonging to others may have been used in this course and copied by and solely for the educational purposes of the University under license.


You may copy the course content for the purposes of private study or research, but you may not upload onto any third-party site, make a further copy or sell, alter or further reproduce or distribute any part of the course content to another person.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.

Similarly, research students must meet the University’s expectations of good research practice. This requires:

  • Honesty - in all aspects of research work
  • Accountability - in the conduct of research
  • Professional courtesy and fairness – in working with others
  • Good stewardship – on behalf of others
  • Transparency – of research process and presentation of results
  • Clarity - communication to be understandable, explainable and accessible

For more information on the University’s expectations of academic integrity, please see the Academic Conduct section of the University policy hub.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about taught courses is made available to enrolled students in Canvas.

Students may be asked to submit assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.


Additional Information on Academic integrity

Science is collaborative and students are encouraged to discuss concepts but not share written work that will be submitted for marks for individual assessments. The work you submit must be your own, in your own words, and where appropriate include references. Copying from shared notes, i.e. notes prepared with other students, may lead to academic misconduct proceedings. Providing your work to third parties or using third party resources may lead to academic misconduct proceedings. Generative AI is permitted with limits in some assessments to support but not supplant learning. Permitted use and limits are delineated on Canvas.

Assessment and Learning Outcomes

Course Learning Outcomes

CLO #OutcomeProgramme Capability Link
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

Assessments

Assessment TypeAssessment PercentageAssessment Classification

Additional Information on Assessment

To pass:

  • Students must achieve at least 50% of the total marks for the course (i.e., coursework, test, exam). 
  • Students must attend four compulsory workshops. 
Extensions and exemptions must be arranged with the course coordinators prior to due dates. 

Assessment to CLO Mapping

Assessment Type1234567

Student Feedback, Support and Charter

Student Feedback

Feedback on taught courses is gathered from students at the end of each semester through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions. Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students. In addition, class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Additional Information on Student Feedback

SETs do not always meet the threshold for significance, but when feasible staff look for themes as part of their review of the course. Feedback to class reps throughout the term is also considered. Generally: students appreciate the organisation of the course, the focus on understanding data that is part of the workshops, and that assessments align with the learning outcomes of the course. 

Class representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Additional Information on Class Representatives

Contact details for class representatives will be available on the course Canvas site. There are two staff-student consultative committee meetings a term, and class reps are responsible for collating student feedback and liaising with teaching staff before attending the meeting. This is a good opportunity to check in with each other, though all students are encouraged to contact staff throughout the term.

Tuākana

Tuākana is a multi-faceted programme for Māori and Pacific students providing topic specific tutorials, one-on-one sessions, test and exam preparation and more. Explore your options at Tuakana Learning Communities.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website.

Additional Information on Inclusive Learning

Students are requested to contact staff prior to the workshops if they require extra support for the small group work and participation. SDS will communicate students' needs like extra time, a computer, reader-writer for test(s). Students are requested to contact SDS early in the semester. Available rooms and staff are limited and it may not be possible to accommodate requests made within a two weeks of the test.

Wellbeing

We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. There is lots of help out there - please see the Support Services page for information on support services in the University and the wider community.

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed work is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due. If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page. This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Additonal Information on Special Circumstances

It is not possible to aegrotat both the test and the exam.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter.

Student Academic Complaints and Disputes

Students with concerns about teaching including how a course is delivered, the resources provided, or supervision arrangements, have the right to express their concerns and seek resolution. The university encourages informal resolution where possible, as this is quicker and less stressful. For information on the informal and formal complaints processes, please refer to the Student Academic Complaints Statute in the Student Policies and Guidelines section of the Policy Hub.