Module manager: Dr Glenn McConkey
Email: g.a.mcconkey@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable
Year running 2025/26
This module is approved as a discovery module
The course will introduce parasitology with an emphasis on those parasites that cause diseases of medical and veterinary importance. The main content will be delivered using in-depth study of specific examples. These will include single celled microparasites such as Malaria, Toxoplasma, Trypanosoma, Leishmania, and Giardia and macroparasites such as Schistosoma, Ascaris, Geohelminths, and the Filarial Nematodes. The course lectures will provide an introduction to parasitology with an emphasis on those parasites that cause diseases. Particular examples will be expanded to illustrate the particular characteristics of this group of organisms, their structure and diversity, their complex life cycles and transmission strategies, the basis for disease pathogenesis and their interaction with host and vector populations and approaches to chemotherapy and control. of medical and veterinary importance.
The overall aim is to learn about the interaction of organisms with parasites and be introduced to specific examples. Knowledge of this group of organisms, which are responsible for animal and human disease on a global scale, and their impact on humanity and the environment will be discussed.
Applied Practicals will provide “hands on” experience and skills to identify, describe, and evaluate parasites and their treatments.
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:
1- Articulate species and characteristics of parasites and their mechanisms.
2- Justify the global impact of parasitic disease based on properties of parasites
3- Express concepts, arguments, and outcomes in parasitic disease control.
Skills Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes:
4- Evaluate through reflection on practical work and process with lecture material showing effective, academic communication, and analytical skills.
Details of the syllabus will be provided on the Minerva organisation (or equivalent) for the module.
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lecture | 15 | 1 | 15 |
| Practical | 4 | 3 | 12 |
| Private study hours | 73 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 27 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 100 | ||
Students will complete a formative practical report covering practical materials, procedures and findings. Students will receive individual feedback on these reports that will feed into the summative assignments.
Students receive informal, in-person formative feedback weekly at the practical sessions whilst performing the experiments from academic staff and from demonstrators. This aids the Practical guided question summative assignment.
The Practical guided questions summative assignment will all provide individual student feedback.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | OTLA - Exam (essay) - 1 of 3 questions | 90 |
| Coursework | Guided questions on Practical work | 10 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
There is no reading list for this module
Last updated: 14/03/2025
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