College Advanced Certificate Courses
The following is a general elaboration on the College Advanced Courses
offered by the Department of Crystallography.
This course is designed to provide students with a broad understanding
of the fundamentals of the structure of proteins. All teaching for the
course will take place on the Internet and will include self-assessment
exercises, tutorials and discussion groups by electronic mail. In the first
term students will be given all the necessary training in the use of Internet
facilities and resources. It is expected that students will spend a minimum
of six hours per week on work related to the course. Students will need
access to a suitable PC with graphical facilities and access to the
Internet. The course will take place over three terms and be divided into
three sections: i) information technology and bioinformatics, ii) protein
structure iii) project: topics in protein structure, function and dynamics.
The course is designed for people with backgrounds in humanities, sciences
or social sciences who want to develop their knowledge about the increasingly
complex interaction between contemporary science and society. In the first
two terms students take two concurrent courses; one on topics in current
science and one on the social, cultural and political context of science. In
the third term each student writes a dissertation on a topic in the area of
science policy, science politics and industry. The areas of science studied
in detail are molecular biology and biotechnology; energy resources; computers
and information technology. We include laboratory and computer demonstrations,
hands-on sessions and optional visits to laboratories in other institutions.
The course is particularly relevant to people involved professionally in
education, science-based industry, scientific administration and health
care, as well at those with a general interest in the subject.
Course Overview - Protein Engineering
This course comprises of the following: experimental protein engineering;
theoretical protein design; applications in medicine, agriculture and
industry; and also molecular structure of complex biological systems.
Examination is by one written paper, a 5000 word dissertation and assessment
of written coursework.
Duration
All these courses are taken as one-year part-time courses only.
Attendance is required on two or three evenings a week.
Funding
Not available for part-time courses.
Entry Requirements
Applicants should have a BSc/HND in a biological, chemical or physical science.
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