B.SC. IN HUMAN BIOLOGY (SPECIAL/GENERAL) DEGREE PROGRAMME

 

AIM

 

The course was initiated in 1994 at the Faulty of Medical Sciences with the intention of fulfilling the need to provide human resources for Medical and Health sciences faculties; to those departments finding it difficult to recruit MBBS graduates with practical skills, specially intended for Pharmacy, Medical Laboratory Technology and Medical Laboratory Sciences courses in the Government and Private sector institutions.

Also to provide research institutes, private sector institutions involved in food manufacture, pharmaceutical industries, public and private sector diagnostic institutions and health policy making institutions with individuals with necessary knowledge and skills and hospitals with nutritionists/dieticians with necessary knowledge and skills.

 

 

 

THE GRADUATE PROFILE

 

It is expected that a Human Biology (Special/General) graduate will;

  1. have the knowledge, skills and attitudes to provide services to suit the needs of institutions involved in health education/promotion and healthcare delivery in any setting,
  2. undertake life-long independent learning, career development and postgraduate study.
  3. be able to work in industries involved in healthcare delivery/manufacture/food industry effectively, and
  4. be able to carry out and collaborate with other professionals in research and development.

 

 

 

SPECIAL AND GENERAL DEGREE COURSES

 

Undergraduates in Sri Lankan Science Faculties who fulfil the criteria for registration for a Human Biology special/general degree will be eligible to follow the Part I and Part II of their degree course with the medical undergraduates.

Part I and Part II comprise academic studies on Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry, General Pathology, Parasitology, Microbiology and Pharmacology respectively. Part III of the course comprises the specialization (3 terms).

If not eligible for specialization a candidate will be able to follow the B Sc General degree following Part II. This involves 1.5 terms of further studies in Pathology, Parasitology, Microbiology and Pharmacology (Part III - General).

Medical undergraduates who wish to discontinue studies in medical stream but have successfully completed 1st MBBS/2nd MBBS or equivalent will also be eligible to follow the Human Biology general degree at our Faculty.


 

 

 

CURRICULUM

 

The Human Biology special degree course involves 3.5 (9 1/2 terms) years of study in the Faculty of Medical Sciences. This will comprise of Part I, Part II and Part III course work.

The present curriculum followed by the students is module based with horizontal integration. In their Part I and Part II the undergraduates will be exposed to the same curricula as the medical undergraduates. Undergraduates who are not eligible to follow a Special degree will have to follow further 1.5 terms of study in Pathology, Parasitology, Microbiology and Pharmacology (Part III - General).

In Part III-Special, the specialization year, depending on the selected specialty (Biochemistry, Food and Nutrition, Microbiology, Anatomy or Genetics) the curriculum is designed so that the students are exposed to gain advanced knowledge in the selected specialization.

The extent of work expected for a subject area is expressed in credits. The total number of credits for a Human Biology Special degree is 120 and for a Human Biology general degree is 90. The number of credits for each subject/course unit in proportion to study hours is 1-4.4.

 

Table 1: PART I (5 TERMS)
Unit Code Subject Number of Units
HBANA 01 Anatomy 20
HBPHY 01 Physiology 20
HBBC 01 Biochemistry 20
Total 60

 

Table 2: PART II (1.5 TERMS)
Unit Code Subject / Course Unit Number of Units
HBPARA 02-01 General Parasitology 04
HBPHAR 02-01 General Pharmacology 04
HBMICR 02-01 General Microbiology 04
HBPATH 02-01 General Pathology 04
Total 16

 

Table 3: PART III - GENERAL (1.5 TERMS)
Unit Code Subject / Course Unit Number of Units
HBPARA 03-01 Parasitology 04
HBPHAR 03-01 Pharmacology 04
HBMICR 03-01 Microbiology 04
HBPATH 03-01 Pathology 04
Total 16

 

Total number of subjects 07
Total number of credits 92

 

 

PART III - SPECIAL (03 TERMS)


Table 4.1: BIOCHEMISTRY SPECIALIZATION
Unit Code Course Unit Number of Units
HBSBC 03-01 Enzymology/ Molecular Biology and Biotechnology/ Natural Products and Bioactivity 03
HBSBC 03-02 Hormones/Carcinogenesis/Drug Metabolism/Clinical Biochemistry 03
HBSBC 03-03 Practical (Theory of Practicals/spanractical Recording) 04
HBSBC 03-04 Seminar 1/Seminar 2 04
HBSBC 03-05 Research Proposal, Seminar and Report 04
HBSBC 03-06 Instrumentation 03
HBSBC 03-07 Research Project and defense 20
HBSBC 03-08 Dissertation of Research Project 03
Total 44

 

Table 4.2: FOOD AND NUTRITION SPECIALIZATION
Unit Code Course Unit Number of Units
HBSFN 03-01 Food Composition, Effects of Processing and Food Analysis 03
HBSFN 03-02 Nutrition 03
HBSFN 03-03 Practical (Theory of Practicals/spanractical Recording) 04
HBSFN 03-04 Seminar 1/Seminar 2 04
HBSFN 03-05 Field Survey/ Industrial Training or Hospital Visit (Project and Defense) 04
HBSFN 03-06 Field Survey/ Industrial Training or Hospital Visit (Report) 03
HBSFN 03-07 Research Project and Defense 20
HBSFN 03-08 Dissertation of Research Project 03
Total 44

 

Table 4.3: MICROBIOLOGY SPECIALIZATION
Unit Code Course Unit Number of Units
HBSMIC 03-01 Microbial Genetics, Bacteriology and Immunology 03
HBSMIC 03-02 Mycology and Virology 03
HBSMIC 03-03 Mycology, Systemic Bacteriology Practicals 04
HBSMIC 03-04 Lab Safety and Virology (Seminar 1/Seminar 2) 04
HBSMIC 03-05 Clinical Microbiology Practicals 04
HBSMIC 03-06 Molecular Biology and Food Microbiology(Seminar 1/Seminar 2) 03
HBSMIC 03-07 Research Project and Defense 20
HBSMIC 03-08 Dissertation of Research Project 03
Total 44

 

Table 4.4: ANATOMY SPECIALIZATION
Unit Code Course Unit Number of Units
HBSANA 03-01 Human Osteology/ Odontology/ Physical anthropology 03
HBSANA 03-02 Molecular Biology and Advanced Histological Techniques 03
HBSANA 03-03 Practical 1 04
HBSANA 03-04 Practical 2 04
HBSANA 03-05 Seminar 1/Seminar 2 04
HBSANA 03-06 Field visits and Archaeological Excavations 03
HBSANA 03-07 Research Project and Defense 20
HBSANA 03-08 Dissertation of Research Project 03
Total 44

 

Total number of units 15
Total number of credits 120