Flexible new Science degree from Teesside

Scientists at the University of Teesside have gone back to the drawing board to find a revolutionary new approach to make science more appealing to students.

Gone is the formality of countless lectures on pure theoretical chemistry and over reliance on assessment by traditional closed-book examinations. In their place comes a radical new BSc Molecular Science degree - designed as a framework into which the individual students can build their own chosen pattern of study.

Course team member, Dr Liam O'Hare describes Molecular Science as a uniquely flexible degree and says: "It is a real improvement on what has been offered in the past, both here and at other universities, where the numbers applying to study science is in decline. We hope to attract good students and turn a good idea into a real success."

The new degree is built around a compulsory core of science and 'managing learning' modules, which will help students to choose whether to concentrate on topics such as biochemistry or molecular biology or to focus on subjects closely linked to a particular employment sector.

The course is available on a full-time, sandwich or day release basis and is flexible enough to allow students to move between full-time and part-time study.

As well as selecting topics to study, students can choose how to study them; attending traditional lectures, doing a presentation, working in small group tutorials or building a portfolio. The key will be agreeing learning outcomes with tutors and demonstrating that these have been achieved. "In practice, it is likely that students will use a mixture of these methods of study; and, of course, there will be some lectures and laboratory sessions that everyone must attend", says Dr O'Hare.

He believes graduates of this course will be much better placed to continue their professional development as the skills they will need to succeed are certain to change during their careers and they will never stop learning.

Successful Molecular Science graduates will be ideally placed to embark on a wide range of rewarding careers such as analytical scientist, fragrance consultant, forensic scientist, scientific journalist, patent administrator, food chemist or science teacher.

The degree will satisfy the academic requirements necessary for admission as an Associate Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry and for eventual progression to full Member status (MRSC).

For further information contact Dr O'Hare (w.t.ohare@tees.ac.uk) or Sandra Joyce on s.joyce@tees.ac.uk or phone 01642 342499.

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