Faculty of Science Biology Laboratory

Subject Information for New Students

Timetable information

How do I arrange my timetable?

Each First Year Science student will have their own personal timetable solved for them. The timetable is produced by the Science Faculty's Alloc8 website, which finds the best available solution at the time of solving.

Key Alloc8 dates for Semester 2, 2009

If you need to make changes to your timetable, you can EDIT it from a day after its publication, which will be announced soon. You can do this either from home, if you have a computer connected to the internet, or from a computer at the University.

Please note that you will need to have confirmed your enrolment in order to access this allocation process. If you have any queries about confirming your enrolment, please contact the Science Student Centre.

How do I access my timetable for subjects not on Alloc8?

Timetable and venue information for all University lectures can be found on the Student Information System. If you have enrolled in subjects offered by the Faculties not on Alloc8, you should contact the relevant Faculty or Department to sign up for classes.

What should I do if I have problems with my timetable?

  1. You should use the EDIT function on Alloc8 in the first instance. Sometimes this may not be successful if the class is full or if you have a clash.
  2. If you cannot resolve your problem with the EDIT function, you can obtain face-to-face help:
Timetable Help Monday 20 July to Friday 24 July

During this period, Science students requiring assistance changing their timetables should go to:

Mathematics & Statistics Learning Centre
(Ground Floor, Richard Berry Building)
B etween 2:30 to 4:30 pm each day

Timetable Help Monday 27 July to Friday 7 August (Weeks 1 & 2)

During this period, Department staff will be available to help students each day at the following times and locations:

Department Time Location
Biology 10:00am to 12:00 midday Biology Office (Level 5, Redmond Barry Building)
Chemistry 10:00am to 12:00 midday Chemistry First Year Laboratory (Ground Floor, Chemistry West Building)
Maths 2:30 to 4:30 pm Mathematics & Statistics Learning Centre (Ground Floor, Richard Berry Building
Physics 2:30 to 4:30pm First Year Learning Centre (Level 2, Physics Building)

* Please note that casual work commitments or preference for a certain class are not considered valid reasons for allocation changes.

How do I find out where my subjects are held?

Lectures

Timetable and venue information for all University lectures may be found via the Student Information System (SIS). Select the timetables link. Venue information is also available from the SIS. It is your responsibility to ensure you look up all your lecture details on the SIS and familiarise yourself with venues during Orientation.

Practical Classes and Tutorials

On your timetable your tutorial time and room and your practical class time will be shown. It is most important if you are in '650142 Genetics and the Evolution of Life' to make a note of which practical group you are in. It will be either Group A or Group B. If you are in Group A practicals commence in WEEK 2 i.e., the week of 3 August 2009. Group B will commence practicals in WEEK 3, the week of 10 August 2009.

ALL tutorials commence in week 2.

If you are a student in the Bachelor of Biomedicine and completing '650122 Genes and Environment', your practical classes and tutorials commence in WEEK 2 (week commencing 3 August 2009).

Do I have to attend all lectures, pracs and tutorials?

Once you have enrolled you are expected to attend all classes (lectures, tutorials, practical work etc.), and submit all set assignments. To pass Biology you must pass the practical component. Each practical class is assessed. Make sure that you obtain all programs, instructions and guidelines issued by staff.

General information about Biology

Enquiries

The Coordinator of Biology is Assoc Prof Dawn Gleeson (Genetics Department, Room 1.07, ph: 8344 4765). You should consult her if you require advice regarding your Biology subjects.

General enquiries regarding first year Biology should be made at:

Biology Laboratory Office
Room 509, 5th floor
Redmond Barry building
Tel: 8344 4881

Entry to this area is via the lifts at the EAST end of the building.

Biology email

All students should activate their undergraduate email account as soon as possible. Refer to Student IT (http://www.studentit.unimelb.edu.au/) if you need help.

Biology has a direct email account, which you can use to ask any questions you would normally ask at the reception counter or phone in. This service may not be as quick, but mail will be checked daily (except on weekends) and either responded to directly or forwarded to the appropriate person.

If you send an email to Biology please be sure to provide full contact details.

The email address is: biology-info@unimelb.edu.au

Libraries

All Biology publications and Biology Workbooks are in the Baillieu library.

The Education Resource Centre (ERC) within the Institute of Education also has a comprehensive collection of biological books and related materials. The Baillieu Library is the University's central library, and houses the main University collection. It has many of the books you may need for Biology. The Baillieu Library and the ERC issue booklets on library use and run orientation programmes at the beginning of semester 1.

2009 Semester Dates

Noticeboards

General information noticeboards are located in the corridor adjacent to the Biology Enquiries office at the east end of Level 5, Redmond Barry Building.

Notices relating to 650142 will be placed on noticeboards located in the corridor of the First Year Biology Learning Centre at the east end of Level 4, Redmond Barry Building and the LMS.

Notices relating to 650122 Biomedical Biology will be placed on noticeboards outside the tutorial room at the EAST end of Level 3, Redmond Barry Building and the LMS.

Notices relating to 650111 Biology of Australian Flora & Fauna will be placed on noticeboards outside the tutorial room on Level 3, Redmond Barry Building and the LMS.

Please consult these noticeboards regularly.

Safety regulations

Please note: All Laboratories and associated rooms are designated Safety Precincts. The following Safety regulations will be strictly enforced.

  1. Smoking, drinking and eating in the laboratory and demonstration areas are forbidden.
  2. SOUND FOOTWEAR must be worn in the Laboratories. Students or staff will not be permitted to remain in the Laboratory or demonstration areas unless they are wearing suitable shoes as a protection from broken glass and/or chemical spillages. Such suitable footwear will substantially cover the foot and will be secured around the ankle.
    In particular: barefeet, thongs, sandals, clogs, scuffs and other open-style shoes are PROHIBITED.
  3. Students are expected to purchase or have access to a laboratory coat for most practical classes during the year.

Practical Class, Lecture Group & Tutorial Allocations

Students are allocated by computer to a specific Lecture Stream, practical class, and tutorial time that best suits their subject choices and the available class spaces. Where computer error or insufficient timetabling information results in an unworkable timetable, changes can be made. Some subject selections produce irreconcilable timetable problems and require re-evaluation of subject choices.

The on-screen instructions will explain how to make changes to your timetable.

You are required to attend the lecture, practical class, and tutorial time allocated to you in your personal timetable. For reasons of safety, numbers in each lecture group, practical class and tutorial are very carefully managed, and lecturers will not give lectures in overcrowded theatres.

Information about Practical Classes

All practical classes will be held in one of the Biology Laboratories, either Level 2 and Level 3 in the Redmond Barry Building.

Students are expected to read the appropriate pages in their Biology Workbook and be familiar with the work to be done before the commencement of each class.

You will be allocated a seat number for practical classes. Notices listing students' seat numbers will be placed on the LMS the week prior to the practical.

Please sit in that seat for the duration of semester, unless moved by a member of the Laboratory Staff. This is essential because you are responsible for the microscopes and other equipment at your seat number.

Please bring your student card to the practical classes. Attendance will be recorded by scanning the card in the practical session.

Requirements for Biology Practical Classes

Students taking 650141 & 650142, or 650121 & 650122, should provide themselves with the following:

A Biology Workbook

Biology Workbooks ($22) are available from the bookshop (adjacent to the Baillieu Library). Make sure you have the workbook for your first practical class.

After purchasing your workbook please ensure you read the introductory pages as this contains information relating to practical time and dates and assessment as well as other useful information. The workbook includes practical activities, Independent Learning Tasks (ILTS) and tutorial questions.

Sundries

These items are required throughout the year, and are also available from the University Bookshop or Workshop.

Laboratory coats

Students will be expected to purchase or have access to a laboratory coat for most practical classes during the year. You may purchase coats from the Univeristy Bookroom, The Workshop or the Chemistry store during Orientation Week.

Animal experimentation

Some subjects involve the use of animals in experiments. Students should be aware that these experiments are an essential part of the course and exemption from this component is not possible. All animal experimentation carried out in the University is subject to the rigorous control of the Animal Experimentation Ethics Committee.

Subject details

Specific information about the recommended textbooks, lectures, practical classes and tutorials can be found at the following locations.

Note: To access most information from these sites, you will need to have activated your email account, and logon using your University email account's username and password. You will not be able to access Webraft or the LMS without it. Activating your student email account.

Subjects

Textbooks

View the Recommended Textbooks page on this site.

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