AD1APN: Animal Anatomy, Physiology and Nutrition 1

Module code: AD1APN

Module provider: School of Agriculture, Policy and Development

Credits: 20

Level: Level 1 (Certificate)

When you'll be taught: Semester 1 / 2

Module convenor: Dr Kate Johnson, email: k.f.johnson@reading.ac.uk

Module co-convenor: Dr Sokratis Stergiadis, email: s.stergiadis@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 20 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

How do animals work? How do we apply that knowledge to keep animals in good health and welfare? In this module you’ll develop a fundamental understanding of how animals' function (and sometimes malfunction) as integrated biological systems, allowing you to continue your studies in different species and contexts. It will cover many of the main organ systems including the cardiovascular, respiratory and locomotory systems, and introduce digestive physiology and animal nutrition - important underlying knowledge for managing animals. By studying anatomical structure and physiological function through lectures and practical teaching covering selected major tissues and organ systems, the main domestic species (farmed animals, pets and horses) are compared and investigated, helping students develop key skills in comparative biology and link examples of animal health, ill health and behaviour to underlying physiology.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to: 

1. Describe, explain, and compare the anatomical structures and physiological functioning of major organ systems in animals (heart, lungs, gastrointestinal tract, liver, kidneys, bones, muscles, nerves and integuments)  
2. Describe and discuss the fundamental principles of digestion and nutrition in animals  
3. Describe and synthesise how endothermic organisms function and malfunction as integrated homeostatic systems  

Module content

Over the course of the module several major organ systems will be covered:  

• Respiratory and cardiovascular systems  
• Blood and immune cells  
• Nerves, muscles and bones (locomotory system)  
• Renal system  
• Integumentary system  
• Gastrointestinal system, with associated digestion of nutrients  

Thermoregulation will also be discussed. 

An introduction to the main principles of nutritional science will also be provided including types of nutrients and analysis of feeds.  

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

This module will be taught in the long-thin format over both semesters.  

Students will have weekly interactive lecture teaching alongside practical teaching at intervals.  

This module is part of the Peer Assisted Learning Scheme and students have weekly PAL sessions to reinforce their learning.  

Study hours

At least 58 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Weekly PAL sessions where students can raise problems, discuss feedback and receive feedback.  

For the assessed group work there will be formative feedback session from peer review with time to reflect before submission and presentation.

Reassessment

Additional costs