Module: Bioscience & Society

Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title	Bioscience & Society
Module Code	BIO1009 (ITS: SS335)
Faculty	Health & Human Performance	School	Science & Health
NFQ level	8	Credit Rating	5

Description

This module is a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary course that combines the study of the biological sciences with the exploration of how they influence social and ethical aspects of life. The module will also cover how current health, socioeconomic and societal challenges drive scientific discovery. Overall, the module will demonstrate and educate the following- To understand what the various fields of Bioscience are and how they impacts our lives, and vice-a-versa. To examine the role of the media in influencing public awareness/perception of bioscience. Scientific communication. To understand how the Bioscience is regulated (e.g. IP, patenting, ethics). To create a forum within which students may identify topical bioscience issues and concerns for discussion through case study research and presentation.

Learning Outcomes

1. Debate bioscience issues wrt scientific principles, societal impacts & future trends
2. Interpret the role of the media in shaping public perception of bioscience
3. Present (orally) a comprehensive overview of a bioscience topic as part of a larger team-based case study
4. Prepare a detailed and properly formatted written account of a topical bioscience issue and its role/affect/influence on society. Understanding of how society challenges influence and drive scientific discovery. Identify knowledge gaps and future opportunities in the life sciences and biomedical fields.

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full time hours per semester
Lecture	12	Understanding the links between bioscience and society. Analysis of potential group projects.
Group work	24	Group case study research and preparation.
Debate	12	Group presentations of selected case studies.
Independent Study	77	Essay research and preparation.
Total Workload: 125

Section Breakdown
CRN	20086	Part of Term	Semester 2
Coursework	0%	Examination Weight	0%
Grade Scale	40PASS	Pass Both Elements	Y
Resit Category	RC1	Best Mark	N
Module Co-ordinator	Ronan Murphy	Module Teacher	Ronan Murphy

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Assessment Breakdown
Presentation	Students will be asked to demonstrate an ability to prepare and deliver, as part of a larger team, an oral presentation on a selected aspect of bioscience in society. Question handling and debating skills will be included in the assessment, as will the students ability to interpret the role and potential influence of the media in this context.	60%	Every Week
Essay	Students will be asked to demonstrate an ability to prepare a properly formatted essay on a topical bioscience issue	40%	Sem 1 End

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; RC1: A resit is available for both^* components of the module. RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module. RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element. ^* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Overview of bioscience topics for group work
Possible topics: Elite athlete programmes, drugs in sport, animal testing, clinical trials, cloning, bioscience and environment, gene patenting, genetic screening, medical devices, GMOs, infectious disease therapeutics, GM foods, stem cells, personalized medicine

The bioscience community
Who and what comprise the bioscience community (public and private sector)? What are its inputs and outputs (e.g. IP)? How is the community regulated? What are the ethical considerations?

Bioscience and the public
How does the bioscience community interface with/ impact on society? What should the goals of bioscience be? What is the role of the media? Public awareness of controversial issues. What type of information is produced and how does it flow (e.g. dissemination of information and findings)?

Understand the complex relationship between science and society.
Train students to understand the social context of science, to ask how and why a biological problem has been and should be studied. Students will explore the ways in which policy decisions shape and are shaped by biological research and will investigate the meaning and significance the Biomedical sciences in understanding our complex world.

Indicative Reading List

Books:

John Scales Avery: 2016, Science and Society, World Scientific, 444, 9789813147737

Articles:
None

Other Resources

Website: PubMed, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?db=pubmed