Course Title: Chemistry for Health Sciences

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Chemistry for Health Sciences

Credit Points: 12.00

Terms

Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

CHEM1268

Bundoora Campus

Undergraduate

135H Applied Sciences

Face-to-Face

 Sem 1 2013,
Sem 1 2015,
Sem 1 2016

CHEM1268

Bundoora Campus

Undergraduate

171H School of Science

Face-to-Face

 Sem 1 2017,
Sem 1 2018,
Sem 1 2019,
Sem 1 2020,
Sem 1 2021,
Sem 1 2022,
Sem 1 2023

Course Coordinator: Nhiem Tran

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 2131

Course Coordinator Email: nhiem.tran@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: City 3.2.22

Course Coordinator Availability: By appointment, by email


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

None


Course Description

Learning Chemistry is like learning a new language – a molecular health language that will help you communicate and understand the world around you, yourself and others. This three-part chemistry course introduces students in the Health Sciences to the molecular world of general, organic and biological chemistry. The first section focuses on the fundamental chemical principles and the other two build on these principles to develop the concepts and applications central to the Health Science disciplines. The course is for students who have not previously studied chemistry. 

General chemistry topics include: the concepts of matter; atomic structure and the Periodic Table; chemical bonding; molecular accounting; gases, liquids, solids and solutions; chemical reactions; acids, bases and salts; and nuclear chemistry.

The organic chemistry section provides details on how the molecular properties of compounds influence reactivity and function. Topics covered include: hydrocarbons, alcohols, phenols and ethers; aldehydes and ketones; carboxylic acids, esters and related compounds; amines and amides.

Thebiological chemistry section applies the knowledge gained in previous sections to understand bio-molecules: carbohydrates, lipids; proteins; enzymes and vitamins; nucleic acids; biochemical energy production; carbohydrate, lipid and protein metabolism. who have not previously studied chemistry.


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

This course contributes to the following Program Learning Outcomes (PLO) for  BP278 Bachelor of Health Science/Bachelor of Applied Science (Chinese Medicine) and BP280 Bachelor of Health Science/Bachelor of Applied Science (Chiropractic) 

  • PLO 1 Provide specialised health care within a patient-centred, evidence-based framework.
  • PLO 2 Gather clinical information to make accurate differential diagnoses, assessment and management plans and carry out effective treatment.
  • PLO 3 Practice as a competent health care professional in a safe, ethical and legally responsible manner.
  • PLO 5 Communicate effectively in a range of forms (written, online, oral) and with diverse audiences (patients, community/public, agencies and health professionals).

This course contributes to the following Program Learning Outcomes (PLO) for BP279 Bachelor of Health Science/Bachelor of Applied Science (Osteopathy):

  • PLO 3 Gather and interpret health information, and employ clinical reasoning to develop differential diagnoses, to inform assessment and management


On successful completion of this course, you should be able to:

  1. Demonstrate a basic level of knowledge of chemical reactions enabling you to predict the outcomes of changes in matter.
  2. Identify organic molecules by functional groups enabling you to understand their characteristic functions and properties.
  3. Demonstrate a basic knowledge of the biochemistry of bio-molecules in the human body and thereby understand their function and purpose.


Overview of Learning Activities

You will be actively engaged in a range of learning activities such as lectorials, tutorials, practicals, laboratories, seminars, project work, class discussion, individual and group activities. Delivery may be face to face, online or a mix of both.

You are encouraged to be proactive and self-directed in your learning, asking questions of your lecturer and/or peers and seeking out information as required, especially from the numerous sources available through the RMIT library, and through links and material specific to this course that is available through myRMIT Studies Course.


Overview of Learning Resources

RMIT will provide you with resources and tools for learning in this course through myRMIT Studies Course.

There are services available to support your learning through the University Library. The Library provides guides on academic referencing and subject specialist help as well as a range of study support services. For further information, please visit the Library page on the RMIT University website and the myRMIT student portal.


Overview of Assessment

 

Assessment Tasks

Assessment Task 1: Online quizzes for General Chemistry
Weighting 30%
This assessment task supports CLO 1  

Assessment Task 2: Online quizzes for Organic Chemistry    
Weighting 30%  
This assessment task supports CLO 2  

Assessment Task 3: Problem based assessment
Weighting 25%
This assessment task supports CLOs 2 & 3 

Assessment Task 4: Timed quiz on Biochemistry
Weighting 15%
This assessment task supports CLO 3 

If you have a long-term medical condition and/or disability it may be possible to negotiate to vary aspects of the learning or assessment methods. You can contact the program coordinator or Equitable Learning Services if you would like to find out more.