course-details-portlet

HBIOA3001

Laboratory medicine - Microbiology

Credits 7.5
Level Third-year courses, level III
Course start Autumn 2025
Duration 1 semester
Language of instruction Norwegian
Location Ålesund
Examination arrangement Portfolio

About

About the course

Course content

The course Laboratory Medicine- Medical Microbiology deals with topics such as normal flora, epidemiology and infection control, human pathogens and infectious diseases from various human systems; Digestive and neurological infections, Infections of the cardiovascular system, Respiratory tract infections, Urinary tract infections, Sexually transmitted and gynecological infections. The course focuses on pathogens and diagnostics, which include the detection, identification and characterization of microorganisms and viruses. The course deals with bacteriology, mycology, parasitology and virology. Bacteriological examinations by culture, biochemical analyzes and resistance determination. Molecular biological methods are in addition to established methods for detection, identification and resistance determination.

In laboratory medicine microbiology, you will immerse yourself in microbiology, and learn more about microbiology as a field, and how various pathogenic microorganisms and viruses are spread in society, what infectious diseases they can cause and what prophylactic measures exist, with a particular focus on the Norwegian healthcare system.

The subject consists of three parts;

1. Lectures and student work with syllabus

2. Scientific writing training and literature search

3. Laboratory course

You will experience more focus on student active learning and relevance to working life. The lectures will be a mix of interactive digital resources and classroom lectures. The aim is for you to work more with the syllabus during the semester. The exam is a portfolio exam, which consists of individual written work. You will work on the exam in parallel with scientific writing training, which will both teach you how to write a scientific paper and how to convey subject knowledge and use subject terminology correctly. This is also preparation for how to write a bachelor's thesis next semester. The laboratory course is divided into three parts, where you deal with urine samples, respiratory infections and gynecological samples separately. For each part of the course, there will be a preparatory part, three days of practical laboratory work and a presentation of results. The groups must present their results to their fellow students. Each group presents from a laboratory part.

Learning outcome

Knowledge - the student:

  • Has knowledge of the body's normal biochemical processes, biological variations and processes that reflect disease in the subject areas of microbiology
  • Has knowledge of current infectious diseases know about research and development in these subject areas
  • Has knowledge of relevant analysis techniques for detecting bacteriological and viral pathogens

Skills - the student:

  • Develop knowledge that constitutes criteria for selection of analyzes and assessment of analysis quality could master professional tools, ie analysis instruments and biochemical methods used in microbiology, as well as master how analytical results are communicated
  • Are able to assess information about methods and analytical instruments, for example by means of manuals and procedure descriptions, could assess the medical probability of a test result, ie analysis quality in relation to a medical problem.
  • Can carry out analysis of different types of sample materials from microbiological laboratory.

Competence - the student:

  • Should be able to discuss with other professionals a professional holistic thinking across main subjects and be able to stay up to date on key knowledge within the subject area
  • Must be able to apply knowledge and use results from research and development work on practical issues and they must be able to make reasoned choices, eg when assessing test results in these subject areas.
  • Are able to reflect on own professional practice, for example be able to see sources of error in the various analysis methods document the quality of laboratory technical procedures and laboratory instruments
  • Can participate actively in discussions when conducting laboratory exercises, have an understanding of and overview of procedures to be carried out for specific laboratory exercises, take an active part in carrying out practical work and show initiative to discuss interpretation of analysis results to develop an understanding of the subject.

Learning methods and activities

The course has a workload of approx. 200 hours, where organized teaching acitivties constitues: up to 8 x 2 hours of lectures, up to 40 hours of scientific writing training and literature search, 3 laboratory weeks with one main theme for each laboratory week, assessment of practical skills after each laboratory week as a compulsory prerequisite.

Laboratory course is mandatory.

Compulsory assignments

  • Laboratory course

Further on evaluation

The course has a written portfolio assessment as an examination form, which is submitted as a common portfolio assignment during the exam period. A resit exam will be available the following semester for students who fulfill the requirements for this. A postponed exam does not entitle you to guidance.

The course has a written portfolio assessment as the form of examination, which is delivered as a joint portfolio assignment during the examination period. A postponed exam is set up in the following semester for students who are entitled to this. In the event of a postponed exam, a new assignment is given, which is made available 1 month before the submission date. A postponed exam does not entitle you to guidance.

The laboratory course is evaluated approved / not approved with special focus on achieving learning outcomes: Participate actively in discussions when conducting laboratory exercises, have an understanding of and overview of procedures to be carried out for specific laboratory exercises, take an active part in carrying out practical work and show initiative to discuss interpretation of analysis results to develop an understanding of how to assess test results.

Laboratory course must be approved to sit the exam.

Specific conditions

Admission to a programme of study is required:
Biomedical Laboratory Science (BBIOING)

Required previous knowledge

Passed exam in;

HBIOA1003, HBIOA1005, HBIOA1008 og HBIOA1009.

Approved compulsory work in HBIOA2002.

Credit reductions

Course code Reduction From
BI301511 7.5 sp Autumn 2022
This course has academic overlap with the course in the table above. If you take overlapping courses, you will receive a credit reduction in the course where you have the lowest grade. If the grades are the same, the reduction will be applied to the course completed most recently.

Subject areas

  • Medical Laboratory Technology

Contact information

Course coordinator

Department with academic responsibility

Department of Biological Sciences Ålesund

Examination

Examination

Examination arrangement: Portfolio
Grade: Letter grades

Ordinary examination - Autumn 2025

Portfolio
Weighting 100/100 Examination aids Code A Exam system Inspera Assessment

Re-sit examination - Spring 2026

Portfolio
Weighting 100/100 Examination aids Code A Exam system Inspera Assessment