B.SC. IN HUMAN BIOLOGY (SPECIAL/GENERAL) DEGREE PROGRAMME

Aim

The course was initiated in 1994 at the Faulty of Medical Sciences with the intention of fulfilling the need to provide human resources for Medical and Health sciences faculties; to those departments finding it difficult to recruit MBBS graduates with practical skills, specially intended for Pharmacy, Medical Laboratory Technology and Medical Laboratory Sciences courses in the Government and Private sector institutions.

Also to provide research institutes, private sector institutions involved in food manufacture, pharmaceutical industries, public and private sector diagnostic institutions and health policy making institutions with individuals with necessary knowledge and skills and hospitals with nutritionists/dieticians with necessary knowledge and skills.

The Graduate Profile

It is expected that a Human Biology (Special/General) graduate will;

  1. have the knowledge, skills and attitudes to provide services to suit the needs of institutions involved in health education/promotion and healthcare delivery in any setting,
  2. undertake life-long independent learning, career development and postgraduate study.
  3. be able to work in industries involved in healthcare delivery/manufacture/food industry effectively, and
  4. be able to carry out and collaborate with other professionals in research and development.

Special and General Degree Courses

Undergraduates in Sri Lankan Science Faculties who fulfil the criteria for registration for a Human Biology special/general degree will be eligible to follow the Part I and Part II of their degree course with the medical undergraduates.

Part I and Part II comprise academic studies on Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry, General Pathology, Parasitology, Microbiology and Pharmacology respectively. Part III of the course comprises the specialization (3 terms).

If not eligible for specialization a candidate will be able to follow the B Sc General degree following Part II. This involves 1.5 terms of further studies in Pathology, Parasitology, Microbiology and Pharmacology (Part III – General).

Medical undergraduates who wish to discontinue studies in medical stream but have successfully completed 1st MBBS/2nd MBBS or equivalent will also be eligible to follow the Human Biology general degree at our Faculty.

Curriculum

The Human Biology special degree course involves 3.5 (9 1/2 terms) years of study in the Faculty of Medical Sciences. This will comprise of Part I, Part II and Part III course work.

The present curriculum followed by the students is module based with horizontal integration. In their Part I and Part II the undergraduates will be exposed to the same curricula as the medical undergraduates. Undergraduates who are not eligible to follow a Special degree will have to follow further 1.5 terms of study in Pathology, Parasitology, Microbiology and Pharmacology (Part III – General).

In Part III-Special, the specialization year, depending on the selected specialty (Biochemistry, Food and Nutrition, Microbiology, Anatomy or Genetics) the curriculum is designed so that the students are exposed to gain advanced knowledge in the selected specialization.

The extent of work expected for a subject area is expressed in credits. The total number of credits for a Human Biology Special degree is 120 and for a Human Biology general degree is 90. The number of credits for each subject/course unit in proportion to study hours is 1-4.4.

Table 1: PART I (5 TERMS)

Unit Code Subject Number of Units
HBANA 01
Anatomy
20
HBPHY 01
Physiology
20
HBBC 01
Biochemistry
20
Total
60

Table 2: PART II (1.5 TERMS)

Unit Code Subject / Course Unit Number of Units
HBPARA 02-01
General Parasitology
04
HBPHAR 02-01
General Pharmacology
04
HBMICR 02-01
General Microbiology
04
HBPATH 02-01
General Pathology
04
Total
16

Table 3: PART III - GENERAL (1.5 TERMS)

Unit Code Subject / Course Unit Number of Units
HBPARA 03-01
Parasitology
04
HBPHAR 03-01
Pharmacology
04
HBMICR 03-01
Microbiology
04
HBPATH 03-01
Pathology
04
Total
16
Total number of subjects
07
Total number of credits
92

PART III - SPECIAL (03 TERMS)

Table 4.1: BIOCHEMISTRY SPECIALIZATION

Unit Code Course Unit Number of Units
HBSBC 03-01
Enzymology/ Molecular Biology and Biotechnology/ Natural Products and Bioactivity
03
HBSBC 03-02
Hormones/Carcinogenesis/Drug Metabolism/Clinical Biochemistry
03
HBSBC 03-03
Practical (Theory of Practicals/spanractical Recording)
04
HBSBC 03-04
Seminar 1/Seminar 2
04
HBSBC 03-05
Research Proposal, Seminar and Report
04
HBSBC 03-06
Instrumentation
03
HBSBC 03-07
Research Project and defense
20
HBSBC 03-08
Dissertation of Research Project
03
Total
44

Table 4.2: FOOD AND NUTRITION SPECIALIZATION

Unit Code Course Unit Number of Units
HBSFN 03-01
Food Composition, Effects of Processing and Food Analysis
03
HBSFN 03-02
Nutrition
03
HBSFN 03-03
Practical (Theory of Practicals/spanractical Recording)
04
HBSFN 03-04
Seminar 1/Seminar 2
04
HBSFN 03-05
Field Survey/ Industrial Training or Hospital Visit (Project and Defense)
04
HBSFN 03-06
Field Survey/ Industrial Training or Hospital Visit (Report)
03
HBSFN 03-07
Research Project and Defense
20
HBSFN 03-08
Dissertation of Research Project
03
Total
44

Table 4.3: MICROBIOLOGY SPECIALIZATION

Unit Code Course Unit Number of Units
HBSMIC 03-01
Microbial Genetics, Bacteriology and Immunology
03
HBSMIC 03-02
Mycology and Virology
03
HBSMIC 03-03
Mycology, Systemic Bacteriology Practicals
04
HBSMIC 03-04
Lab Safety and Virology (Seminar 1/Seminar 2)
04
HBSMIC 03-05
Clinical Microbiology Practicals
04
HBSMIC 03-06
Molecular Biology and Food Microbiology(Seminar 1/Seminar 2)
03
HBSMIC 03-07
Research Project and Defense
20
HBSMIC 03-08
Dissertation of Research Project
03
Total
44

Table 4.4: ANATOMY SPECIALIZATION

Unit Code Course Unit Number of Units
HBSANA 03-01
Human Osteology/ Odontology/ Physical anthropology
03
HBSANA 03-02
Molecular Biology and Advanced Histological Techniques
03
HBSANA 03-03
Practical 1
04
HBSANA 03-04
Practical 2
04
HBSANA 03-05
Seminar 1/Seminar 2
04
HBSANA 03-06
Field visits and Archaeological Excavations
03
HBSANA 03-07
Research Project and Defense
20
HBSANA 03-08
Dissertation of Research Project
03
Total
44
Total number of units
15
Total number of credits
120