LSC-40049 Medical Microbiology Module Handbook 2025/26 | Keele University
MODULE HANDBOOK FOR LSC-40049 Medical Microbiology ACADEMIC YEAR 2025/26
Table of Contents
Description of the module
Module summary
Module leader and teaching team
Module delivery information
Aims and outcomes
Assessment
Assessment details
Resources
| Date this handbook was produced | 11th September 2025 |
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Revision history |
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About this handbook:
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Description of the module
Introductory statement and overview of module content
This module aims to develop and enhance your understanding of the clinical and technical role of medical microbiology laboratories. You will develop key analytical skills used to assess, investigate and evaluate pathophysiology and patient pathways as well as develop evidence-based arguments to support clinical decision making.
The module covers bacteriology, parasitology, virology and mycology. Generally, each topic has similar underlying themes: Physiology. We will assume that you have already covered this at undergraduate level but will provide some information to act as a refresher.
Pathobiology. We will explore how the organism affects the human body with emphasis on incidence/prevalence and pathology (cellular, molecular or whole system).
Diagnostics. We will discuss how the infection is diagnosed/organism is identified, the various techniques involved, sensitivity/specificity and differential diagnosis.
Module summary
Level of study: Level 7 (postgraduate)
Credit value: 30 credits
Semester(s) of delivery: Semester 1
Host School: School of Life Sciences
Who is the programme for?
MSc Biomedical Science (Medical Microbiology)
Module type
Compulsory
Pre-requisites
There are no pre-requisites for this module.
Aims and outcomes
Module aims
This module aims to enhance your understanding of both the clinical and technical role of medical microbiology in the study of human health and disease.
Learning outcomes
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
By successfully engaging with and completing this module, you will be able to:
- Integrate complex knowledge of microorganisms and the human immune system with their associated pathology and clinical findings to assess patient needs
- Critically evaluate professional practice within medical microbiology and relate that to current research and publications
- Critically appraise scientific publications, test methodologies and screening techniques principally within medical microbiology
- Evaluate complex scientific data to accurately interpret and validate clinical findings within medical microbiology
- Critically reflect on the ways in which current understanding of medical microbiology and infection prevention impact on methodological design and patient health
- Justify the importance of a multi-disciplinary approach to assessing patient health and clinical outcomes
Assessment Summary
There are 2 assessments for this module:
750–1000-word critical evaluation Short answer questions relating to a pre-released patient case study
Reasonable adjustments
Each of the assessments in this module have been designed to be inclusive for all students and no adjustments should be necessary.
Note about Turnitin
Please note: you are responsible for downloading the submission receipt for your work and this has to be done at the time of submission. It will not be automatically emailed to you. It’s important to download and store this receipt in case there are subsequent queries regarding the successful submission of your work’.
Assessment details
Assessment 1
Critical Evaluation
Description
You will be asked to select a specific disease / organism from a pre-selected list. You will then use AI technologies such to evaluate the current and future diagnostics and treatment for that disease/organism.
You will then submit a 750–1000-word critique of the AI-generated material with reference to the presented in current literature.
This assessment will develop your analytical and evaluative skills. Is the information correct? Is there a strong evidence base provided? Does the piece contain sufficient detail and is it aimed at an academic audience?
Weighting: 30 %
Pass mark: 50%
Word count or duration: 750 – 1000 words
Submission requirements
Deadline (date and time): Thursday 6th November (week 6) 2025 at 1pm
7-day extensions are permitted for this assessment.
Assessment 2 Case Study Exercise
Description
You will be provided with a patient case study in the second half of the module. This will be accompanied by 4 short answer questions to complete which will require you to provide detailed answers that draw on the material studied and independent research, directly applying and interpreting clinical guidelines for the given patient/case
Weighting: 70 %
Pass mark: 50%
Word count or duration: 500 words per question (+/- 10%)
Submission requirements
Deadline (date and time): Tuesday 20th January 2026 (week 14) at 1pm
Note: assessment briefs are provided separately under the Assessments Folde