Outline

Overview

Animals kept for food and companionship, are diverse and beautifully complex. In this Unit, you will develop an understanding of the structure and function of domestic animals with an emphasis on the systems relevant to animal scientists. The unit begins with the anatomy and physiology of domestic animals cell and basic tissue structure and an overview of homeostatic control systems. This is followed by a more in-depth study of the other body systems. An understanding of the normal functioning of these systems allows identification of how these systems can be influenced by animal management and the animals' environment. At the completion of this unit you will develop; a rich understanding of the relationships between body systems and structure, broad skills of critical thinking and communication, appreciating the links between structure and function and their relevance to abnormal function and animal disease that will be further developed in applied studies in animal nutrition, animal behaviour, welfare and ethics and animal reproduction. In this unit, there is a risk of exposure to zoonotic pathogens. You are encouraged to be vaccinated against tetanus and Q fever but where this is not practical you must utilize Personal Protective Equipment for specific practical classes.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Life and Environmental Sciences Academic Operations
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	6cp from BIOL1XXX
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	ANSC3103 or ANSC3104
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	No

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Bianca Waud, bianca.waud@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Wendy Muir, wendy.muir@sydney.edu.au
	Roslyn Bathgate, roslyn.bathgate@sydney.edu.au
	Hamutal Mazrier, hamutal.mazrier@sydney.edu.au
	Peter White, peter.white@sydney.edu.au
	Brandon Velie, brandon.velie@sydney.edu.au
	Penelope Hansen, penny.dobson@sydney.edu.au
	Peter Williamson, p.williamson@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Online task	Online quizzes To be completed in Canvas over 3 days. Can be completed at home.	10%	-	20 minutes
Outcomes assessed:
In-semester test	In class exam 1 - online delivery Combination of MCQs and short answer questions.	15%	Week 06	50 minutes
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Individual assignment Essay.	25%	Week 07	2000 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Group assignment Group preparation of information poster. Work submitted via Canvas.	20%	Week 11	2000 words
Outcomes assessed:
Final exam	In class exam 2 - online delivery Combination of MCQs and short answer questions.	30%	Week 13	1.5 hours
Outcomes assessed:
= group assignment ?

Assessment summary

Online Quizzes: Four online quizzes will become available throughout the semester. Each quiz contains 10 questions and is worth 2.5 marks. Announcements will be made on Canvas when quizzes are available.
Individual Assignment: The individual assignment will require you to research current literature and write a brief essay on a topic provided during the semester.
Group Assignment: The group assignment will involve small groups of three or four students presenting an assignment
In class exam: The first in class exam will cover all material from weeks 1 to 6 inclusive.
Final Exam: The final in class exam will concentrate on material form weeks 7 to 12 but may also cover material delivered earlier in the unit.

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit of study at an exceptions standard.
Distinction	75 - 84	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit of study at a very high standard.
Credit	65 - 74	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit of study at a good standard.
Pass	50 - 64	Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit of study at an exceptable standard.
Fail	0 - 49	Awarded when you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	1. Introduction to anatomy; 2. Introduction to histology; 3. Introduction to homeostasis	Lecture (3 hr)
Week 02	1. Muscle and bone anatomy 1 and 2; 2. Muscle physiology 1	Lecture (3 hr)
Week 02	1. Introduction to virtual microscopy; 2. Introduction to homeostasis	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 03	1. Muscle physiology 2-4	Lecture (3 hr)
Week 03	1. Muscle physiology; 2. Musculoskeletal system	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 04	1. Carnivore anatomy; 2. Comparative anatomy; 3. Physiological control	Lecture (3 hr)
Week 04	1. Muscle physiology; 2. Musculoskeletal system	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 05	1. Respiratory Anatomy 2. Cardiovascular anatomy 3. Physiology 2	Lecture (3 hr)
Week 05	1. Digestion; 2. Digestive systems	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 06	1. Respiratory Physiology 1 2. Revision	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 06	1. Digestion; 2. Digestive systems	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 07	1. Cardio-respiratory physiology 2-3; 2. Thermoregulation	Lecture (3 hr)
Week 07	1. Cardio-respiratory	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 08	1. Neurology 1-3	Lecture (3 hr)
Week 08	1. Cardio-respiratory	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 09	1. Neurology 4; 2. Immune System 1-2	Lecture (3 hr)
Week 09	1. Neurology; 2. Thermoregulation	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 10	1. Immune system 3-4; 2. Reproductive Endocrinology	Lecture (3 hr)
Week 10	1. Immune system	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 11	1. Reproduction - the male; 2. Reproduction - the female; 3. Pregnancy	Lecture (3 hr)
Week 11	1. Sperm and egg	Practical (2 hr)
Week 12	1. Urinary anatomy; 2. Urinary physiology 1-2	Lecture (3 hr)
Week 12	1. Sperm and egg	Tutorial (2 hr)

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. perform dissection of animal specimens in an ethical, safe and efficient manner
LO2. describe musculoskeletal, neuroanatomy, digestive, immune, cardiovascular, respiratory, reproduction and urinary systems in domestic animals
LO3. explain and describe anatomy using appropriate anatomical terminology
LO4. describe motility and control within the digestive tract of monogastric and ruminant species
LO5. compare enzymatic and fermentative digestion
LO6. describe animal management practices which meet the physiological needs of animals (considering the animal’s sensory structures, central processing, autonomic and motor responses)
LO7. evaluate the contribution of the integument, digestive and uro-genital systems to the maintenance of homeostasis
LO8. discuss the contribution of the nervous, cardiovascular, respiratory and musculoskeletal systems to the maintenance of internal homeostasis
LO9. work co-operatively as part of a group and communicate results in written and oral form to various audiences including peers, disciplinary experts and lay-people
LO10. analyse applied animal physiology research articles and describe the findings in an appropriate written form. (i.e. scientific report)

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

There have been minor changes to tutorial content and lecture organisation based on student feedback from 2019

Additional information

Work, health and safety

Q-fever vaccination and completion of the Canvas module “Zoonosis Awareness” is compulsory.

We are governed by the Work Health and Safety Act 2011, Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 and Codes of Practice. Penalties for non-compliance have increased. Everyone has a responsibility for health and safety at work. The University’s Work Health and Safety policy explains the responsibilities and expectations of workers and others, and the procedures for managing WHS risks associated with University activities.

General Laboratory Safety Rules

No eating or drinking is allowed in any laboratory under any circumstances
A laboratory coat and closed-toe shoes are mandatory
Follow safety instructions in your manual and posted in laboratories
In case of fire, follow instructions posted outside the laboratory door
First aid kits, eye wash and fire extinguishers are located in or immediately outside each laboratory
As a precautionary measure, it is recommended that you have a current tetanus immunisation. This can be obtained from University Health Service: unihealth.usyd.edu.au/

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Study commitment

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect

Current students

AVBS2007: Animal Structure and Function

Semester 1, 2020 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Study commitment

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect