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Unit outline_

SCPU3001: Science Interdisciplinary Project

Intensive July, 2021 [Block mode] - Remote

This interdisciplinary unit provides students with the opportunity to address complex problems identified by industry, community, and government organisations, and gain valuable experience in working across disciplinary boundaries. In collaboration with a major industry partner and an academic lead, students integrate their academic skills and knowledge by working in teams with students from a range of disciplinary backgrounds. This experience allows students to research, analyse and present solutions to a real‐world problem, and to build on their interpersonal and transferable skills by engaging with and learning from industry experts and presenting their ideas and solutions to the industry partner.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit Science Faculty
Credit points 6
Prerequisites
? 
96 credit points
Corequisites
? 
None
Prohibitions
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

No

Teaching staff

Coordinator Michael Wheatland, michael.wheatland@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Assignment group assignment Group plan
Written task
20% Week 02
Due date: 05 Jul 2021 at 17:00
2500 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO6 LO5 LO3 LO2
Presentation group assignment Group presentation
Oral presentation
20% Week 03
Due date: 16 Jul 2021 at 17:00
Up to 20 minutes
Outcomes assessed: LO2 LO3 LO5 LO6
Assignment group assignment Group report
Written task
40% Week 04
Due date: 20 Jul 2021 at 17:00
5000 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO8 LO10 LO11 LO12
Assignment Individual statement
Written task
20% Week 04
Due date: 23 Jul 2021 at 17:00
1500 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7 LO8 LO9
group assignment = group assignment ?

Assessment summary

  • Group plan aims to articulate the issues the group will address and develop a project plan. 
  • Individual statement aims to analyse and reflect on students’ own and other members’ ways of thinking in relation to their work on this project
  • Group report aims to conduct in depth analysis/es and research, discuss the results, and provide recommendations or solutions to the issues outlined in the group plan.
  • Group presentation aims to present students’ work and findings to the project partner.
  • 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.

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.

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.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Weekly Will be provided on Canvas Project (100 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7 LO8 LO9 LO10 LO11 LO12

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance:

Students are expected to attend a minimum of 90% of timetabled activities for this unit of study. Failure to meet the attendance requirement may impact on your overall mark in this unit.

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.

Required readings

All readings for this unit can be accessed through Canvas.

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.

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

  • LO1. apply disciplinary knowledge and skills to solve complex and/or authentic real-world problems
  • LO2. identify and respond to complexity and uncertainty in real-world problems through the development of inventive and novel solutions
  • LO3. develop interpersonal, oral, written and multi-media communication skills
  • LO4. identify and develop solutions for social, political and cultural factors in your own workgroups and in the dimensions of authentic problems
  • LO5. recognise the role of different forms of disciplinary or professional expertise
  • LO6. communicate and work productively in interdisciplinary teams
  • LO7. articulate and analyse your professional and personal attributes as a contributor to group work
  • LO8. articulate and analyse broad societal and ethical implications of a problem and its solution
  • LO9. share responsibility for quality, timeliness and thoroughness of group work
  • LO10. provide leadership in an aspect of a project
  • LO11. identify and communicate professional and social values in problem solving
  • LO12. demonstrate a commitment to the role of a professional contributor to community and industry activities.

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
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

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

No changes have been made since this unit was last offered
  • ICPU website information: https://www.sydney.edu.au/students/industry-and-community-projects.html
  • Simple extensions: Students need to request simple extensions from their Project Supervisor, not their UoS coordinator.
  • Academic appeals: Students should follow the following appeal process in this unit of study: 
    • Students contact their Project Supervisor to discuss their concerns regarding the academic decision and receive a better understanding of why the decision was made. 
    • If students are unhappy with that decision, they contact the Director of Education (EEE), Professor Tess Lea, tess.lea@sydney.edu.au, to raise their concerns. 
    • If students’ concerns are not resolved, they may contact their faculty or school and follow the appeals process specific to their faculty or school (https://sydney.edu.au/students/academic-appeals/resolution.html#faculty).
  • Student partner contact: Partner engagement is managed by the Project Supervisor in conjunction with the EEE team. Student contact with the partner is to be facilitated by the Project Supervisor at all times. Students must not contact a partner directly without prior permission from their Project Supervisor.
  • Student research - ethics approval: There is limited scope for students to undertake small, negligible-risk research in their projects, such as carefully constructed surveys or questionnaires. If students are thinking about conducting research as part of their project work, they must discuss this with their project supervisor.
  • Student research - ethics approval: There is limited scope for students to undertake small, negligible-risk research in their projects, such as carefully constructed surveys or questionnaires. If students are thinking about conducting research as part of their project work, they must discuss this with their Project Supervisor.
  • Legal obligations: The University and project partners have mutually agreed to keep each other's information confidential.
  • Deed Poll requirements: Students registered for a project will need to upload a signed and witnessed Deed Poll to Canvas. This is a compulsory requirement for all students enrolled in this unit. Students must consider the acknowledgments in the deed carefully before submission. Students will be granted access to Canvas the week before teaching starts for their enrolled session and will need to submit the Deed Poll by or on the first day of class.

 

More information can be found on Canvas.

Use of student work for education purposes: A copy of students’ presentation and/or final report may be provided to the partner on some projects. Students can ask the Project Supervisor for further details. Submitted assignments may be used to evaluate assessment models and course design in accordance with the University’s Coursework Policy 2014. De-identified assignments may also be shared with future students as examples of completed work, or as a basis for developing past students’ work in future iterations of projects.

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.