FOUNDATION YEAR FOR CHEMISTRY PART B - 2023/4

Module Overview

This module provides opportunities for students to develop and demonstrate knowledge and comprehension, practical and core skills and reasoned judgments in familiar and unfamiliar chemistry and chemistry-related contexts. It follows on from Foundation Year for Chemistry Part A, further reinforcing the skills learnt in the pre-requisite, whilst going further into the chemistry content. Here the basic content from semester 1 is further built upon, introducing more in-depth topics of inorganic, organic, physical, and analytical chemistry. You will take responsibility for initiating and completing tasks and procedures, based on the skills learnt in the prerequisite module. This module will use a combination of teaching strategies that encompass cross discipline learning, reflection on outcomes, self-guided research, and traditional lecture teaching. There will be synoptic assessment of the assimilation of knowledge and understanding across the main strands of study in the module. The chemistry and related subject strands will be connected by shared topics of importance.

Module provider

Chemistry and Chemical Engineering

Module Leader

BINGHAM Nathaniel (Chst Chm Eng)

Number of Credits: 60

ECTS Credits: 30

Framework: FHEQ Level 3

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 2

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

None

Module content

The content for this module will build knowledge and understanding around the following areas in an integrated way: 

• Rate of reactions, rate equations 


• Energetics and equilibria


• Redox processes 


• Acids and bases


• Organic chemistry, reactivity of key functional groups


• Polymer chemistry


• Introduction to spectroscopic techniques


• Selected principles of biology/biochemistry


• Communication skills


• Academic skills including writing and numeracy


• Enquiry based learning


• Problem solving skills and team working


• Handling data, tables, and graphs


• Results interpretation

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

Failure in laboratory assessments can lead to alternative laboratory exercises

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to allow students to demonstrate that they have successfully met the learning outcomes of the module (see above). The module will be assessed using synoptic methods to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate learning across the subjects taught over the two semesters.

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

20%, Group Project LO 1, 4, 5, 6, 7

10%, Laboratory Report A LO 1, 2, 3, 5

10%, Laboratory Report B LO 1, 2, 3, 5

20%, Multiple Choice Question Online Open Book Exam (4 Hour) - End of Semester 2 LO 1, 2

40%, Short Answer Question Closed Book Exam (2 Hour) - End of Semester 2 LO 1, 2

 

Formative assessment is also provided for all other types of summative assessment.

A portion of the experimental sessions and the laboratory reports are formatively assessed (LO 1, 2, 3). Formative assessment is also provided in tutorials where seen and unseen questions are discussed in preparation for the final examination (LO 1, 2). Formative assessment also takes place in lectures where opportunities for problem-solving allow group work and discussion (LO 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7).

Continuous feedback strategies are built into the module to capture the students experiences and development of their:

• Ability to articulate reflective practice through their writing


• Peer and tutor facilitated


• Reflect and discuss learning


• Develop their interpersonal skills


• Encourage engagement and communication skills

Module aims

• Further develop a range of chemistry, chemistry-related subjects, and core scientific skills to prepare students with appropriate knowledge for access into a chemistry degree programme
• Further develop key and transferable skills that will help in the assimilation of knowledge and develop autonomy in learning, whilst applying past skills
• Improve your cognitive skills that allow for critical thinking, problem solving, and analysis of data and information
• Develop your existing laboratory skills through strategically targeted and timed, advanced laboratory sessions

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to: 

• Enhance the students learning experience


• Encourage active student engagement


• Adopt innovative approaches to learning and teaching


• Offer high quality educational delivery

• Lectures and tutorials


• Problem solving classes 


• Laboratory sessions 


• Independent study 


• Online activities 


• Revision tutorials


• Self-directed learning


• Reflective learning


• Problem based learning


• Guided group work

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: CHE0004

Other information

The School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering is committed to developing graduates with strengths in Employability, Digital Capabilities, Global and Cultural Capabilities, Sustainability, and Resourcefulness and Resilience. This module is designed to allow students to develop knowledge, skills, and capabilities in the following areas: This module continues from the pre-requisite Foundation Year for Chemistry  Part A, building on the basic chemistry concepts, and starting to specialise into the traditional chemistry topics, organic, inorganic, physical, and analytical. Several topics are discussed in significant depth, to allow you to demonstrate a deep understanding of aspects of chemistry.  The laboratory practicals map onto the taught course content, allowing you to apply your knowledge to a synthesis.  Further elements of sustainability are taught throughout the course, with respect to polymer chemistry and the environment. As in Foundation Year for Chemistry  Part A, the module involves student-led critique of content, its assumptions, and underlying principles, as well as their connection to the wider industrial, environmental, and social context. Your general skills are further the focus of development in the group project, assessing teamworking skills as well as the ability to research and present. This project focuses heavily on the skills required in a professional working environment, developing your employability. Throughout the course, you are encouraged to research and directed towards underrepresented groups in chemistry, exposing students to alternative voices and figures in chemistry, highlighting the global and cultural capabilities pillar. This module leads onto the 1st year undergraduate chemistry degree courses.

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2023/4 academic year.