Syllabus

Science Prerequisites for Health Professionals

HSTL 1010: Histology – Summer 2022

Credits - 3

Description

HSTL 1010 is a three-credit online lecture course that covers the microscopic structure and function of human cells and tissues. Course topics will emphasize the normal anatomy and function of cells and tissues from the eleven organ systems; however, learners will also be exposed to common disease states. Clinical applications will include an introduction to the instrumentation and procedures used in the histology laboratory. Finally, learners will be able to critically evaluate biomedical literature regarding the latest advances in histology.

Materials

Histology & its methods of study. Mescher A.L.(Ed.), (2018). Junqueira’s Basic Histology: Text and Atlas, 15e. McGraw-Hill. https://accessmedicine-mhmedical-com.une.idm.oclc.org/content.aspx?bookid=2430&sectionid=190275881 [found in UNE library]

Resources

Mandatory UNE-approved webcam – To be used during proctored exams

Draw It To Know It (DITKI) software: https://www.drawittoknowit.com/

Subscription is required. The fee is $14.99 per month. This is a self-paced 16 week course. The monthly subscription will need to be continued until the course is completed. Contact your instructor to see if there is an additional discount code available.

Learning Objectives and Outcomes

Program Outcomes

In lecture courses, students should be able to:

  • Communicate scientific concepts and information clearly.
  • Illustrate fundamental laws, theories, and principles of scientific disciplines.
  • Apply knowledge and critical thinking skills to scientific problems.

Course Objectives

Students will:

  1. Describe the clinical and research applications of histological techniques to human medicine
  2. Identify various organs by their microscopic structure
  3. Demonstrate proficiency on the proper use of the light microscope
  4. Describe common procedures used to prepare and stain tissues in the histology laboratory
  5. Differentiate between normal and abnormal tissue features found in the eleven organ systems

SELF PACED DESIGN

On the course start date, students will have access to orientation. This must be completed to be able to gain access to the first module in the course. Students must complete the first module to gain access to the next one. We recommend that students spend about 15 hours per week to complete a course in 16 weeks. When trying to complete the course in less than 16 weeks, we typically see students do this successfully within 12-14 weeks. Instructors will be timely in grading and feedback, but it will not be instant.

Assignments

The assignments will include weekly self-assessment quizzes and 2 exams. There are assignments associated with weekly online activities which include Draw It To Know It (DITKI) activities, discussions, worksheets, and short essays.

At the end of the course, the final exam is proctored. No resources will be allowed during the proctored exam. This final exam must be taken though ProctorU. See UNE’s ProctorU page for information about signing up and scheduling your exam. The official UNE webcam is required. 

Proctored exams are closed for review. You will not be able to review them at any time. Please contact your instructor for specific feedback.

Grading Policy

Your grade in this course will be determined by the following criteria:

Grade Breakdown

Assignment CategoryGrade
Quizzes12%
Worksheets10%
DITKI participation4%
Short Essays4%
Final Project Outline5%
Final Project Rough Draft10%
Final Project Presentation10%
Discussion Boards15%
Mid-Term Exam15%
Final Exam15%
Total100%

Grade Scale

Grade Points Grade Point Average (GPA)
A 94 – 100% 4.00
A- 90 – 93% 3.75
B+ 87 – 89% 3.50
B 84 – 86% 3.00
B- 80 – 83% 2.75
C+ 77 – 79% 2.50
C 74 – 76% 2.00
C- 70 – 73% 1.75
D 64 – 69% 1.00
F 00 – 63% 0.00

Schedule

Week

Topic

Readings/Resources

Assignments

1

Introduction to Histology

Chapter 1: Histology and its Methods of Study

  1. DITKI practice activity
  2. Introductory Discussion Board
  3. Self-assessment

2

Microscopy

Chapter 2: The Cytoplasm

Chapter 3: The Nucleus

  1. Matching Quiz
  2. Virtual Microscope worksheet
  3. Light, Fluorescent, and Electron Microscopes discussion 
  4. Review Final Project and Rubric discussion
  5. Self-assessment

3

Tissue Types

Chapter 4: Epithelial Tissue

Chapter 5: Connective Tissue

Chapter 6: Adipose Tissue

Chapter 9: Nerve Tissue & Nervous System

  1. DITKI software quiz
  2. Tissue Types worksheet
  3. Self-assessment 

4

Histotechniques

Review: Chapter 1

Appendix: Light Microscopy Stains

  1. FIll-in-the-blank activity
  2. Short essay
  3. Self-assessment 

5

Integumentary System

Chapter 18: The Skin

  1. Skin worksheet
  2. DITKI
  3. Project Outline
  4. Self-assessment

6

Muscular System

Chapter 10: Muscle Tissue

  1. Muscle Types worksheet
  2. DITKI
  3. Modules 1-6 quiz
  4. Self-assessment

7

Skeletal System

Chapter 7: Cartilage

Chapter 8: Bone

  1. Short Essay
  2. Skeletal System worksheet 
  3. DITKI
  4. Self-assessment 

8

Cardiovascular System

Chapter 11: The Circulatory System

Chapter 12: Blood

  1. Cardiovascular System worksheet
  2. DITKI
  3. Self-assessment 
  4. Midterm exam

9

Respiratory System

Chapter 17: Respiratory System

  1. Respiratory worksheet
  2. Peer Critique
  3. DITKI
  4. Self-assessment 

10

Digestive System

Chapter 15: The Digestive Tract

Chapter 16: Organs Associated with the Digestive Tract

  1. Digestive System worksheet
  2. DITKI
  3. Peer Critique
  4. Self-assessment

11

Immune System

Chapter 14: The Immune System & Lymphoid Organs

  1. Immune System worksheet
  2. DITKI
  3. Self-assessment
  4. Graded quiz

12

Endocrine System

Chapter 20: Endocrine Glands

  1. Endocrine System worksheet
  2. Short essay
  3. Discussion
  4. Self-assessment

13

Nervous System

Review: Chapter 9: Nerve Tissue & Nervous System

  1. Nervous System worksheet
  2. DITKI
  3. Discussion
  4. Self-assessment

14

Special Senses

Chapter 23: The Eye and Ear: Special Sense Organs

  1. Special Senses worksheet
  2. DITKI
  3. Final Project presentation
  4. Self-assessment

15

Urinary System

Chapter 19: The Urinary System

  1. Urinary System worksheet
  2. DITKI
  3. Self-assessment
  4. Graded quiz

16

Reproductive System

Chapter 21: The Male Reproductive System

Chapter 22: The Female Reproductive System

  1. Reproductive System worksheet
  2. DITKI
  3. Short essay
  4. Self-assessment
  5. Final exam

Student Resources

Online Student Support

Your Student Support Specialist is a resource for you - they will monitor course progression and provide assistance or guidance when needed. Please don’t hesitate to contact them for assistance, including, but not limited to course planning, course materials, billing, current problems or issues in a course, technology concerns, or personal emergencies.

Questions? Visit the Student Support Science Prerequisites page

Instructor and Support Contact Information

Check Brightspace for specific instructor and support specialist contact information.

Student Lounge

The Student Lounge Discussion Board is a designated support forum in which students may engage with each other and grapple with course content. Feel free to post questions, seek clarification, and support each other, but be mindful of UNE's Academic Integrity Policy.

Your instructor will monitor this forum. However, if you are seeking specific and timely answers to questions about course content or your personal grades, please contact your instructor via course messages. For questions about course materials, program policy, and how to navigate and proceed through the course, please contact your Student Service Advisor through the Student Portal.

Policies

Proctored Examinations

The University of New England has contracted with ProctorU to provide students with the most convenient online exam proctoring system. This system provides a simple, no cost to the student, secure, online proctor for exams and allows the student to take all the exams at home and on their own schedule.

Upon enrollment into the course, each student will register with ProctorU and establish a login name and password. This will give the student access to all of ProctorU's services. When ready, students will schedule each of their proctored exams with ProctorU. Exams must be scheduled at least 72 hours in advance to avoid fees. Prior to taking their exams, students must be sure that they have downloaded any required additional software. They must also be sure their testing site's connection meets the minimum requirements by using ProctorU's "Test It Out" utility.

Upon the exam day and hour, students will log in to ProctorU and click on "exams". After following the procedures outlined at ProctorU's website, the student will log in to Brightspace and locate their correct exam. The proctor will then allow student access to that exam.

Students must use ProctorU and must follow all proctoring requirements for their exams to be credited. Please contact your instructor for specific feedback.

Course Discussions

Discussion topics cover events or materials related to this course that contribute to a deeper understanding of key concepts and allow you to interact with your classmates and the instructor. Each discussion topic may require you to conduct internet research, read additional materials, visit a specific webpage, AND/OR view a short video before writing a response following the specific guidelines in the discussion topic prompt.

To earn full credit you will need to post a response to the discussion topic, respond to the original posts of other students, and then contribute meaningfully to an ongoing discussion. You may need to post your initial response before you will see any posts from your classmates. For special cases where one or two students are accelerating faster through the course, the instructor will participate in the discussion so that everyone has the opportunity to interact.

Please see Brightspace for a full description, along with specific guidelines, for each discussion topic. Discussion board assignments should be completed, along with all other assignments in the course, in the order that they appear. Due to the course design, you may be unable to take a proctored exam if you do not complete all assignments that appear prior to that exam.

Please also refer to the Grading Policy/Grade Breakdown section of the syllabus to learn the percentage of your grade that each discussion is worth.

Technology Requirements

Please review the technical requirements for UNE Online Programs: Technical Requirements

Course Length

A schedule of lectures and assignments is included in this syllabus. This is, however a self-paced course and you can complete the course in less time.

  1. Courses in the SPHP program are equivalent to one-semester courses designed to be completed in 16 weeks
  2. Enrollment in the course begins the day your section opens which is listed in the Academic Calendar found on the Student Success Portal.
  3. Course start and end dates are in respect to Eastern Time.

Withdrawal and Refund Policies

Please visit the enrollment page to review the withdrawal and refund policies.

Grade Policy

Students are expected to attempt and complete all graded assignments and proctored exams by the end date of the course. View the incomplete grade policy..

Transcripts

Due to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, only the student may request official transcripts. This may be done online by going to the University of New England Registrar website and following the directions on the page.

To view your unofficial UNE student transcript:

  1. Log into uonline at http://uonline.une.edu
  2. Select Student Services
  3. Select Student Records
  4. Select Academic Transcript

To request your official UNE student transcript:

Please review your Unofficial Transcript prior to requesting an Official Transcript.

  1. Log into uonline at http://uonline.une.edu
  2. Select Student Services
  3. Select Student Records
  4. Select Request Printed/Official Transcript
  5. Follow the prompts

After you click Submit Request, your official transcript will be put into the queue to be printed in the Registrar's Office.

Academic Integrity

The University of New England values academic integrity in all aspects of the educational experience. Academic dishonesty in any form undermines this standard and devalues the original contributions of others. It is the responsibility of all members of the University community to actively uphold the integrity of the academy; failure to act, for any reason, is not acceptable.

Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to the following:

  1. Cheating, copying, or the offering or receiving of unauthorized assistance or information.
  2. Fabrication or falsification of data, results, or sources for papers or reports.
  3. Action which destroys or alters the work of another student.
  4. Multiple submission of the same paper or report for assignments in more than one course without permission of each instructor.
  5. Plagiarism, the appropriation of records, research, materials, ideas, or the language of other persons or writers and the submission of them as one's own.

Charges of academic dishonesty will be reviewed by the Program Director. Penalties for students found responsible for violations may depend upon the seriousness and circumstances of the violation, the degree of premeditation involved, and/or the student’s previous record of violations. Appeal of a decision may be made to the Dean whose decision will be final. Student appeals will take place through the grievance process outlined in the student handbook.