BSc Microbiology with a Modern Language

Centre for History of Science Technology and Medicine Project

Engage in independent and original research on an aspect of the development of modern science, technology and medicine and/or science communication. Recent projects have examined topics such as the treatment of postnatal depression in 19th century asylums, changing patient experience of epilepsy across the 20th century, the modern emergence of scientific and public concern about the use of pestides, and how ‘mindfulness’ became medicalized in the late 20th century.

This project type usually requires completion of a minimum of one HSTM unit at level 1 or 2, or a level 3 HSTM unit taken in Semester 5. It’s occasionally possible to accept a student without this experience if the supervisor approves.

This document provides a brief summary. Full details may be found in the document "Guidelines for Final-Level Projects in the History of Science, Technology and Medicine", available through the Central Learning Environment (Canvas)..

A HSTM FYP aims to develop distinctive critical research skills, that complement those of the biosciences, promote independent learning, enhance the employability of students, and enrich student experience. HSTM FYPs enable students to develop a broad critical understanding of the social, political and ethical dimensions of science and how science shapes and is shaped by the world today.

Students should:

• learn to work independently under research supervision to address a particular topic in the history (which can include contemporary history) of the life sciences, medicine, technology or public understanding
• acquire critical understanding of science in societal context, how science can be studied like any other culture; how science is a social activity and how science and society shape each other over time
• be able to search for and critically review the literature in a particular field and relate your own research to that in the existing literature
• develop critical and creative thinking skills (develop ideas, source analysis and evaluation skills, be able to form judgements)
• develop problem solving skills: for example, how to compare and judge competing source claims, and synthesise positions from sources which address the same historical cases from differing perspectives
• develop oral and written communication skills
• work with primary evidence and write a short critical analysis of sources in semester 5 (formative), a preliminary report in semester 5 and a research project in semester 6 (summative)
• work closely with supervisor, other staff and students, as appropriate
• aquire additional project specific skills (database searches/Archive skills)

Beginning your project

Projects are worth 40 credits. Students will be allocated a Supervisor in the first semester of the final year.  Students are advised to contact their allocated Supervisor as soon as possible; Supervisors will discuss the type of project with the student and the topic on which it is based and support their research and writing throughout.

Semester 5 review

HSTM project students will attend a HSTM seminar series to enable them to acquire historical and sociological skillsets and undertake a preliminary analysis of their topic in semester 5. Details will be provided in the training module.  

Project thesis

Your project work spans semesters 5 and 6. In semester 5, you should plan your project, attend supporting seminars as appropriate, and begin preliminary work, which you will take forward in semester 6. You should be working regularly on researching and drafting the project thesis from at least the beginning of Semester 6. The unit code for the HSTM project type is BIOL31250

Both your Semester 5 Report and Project Thesis should be submitted via the CLE (Canvas) as an electronic PDF file. The deadline for submitting final reports can be obtained from the Student Support Office. Details of assessment and marking criteria can be found in the "Guidelines for Final-Level Projects in the History of Science, Technology and Medicine" document on the CLE (Canvas).

15 % of unit mark: Semester 5 Report (Supervisor and moderator)

75% of unit mark: Final dissertation thesis (Semester 6; Supervisor and moderator)

10% of unit mark: Project performance (Semester 6; Supervisor only)

• Use of initiative
• Student input to planning & design of the project
• Mastery of skills (if appropriate)
• Organisation of work and project management
• Communication with supervisor, team, other staff etc
• Reliability, effort and persistence

Students will receive formative feedback on two short written assignments and the project outline report in Semester 5. This work should then inform the introduction to the main dissertation thesis in Semester 6

Students can expect to receive formative feedback on the dissertation thesis report prior to submission in Semester 6.  

Formative feedback on the dissertation thesis report is conditional on agreeing in advance suitable dates for obtaining feedback are agreed with supervisors that are subsequently met.