Overview
This unit prepares students for university study in the environmental, biomedical or life sciences. Students will gain an introductory understanding of the main concepts in modern biology, particularly as they relate to humans. This unit covers a range of topics including cell theory, organ systems, genetics, taxonomy, ecology and environmental science.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
There are no requisites for this unit.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 3 - 2025
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Non-award unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from staff
New assessment design to be reviewed regularly to optimise student understanding, learning and staff workability.
Continue to review marking criteria, task wording and workload, and continue to evaluate GenAI vulnerability.
Feedback from unit evaluations
Positive feedback about engagement and interest in the unit in response to lecturer knowledge, enthusiasm and timely support.
Continue with high levels of student support as well as the provision of engaging lectures and learning resources.
- Identify the fundamental principles of cell biology and their relevance to broader concepts related to human biology
- Describe how biological systems interact with their environments
- Apply foundational scientific process skills to explore and interpret biological concepts.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 1 - Online Quiz(zes) - 20% | |||
| 2 - Portfolio - 40% | |||
| 3 - Portfolio - 40% | |||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 1 - Self Management | |||
| 2 - Communication | |||
| 3 - Information Literacy | |||
| 4 - Information Technology Competence | |||
| 5 - Problem Solving | |||
| 6 - Critical Thinking | |||
| 7 - Cross-Cultural Competence | |||
| 8 - Ethical Practice | |||
| 9 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | |||
| 10 - First Nations Knowledges | |||
Textbooks
Introductory Biology
- 9th edition (2025)
- Authors: School of Access Education
- CQUniversity Publishing Unit
- Rockhampton Rockhampton , Qld , Australia
- ISBN: Not applicable
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- Access to a computer is recommended
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Harvard (author-date)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
d.b.vaughan@cqu.edu.au
Week 1
Begin Date: 10 Nov 2025Module/Topic
Module 1
Living organisms & levels of organisation
Chapter
1
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 2
Begin Date: 17 Nov 2025Module/Topic
Module 2
Biological molecules
Chapter
2
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 3
Begin Date: 24 Nov 2025Module/Topic
Module 3
The cell: the building block of life
Chapter
3
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 4
Begin Date: 01 Dec 2025Module/Topic
Module 4
Homeostasis
Chapter
4
Events and Submissions/Topic
Quiz 1 (5%) Due: Week 4 Monday (1 December 2025) 11:00 pm AEST
Week 5
Begin Date: 08 Dec 2025Module/Topic
Module 5
Cell membranes
Chapter
5
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 6
Begin Date: 15 Dec 2025Module/Topic
Module 6
Genetics: DNA structure & function
Chapter
6
Events and Submissions/Topic
Vacation Week
Begin Date: 22 Dec 2025Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Vacation Week
Begin Date: 29 Dec 2025Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 7
Begin Date: 05 Jan 2026Module/Topic
Module 7
The cell cycle; cell division; heredity
Chapter
7
Events and Submissions/Topic
Quiz 2 (5%) Due: Week 7 Monday (5 January 2026) 11:00 pm AEST
Week 8
Begin Date: 12 Jan 2026Module/Topic
Module 8
Cell differentiation & tissues
Chapter
8
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 9
Begin Date: 19 Jan 2026Module/Topic
Module 9
Organ systems & the skeletal system
Chapter
9
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 10
Begin Date: 26 Jan 2026Module/Topic
Module 10
Taxonomy, evolution & diversity
Chapter
10
Events and Submissions/Topic
Quiz 3 (5%) Due: Week 10 Tuesday (27 January 2026) 11:00 pm AEST
Week 11
Begin Date: 02 Feb 2026Module/Topic
Module 11
Ecology
Chapter
11
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 12
Begin Date: 09 Feb 2026Module/Topic
Module 12
Environmental science & sustainability
Chapter
12
Events and Submissions/Topic
Review/Exam Week
Begin Date: 16 Feb 2026Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Quiz 4 (5%) Due: Week Review/Exams Monday (16 February 2026) 11:00 pm AEST
The Unit Coordinator for this term is:
Dr David B. Vaughan; telephone: (07) 4930 9680; email: d.b.vaughan@cqu.edu.au; Building 32, Room G29, Rockhampton North campus.
If you have Apple iBooks, I recommend you download the free eBook E. O. Wilson's Life on Earth.
1 Online Quiz(zes)
This assessment is made up of 4 quizzes designed to evaluate your understanding of the content from weekly modules in the Study Guide and the Learning Journal. Each quiz is worth 5% and is time limited to 30 minutes. These quizzes contain a range of question types such as multiple-choice, short answer and drag and drop questions. You should refer to the unit notes while completing the quiz, but you should not search the internet for answers. Quizzes become unavailable after the due date unless an extension has been granted.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): Level 1. No AI - You must not use AI at any point during this assessment. You must demonstrate your core skills and knowledge.
(Source: Perkins, M., Roe, J. and Furze, L. 2024, “The AI Assessment Scale Revisited: A framework for educational assessment).
Further information about this requirement will be provided by the teaching staff in the unit.
4
Other
Quiz 1 by 11:00 pm AEST Monday 1 December 2025 (Week 4); Quiz 2 by 11:00 pm AEST Monday 5 January 2026 (Week 7); Quiz 3 by 11:00 pm AEST Tuesday 27 January 2026 (Week 10); Quiz 4 by 11:00 pm AEST Monday 16 February 2026 (Review/Exam Week).
Interim results of quizzes are provided immediately after submission and checked manually within 2 weeks of the due date.
You are required to identify the fundamental principles of cell biology and their relevance to broader concepts related to human biology. You will be assessed on your ability to:
- accurately identify biological concepts and terms, and
- accurately apply biological knowledge to relevant contexts.
- Identify the fundamental principles of cell biology and their relevance to broader concepts related to human biology
2 Portfolio
Portfolio A is designed to support your learning of the material in each of the modules, to cultivate your scientific inquiry skills, and to provide you with an opportunity to apply your developing biological knowledge and skills to real-world contexts. There are two parts to Portfolio A: Learning Journal A - questions on modules 1 to 4, and a reading and reflection task.
Questions on modules 1-4
This task follows our learning journey from the beginning of term (Week 1) to Week 4. The task is designed as a structured set of questions to challenge your understanding of the biological concepts we cover up to the end of Week 4. The questions are designed to make you think critically about the unit content, what is included in the study guide but also what we specifically discuss in each of the lectures. Therefore, you will need to pay careful attention in class, as much of the content of the study guide will be unpacked in more explanatory detail with important Easter eggs often dropped along the way during class!
Reading and reflection task
This part of the portfolio requires you to read the prescribed journal article for this task and then answer the associated questions. The journal article will be in the eReading list in Moodle, which you can find in the tab at the top of the Introductory Biology Moodle page. Consider the questions carefully. You will be asked to reflect on aspects of the journal article, so give it a thorough read.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): Level 1. No AI - You must not use AI at any point during this assessment. You must demonstrate your core skills and knowledge.
(Source: Perkins, M., Roe, J. and Furze, L. 2024, “The AI Assessment Scale Revisited: A framework for educational assessment).
Further information about this requirement will be provided by the teaching staff in the unit.
Week 6 Monday (15 Dec 2025) 11:00 pm AEST
You are required to upload your files directly in Moodle.
This assessment is returned two weeks after the due date or two weeks after the submission date, whichever is later.
You will be assessed on:
- the quality of learning evidenced in the learning journal
- reflective skills for analysis, evaluation, and critical thinking.
- Identify the fundamental principles of cell biology and their relevance to broader concepts related to human biology
- Describe how biological systems interact with their environments
- Apply foundational scientific process skills to explore and interpret biological concepts.
3 Portfolio
Portfolio B is designed to further support your learning of the material in each of the modules, to cultivate your scientific inquiry skills, and to provide you with an opportunity to apply your developing biological knowledge and skills to real-world contexts. There are two parts to Portfolio B: Learning Journal B - questions on modules 5 to 9, and a digital poster / infographic.
Module Tasks 5-9
This task follows our learning journey from Week 5 to Week 9. The task is designed as a structured set of questions to challenge your understanding of the biological concepts we cover up to the end of Week 9. The questions are designed to make you think critically about the unit content, how content relates across the modules, what is included in the study guide but also what we specifically discuss in each of the lectures.
Digital poster / Infographic
You are required to create a digital poster / infographic on one of the following choices:
a) A relationship today between organisms that supports the Endosymbiont Theory
b) Proteins as venom of sea creatures - how they work
c) How homeostasis maintains stable health in our body
You will need to provide detailed facts on your topic to adequately answer the "how?" in each. For example, how is your choice of organism's relationship supportive of the Endosymbiont theory? Demonstrate this clearly. You will also need to tie your information logically back to 1 of the major themes of biology introduced in Week 1. Use images/graphics to inform your subject. You CAN and are encouraged to use AI apps such as Canva or Adobe firefly, etc. to generate your own image ideas. You can also make the poster / infographic using PowerPoint or even Word. Keep text to a minimum. You must use headings. You must include a reference list at the bottom of your poster / infographic for all resources used that are not your own (e.g., cite journal articles where you get facts from). Do not use images or graphics owned by other people.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): Level 2. AI Planning - You may use AI for planning, idea development, and research. Your final submission should show how you have developed and refined these ideas.
(Source: Perkins, M., Roe, J. and Furze, L. 2024, “The AI Assessment Scale Revisited: A framework for educational assessment).
Further information about this requirement will be provided by the teaching staff in the unit.
Week 11 Monday (2 Feb 2026) 11:00 pm AEST
You are required to upload your files directly in Moodle.
This assessment is returned two weeks after the due date or two weeks after the submission date, whichever is later.
You will be assessed on:
- the quality of learning evidenced in the learning journal
- your level of interrogation of knowledge
- integration of knowledge into a visually logical representation according to instructions
- Identify the fundamental principles of cell biology and their relevance to broader concepts related to human biology
- Describe how biological systems interact with their environments
- Apply foundational scientific process skills to explore and interpret biological concepts.
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
