QCF158 Science 1
To view more information for this unit, select Unit Outline from the list below. Please note the teaching period for which the Unit Outline is relevant.
| Unit code: | QCF158 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Timetable | Details in HiQ, if available |
| Availabilities |
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Unit Outline: College 1 2026, Kelvin Grove, Internal
| Unit code: | QCF158 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Coordinator: | Kerensa Townsend | kj.townsend@qut.edu.au |
Overview
Inquiry into the nature of the universe is at the core of all science disciplines. Studying Biology and Chemistry will help you become better informed about the world around you and about how these disciplines impact society. In QCF158 Science 1 you will learn skills required for scientific investigation and develop critical skills to evaluate and make evidence-based decisions about current scientific issues. This unit will develop your ability to work scientifically and understand the processes required to gather, scrutinise and use evidence.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Investigate and explain phenomena and determine outcomes, behaviours and implications (CLO1)
- Identify trends and patterns in data (CLO1, 2)
- Draw evidence-based conclusions from experimental and research-based activities (CLO2)
- Communicate using scientific representations and language to present information (CLO3)
- Analyse problems and propose solutions (CLO2)
Content
Topics include:
Chemistry of life
- Basic concepts of Chemistry
- Chemical reactions and Stoichiometry
- Electron Configuration and Chemical bonding
- Aqueous system
- Organic chemistry
Cells and multicellular organisms
- How life begins
- Molecules
- Structure
- Cell membranes and transport
- Energetics
- Cell cycle
Maintaining the internal environment
- Modern techniques and ethics in science
- Homeostasis and disease
- Body systems and human physiology
- Heredity
- DNA to protein
Learning Approaches
Science 1 encourages learning and engagement with content through questioning, scientific enquiry and problem solving.
In this unit you will investigate ideas, solve problems, reason, draw conclusions and develop evidence-based arguments. All these inquiry skills are transferrable to your other units.
As reflection is also an important part in this unit opportunities will be provided to ensure you engage with reflective practices.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
You will receive feedback in various forms throughout the semester which may include:
• Informal: worked examples, such as verbal feedback in class, personal consultation
• Formal: in writing, such as checklists, rubrics, written commentary
• Direct: to individual students, either in written form or in consultation
• Indirect: to the whole class
Assessment
Overview
In QCF158 Science 1, you will do three summative assessments: a chemistry exam, an experimental investigation, and a final examination. Formative assessment will support your learning by giving you an opportunity to review your learning and practice content with learning from feedback before summative assessment. Formative assessment will include online quizzes, work portfolios, and practice exams, and also be applied to classroom tasks to check for completion, understanding and learning progression.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Mid -Semester Examination
You will complete an examination that assesses your understanding and application of theoretical chemical concepts taught within the chemistry section of this unit. You will also demonstrate your critical thinking and problem-solving skills through short response questions.
Assessment: Experiment Report
You will perform experimental investigations and then collect, analyse and evaluate primary data. Your findings will be communicated in a scientific report that includes: introduction, rationale, experimental design, results, analysis, conclusion, references.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Assessment: Final Examination
You will do a timed examination that assesses your understanding and application of theoretical Biology concepts of the unit. This will allow you to show your knowledge of concepts and procedures and critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.
The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.
You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.
Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Resources
Your QCF158 canvas site will be the primary resource that you will be using in the unit.
Risk Assessment Statement
Some classes may be conducted in a laboratory. You are required to wear covered in shoes with long hair tied back when working in the laboratory to do experiments. You are also responsible for handling materials and equipment carefully and following the teacher's instructions.
Course Learning Outcomes
This unit is designed to support your development of the following course/study area learning outcomes.QC08 Standard Foundation Program
- Demonstrate and apply theoretical, conceptual and/or technical knowledge based on the discipline of study
Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, Mid -Semester Examination - Apply critical, creative and analytical thinking and effective problem solving in a range of contexts
Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, ULO3, ULO5, Mid -Semester Examination, Final Examination - Use academic language to suit the intended purpose and audience in written, oral and multimodal genres
Relates to: ULO4, Mid -Semester Examination
QC18 University Preparation Program
- Demonstrate and apply theoretical, conceptual and/or technical knowledge based on the discipline of study
Relates to: Final Examination - Apply critical, creative and analytical thinking and effective problem solving in a range of contexts
Relates to: Final Examination
Unit Outline: College 2 2026, Kelvin Grove, Internal
| Unit code: | QCF158 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
Overview
Inquiry into the nature of the universe is at the core of all science disciplines. Studying Biology and Chemistry will help you become better informed about the world around you and about how these disciplines impact society. In QCF158 Science 1 you will learn skills required for scientific investigation and develop critical skills to evaluate and make evidence-based decisions about current scientific issues. This unit will develop your ability to work scientifically and understand the processes required to gather, scrutinise and use evidence.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Investigate and explain phenomena and determine outcomes, behaviours and implications (CLO1)
- Identify trends and patterns in data (CLO1, 2)
- Draw evidence-based conclusions from experimental and research-based activities (CLO2)
- Communicate using scientific representations and language to present information (CLO3)
- Analyse problems and propose solutions (CLO2)
Content
Topics include:
Chemistry of life
- Basic concepts of Chemistry
- Chemical reactions and Stoichiometry
- Electron Configuration and Chemical bonding
- Aqueous system
- Organic chemistry
Cells and multicellular organisms
- How life begins
- Molecules
- Structure
- Cell membranes and transport
- Energetics
- Cell cycle
Maintaining the internal environment
- Modern techniques and ethics in science
- Homeostasis and disease
- Body systems and human physiology
- Heredity
- DNA to protein
Learning Approaches
Science 1 encourages learning and engagement with content through questioning, scientific enquiry and problem solving.
In this unit you will investigate ideas, solve problems, reason, draw conclusions and develop evidence-based arguments. All these inquiry skills are transferrable to your other units.
As reflection is also an important part in this unit opportunities will be provided to ensure you engage with reflective practices.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
You will receive feedback in various forms throughout the semester which may include:
• Informal: worked examples, such as verbal feedback in class, personal consultation
• Formal: in writing, such as checklists, rubrics, written commentary
• Direct: to individual students, either in written form or in consultation
• Indirect: to the whole class
Assessment
Overview
In QCF158 Science 1, you will do three summative assessments: a mid-semester exam, an experimental investigation, and a biology project. Formative assessment will support your learning by giving you the opportunity for feedback on your progress before summative assessment.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Mid -Semester Examination
This examination will assess your understanding and application of theoretical chemical concepts taught within the chemistry section of this unit. There will also be short response questions that will assess your critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
The use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is not authorised during this assessment.
Assessment: Experiment Report
You will perform experimental investigations and then collect, analyse and evaluate primary data. Your findings will be communicated in a scientific report that includes: introduction, rationale, experimental design, results, analysis, conclusion, references.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
The use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is not authorised in this assessment.
Assessment: Biology project
You will complete a project that assesses your understanding and application of theoretical biology concepts of the unit. The project will include completing an educational resource, giving a short presentation and reflecting on your learning processes. This project will allow you to show your knowledge of concepts, scientific communication and critical thinking skills.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
The ethical and responsible use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is not authorised in this assessment.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.
The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.
You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.
Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Resources
Your QCF158 canvas site will be the primary resource that you will be using in the unit.
Risk Assessment Statement
Some classes may be conducted in a laboratory. You are required to wear covered in shoes with long hair tied back when working in the laboratory to conduct experiments. You are also responsible for handling materials and equipment carefully and following the teacher's instructions.
Course Learning Outcomes
This unit is designed to support your development of the following course/study area learning outcomes.QC08 Standard Foundation Program
- Demonstrate and apply theoretical, conceptual and/or technical knowledge based on the discipline of study
Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, Mid -Semester Examination - Apply critical, creative and analytical thinking and effective problem solving in a range of contexts
Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, ULO3, ULO5, Mid -Semester Examination, Biology project - Use academic language to suit the intended purpose and audience in written, oral and multimodal genres
Relates to: ULO4, Mid -Semester Examination
QC18 University Preparation Program
- Demonstrate and apply theoretical, conceptual and/or technical knowledge based on the discipline of study
Relates to: Biology project - Apply critical, creative and analytical thinking and effective problem solving in a range of contexts
Relates to: Biology project