Undergraduate courses

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The Department of Basic Sciences offers course modules to all first-year undergraduate students entering the Faculty of Allied Health Sciences. The Department aims to provide superior understanding of concepts in the fields of Human Physiology, Human Anatomy, Basic Biochemistry, General Pathology, Basic Statistics, Information Technology and Analytical Chemistry. These course modules are designed to deliver extensive foundational theoretical and practical knowledge to support all six specific Degree programmes offered by the Faculty. Information Technology lectures and practicals are conducted by lecturers from the University IT centre.

Anatomy is a field in the biological sciences concerned with the identification and description of the body structures of living things. Gross anatomy involves the study of major body structures by dissection and observation. In its narrowest sense, gross anatomy is concerned only with the human body and microscopic anatomy is concerned with the study of structural units small enough to be seen only with a light microscope.

Analytical Chemistry includes the fundamentals of experimental and analytical methods and the role of chemistry around us. Analytical Chemistry has a prominent position among the Experimental Sciences due to its wide applicability, ranging fundamental studies of nature to industry to clinical applications. . This course introduces the principles of Analytical Chemistry and how they are applied in Chemistry and related disciplines, especially the Life Sciences.

Biochemistry is the application of chemistry to the study of biological processes at the cellular and molecular levels. It emerged as a distinct discipline around the beginning of the 20th century when scientists combined chemistry, physiology and biology to investigate the chemistry of living systems. It has become the foundation for understanding all biological processes. It has provided explanations for the causes of many diseases in humans, animals and plants and frequently suggests ways by which such diseases may be treated or cured.

Biostatistics is the application of statistical principles to questions and problems in medicine, public health and biology. Using the tools of statistics, biostatisticians help answer pressing research questions in medicine, biology and public health, such as whether a new drug works, what causes cancer and other diseases, and how long a person with a certain illness is likely to survive. Biostatisticians use their quantitative skills and team with experts in other fields, including biologists, medical specialists and geneticists. But they are not mere number-crunchers. They play a pivotal role in designing studies to ensure enough data and the right kind of information is collected. They then analyze, evaluate and interpret the results, while accounting for variables, biases and missing data.

Physiology is the study of normal function within living creatures. It is a sub-section of biology, covering a range of topics that include organs, anatomy, cells, biological compounds, and how they all interact to make life possible. From ancient theories to molecular laboratory techniques, physiological research has shaped our understanding of the components of our body, how they communicate, and how they keep us alive. The study of physiology is, in a sense, the study of life. It asks questions about the internal workings of organisms and how they interact with the world around them.

Pathology is the study of disease. It is the bridge between science and medicine and underpins every aspect of patient care, from diagnostic testing and treatment advice to using cutting-edge genetic technologies and preventing disease.

The following courses are currently offered by the Department of Basic Science.

Basic Human Anatomy	AH 1103
Human Physiology I	AH 1104
Human Physiology	RA 1101
Basic Biochemistry	ML 1104
Basic Biochemistry for Nurses	NS 1101
Basic Biochemistry	RA 1102
Biochemistry for Physiotherapists	PT 1101
IT	AH 1102
Human Physiology II	AH 1204
Basic Statistics	AH 1202
Analytical Chemistry	ML 1202
Applied Anatomy I	RA 1203
General Pathology	AH 1202