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Syllabus for NUC-412-OL

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Radiation Biophysics is designed to give you an overview of radiation interactions with living systems. It progresses from an explanation of physical interactions to the biological effects of these interactions. Finally, it deals with the late effects of ionization radiation.

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COURSE OBJECTIVES

After successfully completing Radiation Biophysics, you should be able to:

  • Describe radiation and its interactions with matter.


  • Explain the fundamentals of radiation chemistry.


  • Exhibit insight into risk estimates.


  • Explain the effects of radiation in living tissues, gene mutations, and survival curves.

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REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS

You will need the following textbook to complete the work of the course. The textbook is available from the textbook supplier, MBS Direct.

Radiation Biophysics, by Edward L. Alpen, 2nd ed. (Academic Press, 1998).

Radiologic Science for Technologists, by Stewart C. Bushong, 8th ed. (Mosby 2004)

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COURSE STRUCTURE

Radiation Biophysics is a three-credit, twelve-week course. The course is divided into 12 modules with associated readings. You are required to submit eleven (11) written assignments and a course paper. You are also required to take two examinations: a midterm during Week 7 and a final during Week 12 of the semester.

The Course Calendar specifies the lessons and assignments to complete and the order in which to complete them, as well as the timing of the exams.

For the course's assignment modules (study assignments and written assignments), go to the Assignment Modules area of the course Web site.

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ONLINE PARTICIPATION

Radiation Biophysics has an ungraded but required discussion in Module 1 titled "Introductions." To introduce yourself and meet the other members of your class go to the class Discussion Board.

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WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS

Radiation Biophysics has eleven (11) written assignments, and a course paper that is due at the end of your semester.

Each written assignment tests you on the reading material assigned, and consists of defintions and a series of questons and problems.

Take the time to familiarize yourself with the Assignment Modules area of the course Web site, and read through the written assignment questions before you begin each lesson. Your answers to the assignment questions should be well developed and convey your understanding of the course materials.

Prepare your written assignments using whatever word processing program you have on your computer. Include your name at the top of the paper, as well as the course name and code and the semester and year in which you are enrolled.

Before submitting your first assignment, check with your mentor to determine whether your word processing software is compatible with your mentor's software. If so, you can submit your work as you prepared it. If not, save your assignment as a rich-text (.rtf) file, using the Save As command of your software program. Rich text retains basic formatting and can be read by any other word processing program.

When satisfied that your assignment represents your best work, submit it to your mentor by means of the

>>View/Complete Assignment

link provided at the bottom of the respective assignment page. Use the Browse button within this link to locate and attach your assignment file. Click submit button to turn in the assignment.

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EXAMINATIONS

This course requires you to take two examinations: a proctored midterm examination and an unproctored, online final examination.

Midterm Examination

You are required to take a proctored midterm examination.

The midterm examination covers the material presented in Modules 1-6 and consists of multiple choice questions, identification questions, and/or short answer questions similar to the ones featured in your written assignments.

The examination is two hours in duration. It is closed-book, but you are permitted to use a non-progammable calulator.

You may take the examination only during the designated exam week, at an approved location, and with an approved proctor. In this regard, you need to schedule your exam and submit your "Proctor Request Form" with the necessary documentation no later than the end of the first week of the semester (see Administrative Forms in the General Information area of the course Web site). For more information on scheduling examinations, see the section Examinations and Proctors in the Online Student Handbook.


Final Examination

You are required to take an online final examination. The final examination covers all the material presented in the course and consists of multiple choice questions, identification questions, and/or short answer questions similar to the ones featured in your written assignments.

The final examination is delivered online in Blackboard and will be made available to you during the final week of the course. It consists of multiple choice questions and short answer questions.

The examination is two hours in duration. It is closed-book and you are on your honor not to cheat, but you are permitted to use a non-programmable calculator.

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GRADING AND EVALUATION

Your grade in the course will be determined as follows:

Written Assignments (11) 40 percent
Course Paper 10 percent
Midterm Examination 30 percent
Final Examination 20 percent


Letter grades for online participation, written assignments, and the final examination are based on the following numerical grades:


A = 93–100 C+ = 78–79
A– = 90–92 C = 73–77
B+ = 88–89 C– = 70–72
B = 83–87 D = 60–69
B– = 80–82 F = Below 60


Note: To receive credit for the course, you must earn a letter grade of D or higher on the weighted average of all assigned course work (e.g., exams, assignments, projects, papers, etc.). You will receive a score of 0 for any work not submitted.

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STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS

First Steps to Success
To succeed in this course, take the following first steps:

  1. Read carefully the entire Syllabus, making sure that all aspects of the course are clear to you and that you have all the materials required for the course.


  2. Take the time to read the entire Online Student Handbook. The Handbook answers many questions about how to proceed through the course, how to schedule your midterm exam and arrange for proctors, and how to get the most from your educational experience at Thomas Edison State College.


  3. Arrange to take your midterm examination by following the instructions in the Online Student Handbook. Then complete the "Proctor Request Form" and submit it to the Office of Test Administration (OTA). You must make arrangements to take your midterm examination and send in your "Proctor Request Form" to OTA before the end of the first week of the current semester. (See Administrative Forms in the General Information area of the course Web site.)


  4. Familiarize yourself with the Blackboard environment—how to navigate it and what the various course areas contain. If you know what to expect as you navigate the course, you can better pace yourself and complete the work on time.


  5. If you are not familiar with Web-based learning, or specifically with the Blackboard platform, be sure to review the processes for posting responses online and submitting assignments before class begins.

Study Tips
Consider the following study tips for success:

  1. To stay on track throughout the course, begin each week by consulting the course Calendar. The calendar provides an overview of the course and indicates due dates for submitting assignments, posting discussions, and scheduling and taking your examinations. For details on each assignment module and a complete listing of learning activities, go to the Assignment Modules area of the course Web site.


  2. Check the Announcements page and class Discussion Board regularly for new course information.

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Syllabus Index

This document contains the following main sections:

Course Description

Course Objectives

Required Textbooks

Course Structure

Online Participation

Written Assignments

Examinations

Grading and Evaluation

Strategies for Success


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