HSBH3025: Semester 2a, 2026

Units HSBH3025 Semester 2a 2026 [Block mode]

Unit outline_

HSBH3025: Bodily Senses in Health and Disease

Semester 2a, 2026 [Block mode] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Sensory input allows us to connect to the world and experience varied states of our own body. Understanding how senses work is important for basic science, esp. neuroscience and psychology, and applied areas such as health and engineering. This unit focuses on the sensory processes that underlie perception of one's own body and its actions. Sensory functioning in both healthy and disease states are considered, including the following topics: proprioception or sense of position and movement of body parts, vestibular system, touch, role of vision, brain plasticity, disorders of sensory processing (agnosias, neglect , phantom limbs, vertigo) and most recent experimental developments in rehabilitation and brain-computer interface. Tutorial assessment includes in-depth analysis of a topic of your choice and running your own experiments. NB: This unit does not teach about treatments taught in the core units of professional health science degrees.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Participation Sciences
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	None
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	No

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Tatjana Seizova-Cajic, tatjana.seizova-cajic@sydney.edu.au

Assessment

The census date for this unit availability is 21 August 2026

Details
Criteria

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length	Use of AI
Written work	My perceptual investigation Written report exploring sensory function, disorder or application	25%	Week 06 Due date: 13 Sep 2026 at 12:59 Closing date: 27 Sep 2026	1200 words	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
In-class quiz	Lecture and tutorial participation Lecture and tutorial participation	15%	Week 07 Closing date: 16 Sep 2026	Varied	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Presentation	Group experimental project Design, conduct, analyse and report an experiment	30%	Week 07 Due date: 16 Sep 2026 at 12:00 Closing date: 16 Sep 2026	4-hr exp.; 13-min pres.; 5-min disc.	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Written exam	Final exam xx Written exam with MCQs and SAQs	30%	Week 08 Due date: 23 Sep 2026 at 10:00	80 minutes	AI prohibited
Outcomes assessed:
= group assignment ?

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100	Shows mastery of concepts and sophistication in their application to novel situations
Distinction	75 - 84	Shows very good understanding of most concepts and ability to apply them to new situations
Credit	65 - 74	Shows good understanding of most concepts and limited ability to apply them to new situations
Pass	50 - 64	Shows basic understanding of important concepts and very limited ability to apply them
Fail	0 - 49	When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

You can use generative AI tools for open assessments. Restrictions on AI use apply to secure, supervised assessments used to confirm if students have met specific learning outcomes.

Refer to the assessment table above to see if AI is allowed, for assessments in this unit and check Canvas for full instructions on assessment tasks and AI use.

If you use AI, you must always acknowledge it. Misusing AI may lead to a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy.

Visit the Current Students website for more information on AI in assessments, including details on how to acknowledge its use.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The University expects students to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

Our website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. This includes advice on how to avoid common breaches of academic integrity. Ensure that you have completed the Academic Honesty Education Module (AHEM) which is mandatory for all commencing coursework students

Penalties for serious breaches can significantly impact your studies and your career after graduation. It is important that you speak with your unit coordinator if you need help with completing assessments.

Visit the Current Students website for more information on AI in assessments, including details on how to acknowledge its use.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Skilled and ethical use of AI in this unit	Self-directed learning (1 hr)
	Introduction to perception	Lecture (1 hr)
	Investigating perception; Group project	Tutorial (1.5 hr)
Week 02	Illusions and multisensory integration	Self-directed learning (1 hr)
	Multisensory integration	Lecture (1 hr)
	Vestibular system and common disorders (do any time this week)	Self-directed learning (1.5 hr)
	Demonstrations; Group project	Tutorial (1.5 hr)
Week 03	Adaptation and aftereffects	Self-directed learning (1 hr)
	Adaptation and aftereffects	Lecture (1 hr)
	Perception and action (do any time this week)	Self-directed learning (1 hr)
	Group work with tutor (online, each group separately)	Workshop (0.5 hr)
	Concept maps; Group project	Tutorial (1.5 hr)
Week 04	Proprioception	Self-directed learning (1 hr)
	Bodily self-consciousness and related disorders	Lecture (1 hr)
	Neuroprosthetics (do any time this week)	Self-directed learning (1.5 hr)
	Group work with tutor (online, each group separately)	Workshop (0.5 hr)
	Demonstrations; Group project	Tutorial (1.5 hr)
Week 05	Touch	Self-directed learning (1 hr)
	Touch and related disorders	Lecture (1 hr)
	Artificial and augmented sensory systems (do any time this week)	Self-directed learning (1.5 hr)
	Group work with tutor (online, each group separately)	Workshop (0.5 hr)
	Demonstrations; Group project	Tutorial (1.5 hr)
Week 06	Pain: Beyond naive realism	Self-directed learning (1 hr)
	Pain	Lecture (1 hr)
	Revision (do any time this week)	Self-directed learning (2 hr)
	Demonstrations; Group project	Tutorial (1.5 hr)
Week 07	Phantom limbs	Self-directed learning (1 hr)
	Phantom limb pain	Lecture (1 hr)
	Presentations	Tutorial (1.5 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Monday lectures require preparation. Please watch the online lecture segment before the live class. Participation points apply to selected lectures, as indicated on Canvas. Please attend live lectures (one hour only) for a richer, more engaging learning experience.

Tutorials are compulsory. Please be attentive and engage actively in your own way. Work with your group between classes to prepare for the tutorials dedicated to your group project.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

The readings are given in Canvas.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. Understand basics of perception theory and how we empirically investigate senses
LO2. Understand how we perceive our own body, forces acting on us and our orientation and movement in space
LO3. Understand how knowledge about sensory processing is applied in technology and health
LO4. Developed the ability to design, conduct and interpret a simple perception experiment
LO5. Further improve written and oral scholarly communication

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

Students have always been highly engaged in this unit's tutorials, where I demonstrate phenomena discussed in lectures and help them develop their group projects. Several reported that tutorials were where they learned the most, and suggested extending their duration. This resonated with me, so this year I increased tutorial time by 50%, while restructuring lectures into an online content-delivery component and a face-to-face interactive component.

Disclaimer

Important: the University of Sydney regularly reviews units of study and reserves the right to change the units of study available annually. To stay up to date on available study options, including unit of study details and availability, refer to the relevant handbook.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links