Outline

Overview

Infectious diseases occur as a result of interactions between a host and a microbial parasite. This unit of study will explain how infectious agents interact with human hosts at the molecular, cellular, individual patient and community levels to cause diseases and how the hosts attempt to combat these infections. The unit will be taught by the School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health with involvement of associated clinical and research experts who will contribute lectures and theme sessions on their own special interests. The unit will integrate lectures with clinical case studies and hands-on practical sessions to provide students with current knowledge of infectious diseases.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Department of Medical Sciences
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	IMMU2101 or MEDS2004 or MIMI2X02 or IMMU2X11
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Scott Stimpson, scott.stimpson@sydney.edu.au

Assessment

The census date for this unit availability is 1 September 2025

Details
Criteria

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length	Use of AI
Written exam ?	Final Exam Multiple choice and short answer questions	50%	Formal exam period	2 hours	AI prohibited
Outcomes assessed:
Presentation	Case presentations Clinical case presentation.	15%	Multiple weeks	-	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
In-class quiz	Quiz Online open book without invigilation consisting of MCQs and longer SAQs.	20%	Week 09 Due date: 08 Oct 2025 at 11:00	50 mins	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Written work	Practical report Written assessment using report template	15%	Week 13 Due date: 07 Nov 2025 at 23:59	-	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:

Assessment summary

Case presentations: Cases will be allocated in week 2. The group case presentations will involve the allocation of a group mark plus an individual mark to each student in the group, which will be added to provide each student's final mark. Thus, each student must speak during the oral presentations of cases to obtain an individual mark. Further, it is expected that each student will speak for approximately the same amount of time.
Mid-semester quiz: The mid-semester quiz will cover the lecture and clinical case material presented in the first 8 weeks of the semester.
Practical report: A short report is required for the experiments performed in weeks 7 to 10. In the report you will be required to detail the results of experiments and answer questions relating to gene expression analysis, vaccine development, and drug development.

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

For more information see https://www.sydney.edu.au/students/guide-to-grades.html

For students who are repeating this unit of study in 2024, you may be granted an exception for some of the assessment task(s) in this unit of study, subject to discussion and confirmation with the unit coordinator. You must have achieved a pass mark or higher in the assessment task to be considered for an exemption.

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.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

All assignments must be submitted by the due date and quizzes and exams attended when they are scheduled. Students are expected to manage their time and to prioritise tasks to meet deadlines. Assessment items submitted after the due date without an approved extension using a special consideration or special arrangement form or request will incur penalties. Failure to meet assessment deadlines will incur mark deductions of 5% of the maximum awardable mark available for every day past the due date (for electronic submissions, days late includes Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays). These deductions will continue for 10 calendar days, until the solutions for the assignment are released, or marked assignments are returned to other students. At that point the mark awarded will be zero. For example, on an assignment given a mark of 70/100, the penalty would be 5 marks if submitted up to 24 hours late, resulting in a final mark of 65/100. If the assignment is submitted 6 days late, the penalty would be 30 marks and the final mark would be 40/100. If the assignment is more than 10 days late, the final mark will be 0/100.

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	Course overview	Lecture (1 hr)
	Hepatitis virus and disease	Lecture (1 hr)
	1. Introduction to practicals; 2. Selection of case presentations	Workshop (3 hr)
Week 02	Tuberculosis and immune evasion	Lecture (1 hr)
	Syphilis and other STIs	Lecture (1 hr)
	Clinical case session: Hepatitis	Workshop (3 hr)
Week 03	Parasites in the clinic	Lecture (1 hr)
	Malaria and the host	Lecture (1 hr)
	Clinical case session: Sexually transmitted infections	Workshop (3 hr)
Week 04	Central nervous system infections	Lecture (1 hr)
	Pathogenic Escherichia coli and the urinary tract	Lecture (1 hr)
	Clinical case presentations	Presentation (3 hr)
Week 05	Pathogenesis of shigella	Lecture (1 hr)
	COVID-19: the virus & the host	Lecture (1 hr)
	Clinical case presentations	Presentation (3 hr)
Week 06	Fungi and clinical disease	Lecture (1 hr)
	Clinical case presentations	Presentation (3 hr)
	Antibiotic resistance and need the for new drugs	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 07	Integrated practical 1. Analysis of E. coli3012 virulence factor expression	Practical (3 hr)
Week 07	Drug development focus: Tuberculosis	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 08	New approaches to drug design	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 08	Integrated practical 2. Drug discovery: sensitivity testing (high throughput screening); toxicity testing	Practical (3 hr)
Week 09	Mid-semester quiz	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 09	Integrated practical 3. Drug discovery: toxicity, MIC determination, in vivo efficacy	Practical (3 hr)
Week 10	New vaccines for pandemic pathogens	Lecture (1 hr)
	Immunotherapy for infectious diseases	Lecture (1 hr)
	Integrated practical 4. Vaccine development: measurement of IFN-g release (ELISPOT); determination of vaccine efficacy	Practical (3 hr)
Week 11	Clinical evaluation of vaccines.	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 12	Overview of pathogen genomics	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 12	Pathogen genomics in clinical and public health	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 13	Special Research Seminar	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 13	End semester Q & A and course review	Lecture (1 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance: Students are expected to attend a minimum of 80% of timetabled activities for a unit of study. Thus, attendance at a minimum of 80% of all timetabled classes is compulsory for successful completion of the course. Attendance will be recorded. Absences from scheduled practical, workshop or presentations sessions must be supported by appropriate documentation.

Attendance at the case presentations is compulsory even when you are not presenting.

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

Infectious Diseases: Pathogenesis, Prevention and Case Studies. Edited by Shetty et al. Wiley-Blackwell 2009. ISBN 9781405135436.

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. explain the major causes of infectious diseases in the general community and hospital environments, and the mechanisms associated with the disease process
LO2. describe how medically significant organisms can spread in the community
LO3. assess the measures that have been developed to control infectious agents and the conceptual basis of the control strategies
LO4. demonstrate practical dexterity in the most important technical procedures performed in the study of infectious diseases today
LO5. evaluate the major theoretical concepts involved in the development of these procedures
LO6. communicate effectively, demonstrate effective teamwork, and develop improved scientific written skills.

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.

Some minor changes have been made in response to student feedback from the previous year.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

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

INFD3012: Infectious Diseases

Semester 2, 2025 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

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