Industry Research Placement (BIOX7517)

Course overview

This course involves 800-960 (16 unit) hours of industry experience, through a work integrated learning placement within an approved Biotechnology workplace. Students will work with their placement provider to develop and complete a specific project which is both meaningful to the organisation and of sufficient technical content to meet the academic requirements of the course. It enables students to apply, to that industry, their theoretical knowledge and research skills. It is anticipated that students will also acquire an understanding of industry operations and requirements, while also developing and enhancing skills in report writing and project management, thereby enhancing their career opportunities.

This course provides students with program-related industry experience and an opportunity to further their professional skills training in an authenticﾠenvironment. Students will gain practical experience in the application of theoretical concepts and knowledge, while acquainting themselves with the real-world conditions and activities of their industry before graduating. Students will undertake 800-960 hours of placementﾠin an approved workplace.

The host industry organisation will appoint a Placement Supervisor for each student who will be the students primary contact during the placement, and responsible for grading the students’ performance and presentation. The Course Coordinator acts as the Academic Supervisor and is availableﾠto resolve issues that arise during the placement, as well as discuss progress with the Placement Supervisor and the student.

Industry placements are generally unpaid. Please be aware UQ insurance coverage applies to unpaid placements. If the student is paid, the companyﾠis required to insure the student.

During the placement, students will adhere to theﾠStudent Code of Conduct Policy (https://policies.uq.edu.au/document/view-current.php?id=145) and theﾠWork Integrated Learning and Work Experience Policy ﾠ(https://policies.uq.edu.au/document/view-current.php?id=163), as well as act inﾠaccordance with host organisation’s policies, procedures and regulations. Students may be asked to enter into a confidentiality and intellectualﾠproperty agreement with the host organisation. Students should seek their own independent legal advice to ensure they are aware of their obligationsﾠand before signing such agreements. TheﾠUQ Unionﾠ(https://www.uqu.com.au/student-support/legal) offers a free legal service to all UQ Studentsﾠwho are currently enrolled.

Course requirements

Assumed background

Students will have completed 4 units of Core Courses from the Biotechnology Postgraduate Coursework program. 

Prerequisites

You'll need to complete the following courses before enrolling in this one:

Science Degree or equivalent. Completed a minimum of 8 units towards their PGCW program by the semester of enrolement.

Restrictions

This course is restricted to students enrolled in the MBiotechnology Research Extensive program.
Permission required to enrol. See course description for further information.
Enrolment will require permission of the program director via completion of the online supervisor approval form.

Course contact

Course staff

Timetable

Additional timetable information

This course is delivered by directed study under academic supervision and there is no generic timetable. Student and supervisor will arrange to meet at regular intervals to monitor progress.

Students must meet with their supervisor and agree upon a topic BEFORE the end of week 2 of semester.

In week 1, students must meet with their supervisor to agree on a timetable for attendance in the laboratory. For a 8 unit project laboratory attendance should be a minimum of 40 hours per week. Students must also provide their supervisor with a hard copy of the Electronic Course Profile (ECP) at this meeting.

Students should contact their individual supervisors directly for matters relating to their research project lab work and research report.

It is the student's responsibility to make contact and arrange meetings with their supervisor to discuss the progress of their work.

It is the supervisor's responsibility to supervise the research project and provide a mark for each of the following assessment items - project plan and laboratory performance. The research report will be marked by two independent examiners.

The supervisor will be asked to mark the research report of a student they do not supervise.

The supervisor should nominate two examiners for the research report and inform the Course Coordinator of the examiners' contact details.

Any questions on the assessment requirements should be directed to enquiries@scmb.uq.edu.au

Absences

It is the student’s responsibility to notify their supervisor if they will be absent from the lab for any period of time. Absences longer than three days must be supported by documentation e.g. a medical certificate.

It is the supervisor’s responsibility to notify the School if a student is absent for more than five days.

Project Progression

Refer to Assessment > Additional Information for important information on how to manage disruptions during your project.

Aims and outcomes

To enable students to apply their theoretical knowledge and skills to a biotechnology-related workplace situation, and to acquire more detailed knowledge and professional skills to enhance employability.

Learning outcomes

After successfully completing this course you should be able to:

Assessment

Assessment summary

A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied in order to receive a specific grade for the course. Check the assessment details for more information about hurdle requirements.

Assessment details

First Semester Checkpoint Meetings

Mode

Oral

Category

Participation/ Student contribution

Weight

Pass/Fail

Due date

Week 3 Checkpoint 18/08/2025 2:00 pm

Week 8 Checkpoint 22/09/2025 2:00 pm

Learning outcomes

L01, L02, L03, L04, L05

Task description

Submission guidelines

Submit through the online portal in Blackboard. Before submitting your assessment item please name your file in the following way. FAMILY NAME_GivenName_StudentID_CourseCode_AssignmentName For example: Bob Smith (ID: 54329876) would name his ABCD1234 essay 1 in the following way. SMITH_Bob_54329876_ABCD1234_Essay1

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.

Applications for extension

Extension applications must be received no later than 24 hours after the published assessment due date and time.

Read the information contained in the following links carefully before submitting an application for extension to assessment due date.

For guidance on applying for an extension, information is available here.

For the policy relating to extensions, information is available here (Part D).

Information on medical certificates

Please note the University's requirements for medical certificates here.

Late submission

A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.

You are required to submit assessable items on time. If you fail to meet the submission deadline for any assessment item, then 10% of the maximum possible mark for the assessment item (assessment ‘marked from’ value) will be deducted as a late penalty for every day (or part day) late after the due date. For example, if you submit your assignment 1 hour late, you will be penalised 10%; if your assignment is 24.5 hours late, you will be penalised 20% (because it is late by one 24-hour period plus part of another 24-hour period). 10% will be deducted per day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point your submission will receive a mark of zero (0) unless an extension has been approved.

In most instances one or more hurdles will apply to your assessment item so you will need to submit it to fulfil the requirements of the course regardless of how late it is and the mark you are likely to be awarded.

Professional network action plan

Mode

Written

Category

Paper/ Report/ Annotation

Weight

Pass/Fail

Due date

7/10/2025 2:00 pm

Learning outcomes

L01, L02, L03, L04, L05

Task description

Submission guidelines

Submit through the online portal in Blackboard. Before submitting your assessment item please name your file in the following way. FAMILY NAME_GivenName_StudentID_CourseCode_AssignmentName For example: Bob Smith (ID: 54329876) would name his ABCD1234 essay 1 in the following way. SMITH_Bob_54329876_ABCD1234_Essay1

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.

Applications for extension

Extension applications must be received no later than 24 hours after the published assessment due date and time.

Read the information contained in the following links carefully before submitting an application for extension to assessment due date.

For guidance on applying for an extension, information is available here.

For the policy relating to extensions, information is available here (Part D).

Information on medical certificates

Please note the University's requirements for medical certificates here.

Late submission

A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.

You are required to submit assessable items on time. If you fail to meet the submission deadline for any assessment item, then 10% of the maximum possible mark for the assessment item (assessment ‘marked from’ value) will be deducted as a late penalty for every day (or part day) late after the due date. For example, if you submit your assignment 1 hour late, you will be penalised 10%; if your assignment is 24.5 hours late, you will be penalised 20% (because it is late by one 24-hour period plus part of another 24-hour period). 10% will be deducted per day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point your submission will receive a mark of zero (0) unless an extension has been approved.

In most instances one or more hurdles will apply to your assessment item so you will need to submit it to fulfil the requirements of the course regardless of how late it is and the mark you are likely to be awarded.

Second Semester Week 6 Checkpoint Meeting

Mode

Oral

Category

Participation/ Student contribution

Weight

Pass/Fail

Due date

13/04/2026 2:00 pm

Learning outcomes

L01, L02, L03, L04, L05

Task description

Submission guidelines

Submit through the online portal in Blackboard. Before submitting your assessment item please name your file in the following way. FAMILY NAME_GivenName_StudentID_CourseCode_AssignmentName For example: Bob Smith (ID: 54329876) would name his ABCD1234 essay 1 in the following way. SMITH_Bob_54329876_ABCD1234_Essay1

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.

Applications for extension

Extension applications must be received no later than 24 hours after the published assessment due date and time.

Read the information contained in the following links carefully before submitting an application for extension to assessment due date.

For guidance on applying for an extension, information is available here.

For the policy relating to extensions, information is available here (Part D).

Information on medical certificates

Please note the University's requirements for medical certificates here.

Late submission

A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.

You are required to submit assessable items on time. If you fail to meet the submission deadline for any assessment item, then 10% of the maximum possible mark for the assessment item (assessment ‘marked from’ value) will be deducted as a late penalty for every day (or part day) late after the due date. For example, if you submit your assignment 1 hour late, you will be penalised 10%; if your assignment is 24.5 hours late, you will be penalised 20% (because it is late by one 24-hour period plus part of another 24-hour period). 10% will be deducted per day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point your submission will receive a mark of zero (0) unless an extension has been approved.

In most instances one or more hurdles will apply to your assessment item so you will need to submit it to fulfil the requirements of the course regardless of how late it is and the mark you are likely to be awarded.

Company Seminar

• Hurdle
• Identity Verified
• In-person

Mode

Activity/ Performance

Category

Presentation

Weight

20%

Due date

Completion of presentation 1/06/2026 - 5/06/2026

Submission of slides 2:00 pm 8/06/2026

Learning outcomes

L01, L02, L03, L04, L05

Task description

Hurdle requirements

Submission guidelines

Submit your powerpoint slides as PPTX through the online portal in Blackboard. Before submitting your assessment item please name your file in the following way. FAMILY NAME_GivenName_StudentID_CourseCode_AssignmentName For example: Bob Smith (ID: 54329876) would name his ABCD1234 essay 1 in the following way. SMITH_Bob_54329876_ABCD1234_Essay1

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.

Applications for extension

Extension applications must be received no later than 24 hours after the published assessment due date and time.

Read the information contained in the following links carefully before submitting an application for extension to assessment due date.

For guidance on applying for an extension, information is available here.

For the policy relating to extensions, information is available here (Part D).

Information on medical certificates

Please note the University's requirements for medical certificates here.

Late submission

A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.

You are required to submit assessable items on time. If you fail to meet the submission deadline for any assessment item, then 10% of the maximum possible mark for the assessment item (assessment ‘marked from’ value) will be deducted as a late penalty for every day (or part day) late after the due date. For example, if you submit your assignment 1 hour late, you will be penalised 10%; if your assignment is 24.5 hours late, you will be penalised 20% (because it is late by one 24-hour period plus part of another 24-hour period). 10% will be deducted per day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point your submission will receive a mark of zero (0) unless an extension has been approved.

In most instances one or more hurdles will apply to your assessment item so you will need to submit it to fulfil the requirements of the course regardless of how late it is and the mark you are likely to be awarded.

Placement Performance

• Hurdle
• Identity Verified
• In-person

Mode

Activity/ Performance

Category

Practical/ Demonstration

Weight

40%

Due date

8/06/2026 2:00 pm

Learning outcomes

L01, L02, L03, L04, L05

Task description

Hurdle requirements

Submission guidelines

Submit your laboratory notebook (or a record of your work) directly to your project supervisor by the due date and time.

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.

Applications for extension

Extension applications must be received no later than 24 hours after the published assessment due date and time.

Read the information contained in the following links carefully before submitting an application for extension to assessment due date.

For guidance on applying for an extension, information is available here.

For the policy relating to extensions, information is available here (Part D).

Information on medical certificates

Please note the University's requirements for medical certificates here.

Late submission

A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.

You are required to submit assessable items on time. If you fail to meet the submission deadline for any assessment item, then 10% of the maximum possible mark for the assessment item (assessment ‘marked from’ value) will be deducted as a late penalty for every day (or part day) late after the due date. For example, if you submit your assignment 1 hour late, you will be penalised 10%; if your assignment is 24.5 hours late, you will be penalised 20% (because it is late by one 24-hour period plus part of another 24-hour period). 10% will be deducted per day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point your submission will receive a mark of zero (0) unless an extension has been approved.

In most instances one or more hurdles will apply to your assessment item so you will need to submit it to fulfil the requirements of the course regardless of how late it is and the mark you are likely to be awarded.

Placement Report

Mode

Written

Category

Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Project

Weight

40%

Due date

8/06/2026 2:00 pm

Learning outcomes

L01, L02, L03, L04, L05

Task description

Submission guidelines

Submit your report through the course Turnitin submission point in Blackboard. Before submitting your assessment item to Turnitin please name your file in the following way. FAMILY NAME_GivenName_StudentID_CourseCode_AssignmentName For example: Bob Smith (ID: 54329876) would name his ABCD1234 essay 1 in the following way. SMITH_Bob_54329876_ABCD1234_Essay1

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.

Applications for extension

Extension applications must be received no later than 24 hours after the published assessment due date and time.

Read the information contained in the following links carefully before submitting an application for extension to assessment due date.

For guidance on applying for an extension, information is available here.

For the policy relating to extensions, information is available here (Part D).

Information on medical certificates

Please note the University's requirements for medical certificates here.

Late submission

A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.

You are required to submit assessable items on time. If you fail to meet the submission deadline for any assessment item, then 10% of the maximum possible mark for the assessment item (assessment ‘marked from’ value) will be deducted as a late penalty for every day (or part day) late after the due date. For example, if you submit your assignment 1 hour late, you will be penalised 10%; if your assignment is 24.5 hours late, you will be penalised 20% (because it is late by one 24-hour period plus part of another 24-hour period). 10% will be deducted per day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point your submission will receive a mark of zero (0) unless an extension has been approved.

In most instances one or more hurdles will apply to your assessment item so you will need to submit it to fulfil the requirements of the course regardless of how late it is and the mark you are likely to be awarded.

Course grading

Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.

Additional course grading information

Assessment Hurdle

1. To achieve a grade above 4 you must obtain a weighted average mark of 40% across the identity-verifiable assessment items. 

Supplementary assessment

Supplementary assessment is not available for this course.

Additional assessment information

Assessment Submission

It is the responsibility of the student to ensure the on time, correct and complete submission of all assessment items.

Students are responsible for retaining evidence of submission by the due date for all assessment items, in the required form (for example, screenshot, email, photo, and an unaltered copy of submitted work).

In the case of a Blackboard outage, contact the Course Coordinator as soon as possible to confirm the outage with ITS.

Assessment/Attendance

Please notify your Course Coordinator as soon as you become aware of any issue that may affect your ability to meet the assessment/attendance requirements of the course. The my.UQ website and the Electronic Course Profile (ECP) for your course also provide information about your course requirements, the rules associated with your courses and services offered by the University.

Important Note - Project Progression

Please note that extensions are only rarely granted. Extensions will typically only be granted if you suffer from a significant illness, if a close family member develops a serious illness, or for family bereavement. Extensions will not routinely be granted at many weeks or months after an illness or other event, on the basis that such interruptions are part of life.

Research projects are not about completing a set body of work within an indefinite timeframe. Rather, you are given a period of time to learn about a topic, gain experience in practical research skills, analyse data, develop your own independent thoughts and conclusions based on this analysis, and write a report that communicates all of this to your examiners.

We expect that you will develop skills that allow you to adjust your plans “on the run” – everyone will experience things that do not go according to plan at some point, and it is a necessary skill in scientific research to be able to respond to change, whether it is an experiment that did not work because someone switched the incubator off over the weekend, or an event that prevented your attendance at the University or impacted your priorities.

What is important is that you adjust your plans appropriately, and in close consultation with your supervisor, so that you have sufficient time to analyse and write up what data you have obtained into a report that best demonstrates your knowledge and development as a scientist.

Note: If your application for extension is due to significant unforeseen circumstances in your laboratory a detailed written statement outlining the circumstances is required from your supervisor. This can be included in your application. Applications due to unforeseen circumstances will not be accepted without a supervisor's statement.

A note for repeating students in this course

Only learning activities and/or assessment items completed during the study period of enrolment, including any approved extensions, may contribute to your grade in this course. The whole or partial use of assessment items previously submitted for the same course, for a course at any institution, or for published material, is not permitted without written permission of the Course Coordinator.

Important Note

Turnitin is to be used for assignments/laboratory reports to check for plagiarism. Penalties can be severe for plagiarism.

The University has adopted the following definition of plagiarism: Plagiarism is the act of misrepresenting as one's own original work the ideas, interpretations, words or creative works of another either intentionally or unintentionally. These include published and unpublished documents, designs, music, sounds, images, photographs, computer codes and ideas gained through working in a group. These ideas, interpretations, words or works may be found in print and/or electronic media.

Students are encouraged to read the UQ Academic Integrity and Plagiarism policy.

Learning resources

You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.

Library resources

Library resources are available on the UQ Library website.

Additional learning resources information

Further information regarding this course can be found on the course Blackboard site at learn.uq.edu.au. Additional supplementary material may also be posted on the site.

Please check the Announcements section of the Blackboard site regularly for information updates.

Learning activities

The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.

Policies and procedures

University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:

• Student Code of Conduct Policy
• Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
• Assessment Procedure
• Examinations Procedure
• Reasonable Adjustments for Students Policy and Procedure
• AI for Assessment Guide

Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.