Plants: How They Grow, Develop and Survive



Overview

Have you ever looked at a plant and wondered how it grows, develops and survives in our world? Plants are complex organisms that need to perform incredible tasks in order to exist, amongst humans and other organisms. Delving into the fascinating world of plants, starting from cells and ending in organisms that adapt to survive, we will understand how plant life starts and develops into a mature organism that can reproduce and thrive in harsh environments. The course will look at processes of photosynthesis, gaseous exchange, movement, and tolerance towards various abiotic and biotic stresses. We will finally understand how crop agriculture has developed through the ages and benefitted humans. This course is suited for anyone who has an interest in plants and a desire to understand better how they work.

This course was run previously as “How do plants work”.

Programme details

Course starts: 3rd Oct 2024

Week 1: Introduction to plants – structure and function

Week 2: How do plants grow and reproduce?

Week 3: Water and gas exchange in plants

Week 4: How do plants generate their energy?

Week 5: How do plants move?

Week 6: How do plants survive lack of water?

Week 7: How do plants grow in extreme environments?

Week 8: Can plants survive without other organisms?

Week 9: How do plants resist disease?

Week 10: Crop agriculture through the ages

Certification

To complete the course and receive a certificate, you will be required to attend at least 80% of the classes on the course and pass your final assignment. Upon successful completion, you will receive a link to download a University of Oxford digital certificate. Information on how to access this digital certificate will be emailed to you after the end of the course. The certificate will show your name, the course title and the dates of the course you attended. You will be able to download your certificate or share it on social media if you choose to do so.

Fees

Description Costs
Course Fee £285.00
Take this course for CATS points £30.00

Funding

If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit, you are a full-time student in the UK or a student on a low income, you may be eligible for a reduction of 50% of tuition fees. Please see the below link for full details:

Concessionary fees for short courses

Tutor

Dr Radhika Desikan

Dr Desikan is a plant scientist who has taught plant science for several years and researched and published on the behaviour of plants facing various abiotic and biotic stresses.

Course aims

The aim of this course is to understand, through cell biology and physiology, how plants grow and adapt to survive in this world.

Course Objectives

This course will enable students to:

1. Understand through cell biology and physiology, how plants perform different functions in order to grow and develop.

2. Understand how plants can adapt and survive in the changing environment.

3. Gain insights into interactions of plants with other organisms.

4. Learn how crop agriculture has changed through the ages.

Teaching methods

The course will consist of lectures followed by discussions, quizzes, short demonstrations or videos. There will be an opportunity to study research papers and understand how to interpret the results. The environment will be informal, allowing students to ask questions throughout the lectures.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this course, the students will:

  1. Understand the basics of plant cell biology and physiology, and explain some phenomena.
  2. Understand how plants adapt to survive challenges from their surroundings.
  3. Study how humans have impacted on developments in crop agriculture.

Assessment methods

The coursework will consist of a portfolio with 3 pieces of assessment. There will be one assignment of multiple choice questions at week 4, a second assignment at week 8 consisting of 10 short answer questions, followed by a final assignment at the end of the course consisting of a review of a research paper (750 words). In addition the students will have the opportunity to submit a plan of their research paper review (400 words) and get feedback on it, before the end of the course.

Coursework is an integral part of all weekly classes and everyone enrolled will be expected to do coursework in order to benefit fully from the course. Only those who have registered for credit will be awarded CATS points for completing work to the required standard.

Students must submit a completed Declaration of Authorship form at the end of term when submitting your final piece of work. CATS points cannot be awarded without the aforementioned form - Declaration of Authorship form

Application

To earn credit (CATS points) for your course you will need to register and pay an additional £30 fee for each course you enrol on. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online.

Please use the 'Book' or 'Apply' button on this page. Alternatively, please complete an application form.

Level and demands

The Department's Weekly Classes are taught at FHEQ Level 4, i.e. first year undergraduate level, and you will be expected to engage in a significant amount of private study in preparation for the classes. This may take the form, for instance, of reading and analysing set texts, responding to questions or tasks, or preparing work to present in class.

Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS)

To earn credit (CATS points) you will need to register and pay an additional £30 fee per course. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online. Students who register for CATS points will receive a Record of CATS points on successful completion of their course assessment.

Students who do not register for CATS points during the enrolment process can either register for CATS points prior to the start of their course or retrospectively from the January 1st after the current full academic year has been completed. If you are enrolled on the Certificate of Higher Education you need to indicate this on the enrolment form but there is no additional registration fee.

Terms & conditions for applicants and students

Information on financial support