Plants and our Planet



Overview

Why do we need plants and what do they do for us?

This course aims to inform students about the importance of plants on our planet. We will understand why it is important to study plants and the essential physiology that makes a plant. We will also study the benefits of plants to mankind, such as in food, health, and medicine. We will address the importance of the changing climate on the survival of plants, and also how plants can help clean polluted environments. We will understand why plants are not alone and how they need other organisms in order to thrive. The response of plants to pests and pathogens will also be covered. Finally, we will discuss advances in scientific research through the ages that impact upon agriculture.

We will finish off with a field trip to the Oxford Botanical Gardens and reflect on what has been taught in the classroom. Students will need to pay entry fees to the Gardens.

This course will benefit those who have a curiosity about plants and want to understand how they survive as living organisms on this planet.

Programme details

Courses starts: 23 Apr 2024

Week 1: Why study plants?

Week 2: How to be a plant

Week 3: Plants, food and health

Week 4: Medicinal value of plants

Week 5: Survival of plants in extreme environments

Half-term break: 28 May 2024

Week 6: Phytoremediation

Week 7: Plants, pests, and pathogens

Week 8: Why plants need other living organisms

Week 9: Advances in agriculture through the ages

Week 10: Field trip to Oxford Botanical Gardens

Digital 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 £257.00
Take this course for CATS points £10.00

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

To understand, through plant physiology, how plants interact with their changing environment, and how they affect humans. 

Course Objectives: 

The course will enable students to:

  • understand the importance of plants and how they benefit humans;
  • gain knowledge on the interaction between the environment and plants;
  • understand how scientific advances have improved agriculture.

Teaching methods

The course will consist of lectures supplemented with discussions, quizzes, 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. The field trip will cover aspects of the course by observing plants from different habitats.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this course, the students will be expected to:

  • understand, through examples, how plants adapt to different lifestyles and their environment;
  • understand the importance of plants on this planet;
  • understand how the study of plants has helped improve agriculture.

Assessment methods

The coursework will consist of an essay of up to 1500 words. The students will be given a topic which they have to research independently and write an essay on. In addition, the students will have the opportunity to submit a plan of their essay (up to 500 words) and get feedback on it, before the end of the course.

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 £10 fee per course. 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 enrolment form (Word) or enrolment form (Pdf).

Level and demands

Students who register for CATS points will receive a Record of CATS points on successful completion of their course assessment.

To earn credit (CATS points) you will need to register and pay an additional £10 fee per course. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online.

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 at the required standard.

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.

Most of the Department's weekly classes have 10 or 20 CATS points assigned to them. 10 CATS points at FHEQ Level 4 usually consist of ten 2-hour sessions. 20 CATS points at FHEQ Level 4 usually consist of twenty 2-hour sessions. It is expected that, for every 2 hours of tuition you are given, you will engage in eight hours of private study.

Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS)

Terms & conditions for applicants and students

Information on financial support