Special Botany program 

Basic Information.

Program Title: Botany

Program Type: Single

Department offering the program:     Botany and Microbiology

Coordinator (s): Prof.Dr. Zakia Ahmed Abo E1kheir

1. Professional Information.

 – Botany is the scientific study of plant life and development. As a branch of biology, it is also sometimes referred to as plant science(s) or plant biology. Botany covers a wide range of scientific disciplines that study plants, algae and fungi including their structure, growth, reproduction, metabolism, development, genetics, diseases, ecology, chemical properties, and evolutionary relationships between the different groups. Botany began with tribal lore efforts to identify edible, medicinal and poisonous plants, making botany one of the oldest sciences. From this ancient interest in plants, the scope of botany has increased to include the study of over 550,000 kinds or species of living organisms.

– Botany – Scope and importance of botany: As with other life forms in biology, plant life can be studied from different perspectives, from the molecular, genetic and biochemical level through organelle, cells, tissues, organs, individuals, plant populations, and communities of plants. At each of these levels a botanist might be concerned with the classification (taxonomy), structure (anatomy), or function (physiology) of plant life. Historically, botany covers all organisms that were not considered to be animals. Some of these “plant-like” organisms include fungi (studied in mycology), bacteria and viruses (studied in microbiology), and algae (studied in phycology). Most algae, fungi, and microbes are no longer considered to be in the plant kingdom. However, attention is still given to them by botanists, and bacteria, fungi, and algae are usually covered in introductory botany courses. The study of plants has importance for a number of reasons. Plants are a fundamental part of life on earth. They generate the oxygen, food, fibers, fuel and medicine that allow higher life forms to exist. Plants also absorb carbon dioxide through photosynthesis, a minor greenhouse gas that in large amounts can affect global climate. A good understanding of plants is crucial to the future of human societies as it allows us to:

(a) Produce food to feed an expanding population.

(b) Understand fundamental life processes.

(c) Produce active compound to treat diseases and other ailments.

 (d) Understand environmental changes more clearly.

(e) Production of commercial products.

• Program aims.

–The aim of this program is to provide the graduate with the concepts, knowledge and other skills to produce graduates in various fields in plant sciences, microbial sciences and biotechnology capable of providing solutions to industrial, economic, health, agricultural and environmental challenges. It also prepares the graduate for further studies leading to a higher degree in botany.  This program mainly aims to:

• Provide graduates with a wide range of integrated knowledge, concepts and theories in the field of basic science and interpret biological and basic science phenomena through general chemistry, physics and mathematics and zoology.
• Provide graduate with concepts and theories of botany at a depth and level appropriate to interpret life’s basic processes in unicellular and multicellular organisms.
• Apply various theories and concepts of mathematics and statistics to deduce related processes with botany in addition to study the application of physical methods in living organisms.
• Provide graduate with a broad practical laboratory and/or field based special botany curriculum.
• Provide graduate with a supportive learning environment which acknowledges and responds to the diversity of student backgrounds and experiences, and which allow students the opportunity to realize their academic potential.
• Help graduates gain the skills needed for data collection using information technologies through computer system and library resources to solve problems, interpretation and presentation in English and Arabic.
• Develop the sense of beauty and neatness and an ability to work in team using the scientific knowledge.
• Provide the students with biological effects of ionizing and electromagnetic radiation on living matter.
• Provide the students knowledge about fungi, archegoniate, bacteria, viruses and their effects, interactions on plants.
• Develop a scientific attitude to apply ethical principles related to biological research, environment caring and community problems.
• Provide graduate with knowledge to evaluate the relationships and interactions among botany and environment.
• Establish lifelong learning in order to be able to work in independently, analytically and critically.
• Learn, in addition to scientific courses, beliefs, behaviors, doctrine, Holly Quran, Hadith and Tafser through Islamic Studies.
• Develop recognition and understanding of physiology, systematic concepts, molecular biology, biotechnology and ecology.
• Be aquainted with modern subjects and biotechniques to identify and analyze the active constituents and their applications.

In addition to the graduate attributes of basic science, the botanist graduates must be able to:

1. Design and perform botanical field survey and laboratory investigations.
2. Utilize scientific facts and theories to analyze and interpret data of different methods.
3. Collect, analyze, and present botanical data using appropriate formats and techniques.
4. Use the sources of biological information and communication technology to remain current with advances in knowledge and practice
5. Establish life-long self-learning required for continuous professional development.
6. Establish effective interpersonal relationship to Communicate ideas and arguments.

7. Work effectively as a member or a leader of an interdisciplinary team.

8. Solve problems related to botanical research, industrial, economic, health, agricultural and environmental challenges.

9. Carry out experiments on plant material at variety of levels of the biological organization, cells, tissue, upto whole plant.

10. Illustrate the nutrients and energy flow through plant organisms, population and ecosystems.

11. Describe familiarity with the major metabolic pathways and their interactions of the cellular level and on the living organisms.

12. Be aquainted of knowledge about structure and functions of various types of plant cells and cell organelles in unicellular and multi-cellular organisms. All the above attributes help the graduates to various jobs apportunities as researcher in academic, educational and agricultural institutions as well as teachers in pre –college education.

 2- Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOS).

 Knowledge and Understanding.

In addition to the knowledge mentioned in the general part for basic science graduates, the graduates must acquire knowledge and understanding  to be able to:

A1-Explain the basic scientific facts, concepts, principles, techniques and the relevant theories in the area of biology and related subjects of basic science.

A2- Illustrate characters, structure, function and genetics in the scientific area of botany, zoology, entomology and microbiology.

A3- Illustrate the processes and mechanisms supporting the structure and function from the atom to the organism in different ecosystems.

A4-Definethe related terminology, nomenclature and classification systems.

A5-Describe the general theories and methods applied for interpreting and analyzing biological data.

A6-Characterize the relation between animal taxonomy  and plant kingdom,  the environment and describe the developmental biological progress.

A7. Identify specific and general vocabulary and sentence composition for improving the reading and writing skills.

A8. Define the Quran sciences, the relevant characteristics of the Islamic sciences and their relation with the environment.

A9.Describe a life of plant in different disciplines from cellular to organism.

A10. Explain the physiological and  molecular biology aspects of organism.

A11. Describe the advanced theories and methods applied for interpreting and analyzing biological data.

A12. Characterize the complexity and diversity of organisms through the study of genetics, anatomy, developmental stages and evolution.

A13. Illustrate the recent techniques and subjects in molecular biology and biotechnology.

A14.Identify the developmental progress of the program-related knowledge

A15.Formulate the relation between the studied topics and the environment.

A16.List the characteristic feature of plants and their applications.

A17. Gain knowledge about plants agriculture in fields, collection of plants from different habitats, making herbarium sheets and conserve them in the herbarium.

1. Intellectual Skills:

The graduates must be able to:

B1– Differentiate between the essential facts, theories, concepts and principles of biology and related subjects of basic science.

B2-Assess qualitatively and quantitatively biological and relevant data.

B3- Select the subject-related knowledge to solve problems.

B4- Assess the interrelationships and impact of a specific organism on its ecosystem.

B5-Construct several related and integrated information to confirm, make evidence and test hypotheses.

B6. Evaluate the ecosystem, its conservation, economics and sustainability.

B7.Interpret biological data for responding to a variety of information sources.

B8. Develop lines of argument and appropriate judgments in accordance with scientific theories and concepts.

B9. Postulate mechanisms and procedures to handle scientific problems.

B10. Select the proper mechanism for their data setting within a theoretical framework.

B11– Translate scientific theories and Islamic English texts.

B12.أن يكون الطالب قادرا على إستنباط الأدلة الشرعية

B13. Deduce forensic evidences

1. Practical and Professional Skills

The graduates must be able to:

C1- Apply appropriate laboratory techniques and tools for processing technical procedures considering scientific guidance for evaluating the outcomes in a scientific report.

C2– Use techniques and tools considering the scientific ethics.

C3-Solve problems using a range of formats and approaches.

C4- Apply the different methods used for preparing, processing, interpreting and presenting data for biological samples.

C5. Solve biological and botanical problems by variety of methods including computers and other new tools.

C6. Choose appropriate recent techniques for collecting, presenting, analyzing and interpreting biological data.

C7. Apply recent and advanced techniques.

C8. Select a representative sample considering its validity, accuracy and reliability during collection.

C9. Process technical procedures considering scientific guidance for evaluating the outcomes in a scientific report.

C10. Evaluate the different methods used in exploring, studying and understanding plant kingdom.

C11. Collect information to make research, presenting it orally or in written form.

C12. تطبيق الفهم الفكري للمفاهيم والمباديء والأخلاقيات الإسلامية في ظل وسطية وسماحة الدين الإسلامي

1. General and Transferable Skills

 The graduates must be able to:

D1-Use information and communication technology effectively.

D2-Identify  roles,  responsibilities   and their performing manner.

D3-Think independently, set tasks and solve problems on ethical scientific basis.

D4-Work in a group and communicate with others positively.

D5-Consider community linked problems, Islamic morals, ethics and traditions.

D6-Acquire self- and long life-learning.

D7-Use effectively scientific models, systems and tools.

D8-Deal with scientific patents considering property right.

D9– Exhibit the sense of beauty and neatness.

D10. Acquire traditional  studies of whole – plant biology with a consideration of recent advances at the biochemical, ultra-structural and molecular levels.

D11.  Acquire the ability for plant identification, vegetation  analysis and physiochemical analysis of plant materials.