Foundation Year

If you enrol in one of the following programs then you will be part of the Griffith Health Foundation Year, a suite of eight common first year courses developed around the shared knowledge that underpins all of these undergraduate programs.

Programs

Physiotherapy and Exercise Science

School of Medical Science

School of Dentistry and Oral Health

School of Pharmacy

Courses

Year Sem Catalog Nbr Course
1 I 1013ENV Chemistry in Biological Systems I
1 I 1005MSC Cell Biology
1 I 1014MSC Cells, Tissues and Regulation
1 I 1006PSY Psychology for the Health Sciences
1 II 1015MSC Chemistry in Biological Systems II
1 II 1016MSC Anatomy and Physiology Systems I
1 II 1017MSC Anatomy and Physiology Systems II
1 II 1002PES Biophysics and Quantitative Biology

What will this mean for you as a student?

Common Courses Depending on your program, you will complete either seven or eight courses in the Foundation Year. What you will be developing through these courses is a sound knowledge of chemistry, cell biology, anatomy, physiology, elements of data analysis and biophysics, and introductory knowledge on psychology for the Health Sciences.
Lectures and Labs What this will mean for your learning is that you will be attending lectures and labs not just with your program peers but with students from across this whole range of programs. This gives you the opportunity to get to know students who will be moving into professions other than your own. Being in the same lab group, with the same lab co-ordinator for the whole of semester one will give you further opportunity to develop close working relationships with peers from a range of disciplinary areas.

Peer interaction and support can contribute a great deal not only to your learning but to your overall experience of university life and who knows - the people you meet in your first semester may very well end up colleagues in an inter-disciplinary health team in your future career.
Learning support To support your learning the Foundation Year features the following:
  • an interactive web site, containing a range of course material (including lecture slides and lab notes), information on assessment, resources and contacts, and tips for success;
  • a text book package which you will be strongly advised to purchase;
  • a University Basics program, a series of workshops held in the first five weeks of semester to help you develop skills necessary for academic and career success;
  • regular drop-in tutorials, in some courses, for open discussion on course content;
  • a dedicated team of academic and support staff committed to your learning.

First Year Advisors

An important member of this team is the First Year Advisor, a very approachable person who welcomes your visits and/or enquiries. Your advisor will listen to any of your concerns and provide contact direction and/or advice in response to your questions (e.g. course enquiries, learning difficulties, personal problems, career advice). You will be invited, and encouraged, to drop by and chat with your advisor about how your studies are going.

School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science
Dr Ricardo Simeoni r.simeoni@griffith.edu.au
School of Medical Science
Helen Naug h.naug@griffith.edu.au
School of Dentistry and Oral Health
Leonie Short l.short@griffith.edu.au
School of Pharmacy
Heidi Mahon h.mahon@griffith.edu.au

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