SCS2159 - OnLine Physiology Course
2159 - Basic Human Physiology
About the Course (SCS2159)
Course Name: SCS 2159 Basic Human Physiology
Course Dates: Please see "Schedule of Dates"
Method of Instruction: Online
Departments: Department of Physiology and School of Continuing Studies
Prerequisites: Although there are no prerequisites for this course, it is recommended that you have successfully completed a first-year university or college level general biology course.
Course Description: The content of the course is equivalent to the University of Toronto courses (PSL200 and PSL201; exclusion). This is a survey course designed to provide a general coverage of all major areas of human physiology. This course is taught by the Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, and administered through the School of Continuing Studies, University of Toronto. It is intended for any students who require a credit-equivalent course in Human Physiology as a prerequisite for entrance into Health Science professional programs (including medicine, nursing, dentistry, speech and language pathology, occupational and physical therapy, etc...our online physiology course also counts as one of the two life sciences pre-requisites for admission into Medicine at UofT) and Individuals who simply have an interest in understanding how the body works will also benefit from the course as it provides a working knowledge of various systems in the human body. At the completion of the course, students receive an official Grade Report from the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies. Before registering, students should inquire of the institution to which they are applying whether this credit-equivalent course meets the prerequisites of their intended degree program. This course cannot be applied towards any university’s undergraduate bachelor degree, or any degree at the University of Toronto.
Course Overview: This physiology course will introduce the function of the human body according to physiological systems.
- Homeostasis
- Cell Membrane
- Nervous System
- Endocrine System
- Cardiovascular System
- Blood
- Immunity
- Respiratory System
- Renal System
- Digestive System
- Integrative Physiology
Course Components: This course is comprised of two components:
- The lecture component comprising 51 illustrated video lectures.
- (*Optional) The active learning (AL) component. AL complements the lectures and includes computer simulation activities in the PhysioEx, which correspond to the lectures materials.

Course Format:
- Illustrated lectures will be given in 3-4 lecture hours per week. The online lectures will be available on a weekly basis and will not repeat.
- (*Optional) In the AL component, you will work at your own pace to complete 11 computer simulations from PhysioEx.
Course Evaluation: Student Assessment has three (3) components:
- Four to Five (4 to 5) web-based quizzes contribute towards the term mark. It is your responsibility to arrange your schedule to write the quizzes. You MUST access the quiz from a reliable (preferably wired) access point.
- The WRITTEN final examination will cover all lecture material presented in the course and all PhysioEx exercises are included in the final examination.
- Participation marks are assigned for regular and constructive contributions to online discussions.
Textbook:
- Principles of Human Physiology.Germann and Stanfield, Benjamin Cummings
- PhysioEx, Laboratory Simulations in Physiology
The books are available through the University of Toronto Bookstore and can be purchased as a bundle. They are the same books used for Physiology 200/201 and can be puchased online through the U of T bookstore at http://www.uoftbookstore.com.
*Students need access to a reliable high-speed internet connection, for the entire duration of the course. The University's copyright restrictions do not allow the online lectures to be distributed on recordable media like DVDs. On Macintosh computers, the video clips work best with the latest browsers.