Domain - Microbiology

Domain - Microbiology

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Assessment Standards

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Level 4

Demonstrate knowledge of minimising contamination risk in a microbiological laboratory
This standard is expiring. The last date for assessment to take place is 31 December 2025.

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Version 6

12367 Unit Standard 3 Credits

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People credited with this unit standard are able to: describe the necessity for cleaning and sanitising a microbiological laboratory; explain the critical factors for cleaning and sanitising; and describe cleaning agents and sanitisers and their mode of action.

Standard-setting body:

NZQA National Qualifications Services

Carry out visualisation and measurement of microorganisms
This standard is expiring. The last date for assessment to take place is 31 December 2025.

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Version 7

8035 Unit Standard 4 Credits

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People credited with this unit standard are able to: describe the applications of microscope systems; mount and apply differential stains to a microbiological sample; and measure microorganisms using a light microscope.

Standard-setting body:

NZQA National Qualifications Services

Perform aseptic laboratory techniques
This standard is expiring. The last date for assessment to take place is 31 December 2025.

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Version 7

8040 Unit Standard 4 Credits

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People credited with this unit standard are able to: carry out manipulations without contamination; sterilise laboratory equipment; and prepare and dispense complex sterile media.

Standard-setting body:

NZQA National Qualifications Services

Level 5

Describe viral impact on host cells
This standard is expiring. The last date for assessment to take place is 31 December 2025.

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Version 6

12366 Unit Standard 5 Credits

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People credited with this unit standard are able to describe: a virus; the lytic bacteriophage and the lysogenic bacteriophage; and the impact of a plant and an animal virus on their hosts.

Standard-setting body:

NZQA National Qualifications Services

Demonstrate knowledge of bacterial genetics
This standard is expiring. The last date for assessment to take place is 31 December 2025.

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Version 6

12369 Unit Standard 6 Credits

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People credited with this unit standard are able to describe: the typical components of the bacterial genome; the functional components of a typical bacterial operon; the process of gene expression in bacteria; the control of bacterial gene expression; alterations to bacterial genes; and the processes of natural gene transfer between bacteria.

Standard-setting body:

NZQA National Qualifications Services

Culture microorganisms
This standard is expiring. The last date for assessment to take place is 31 December 2025.

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Version 4 This unit standard and unit standard 26110 replaced unit standard 8034.

26109 Unit Standard 4 Credits

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People credited with this unit standard are able to: describe growth requirements of microorganisms; grow microorganisms under optimal growing conditions; and maintain culture and stocks.

Standard-setting body:

NZQA National Qualifications Services

Control microbial growth
This standard is expiring. The last date for assessment to take place is 31 December 2025.

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Version 4 This unit standard and unit standard 26109 replaced unit standard 8034.

26110 Unit Standard 3 Credits

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People credited with this unit standard are able to: describe methods used to control microbial growth; apply methods to control microbial growth; describe the mode of action of antibiotics and factors that limit their effectiveness; and measure the effectiveness of an antibiotic.

Standard-setting body:

NZQA National Qualifications Services

Describe and explain the role and treatment of microorganisms in wastewater
This standard is expiring. The last date for assessment to take place is 31 December 2025.

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Version 4 This unit standard and unit standard 26112 replaced unit standard 8039.

26111 Unit Standard 3 Credits

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This unit standard is for people who may or intend to analyse water samples for quality using microbiological techniques in a laboratory. People credited with this unit standard are able to describe and explain: the dynamics of microorganism populations in water; the processes necessary to produce potable water; and treatment processes for water.

Standard-setting body:

NZQA National Qualifications Services

Demonstrate and apply knowledge of microorganism biochemical pathways
This standard is expiring. The last date for assessment to take place is 31 December 2025.

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Version 7

8023 Unit Standard 6 Credits

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People credited with this unit standard are able to: explain microbial adenosine triphosphate (ATP) producing biochemical pathways; and perform biochemical tests for identification of microorganisms.

Standard-setting body:

NZQA National Qualifications Services

Demonstrate knowledge of bacterial structure
This standard is expiring. The last date for assessment to take place is 31 December 2025.

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Version 7

8024 Unit Standard 3 Credits

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People credited with this unit standard are able to describe: the morphology and external structures of bacteria; the ultrastructure of bacteria; and the formation and function of bacterial endospores.

Standard-setting body:

NZQA National Qualifications Services

Describe soil microbiology
This standard is expiring. The last date for assessment to take place is 31 December 2025.

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Version 7

8028 Unit Standard 4 Credits

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People credited with this unit standard are able to describe: soil as a habitat for microorganisms; dynamics of microbial communities in the humification process; methods for measuring microbial activity and microbial biomass in soil; and to explain the role of microorganisms in cycling elements within the soil.

Standard-setting body:

NZQA National Qualifications Services

Culture and identify fungi to division level
This standard is expiring. The last date for assessment to take place is 31 December 2025.

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Version 7

8033 Unit Standard 3 Credits

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People credited with this unit standard are able to: culture fungi; and identify fungi to division level.

Standard-setting body:

NZQA National Qualifications Services

Describe and identify major groups of protozoa
This standard is expiring. The last date for assessment to take place is 31 December 2025.

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Version 7

8037 Unit Standard 2 Credits

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People credited with this unit standard are able to: describe the morphological and physiological characteristics of protozoa; describe the life cycle of a specific protozoan; and identify major groups of protozoa.

Standard-setting body:

NZQA National Qualifications Services

Perform viable microbiological counting methods
This standard is expiring. The last date for assessment to take place is 31 December 2025.

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Version 7

8038 Unit Standard 3 Credits

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People credited with this unit standard are able to: take samples for microbiological count; and perform viable microbiological counts.

Standard-setting body:

NZQA National Qualifications Services

Apply principles of bacterial identification
This standard is expiring. The last date for assessment to take place is 31 December 2025.

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Version 7

8042 Unit Standard 6 Credits

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People credited with this unit standard are able to: establish a pure culture from a mixed culture sample; perform identification processes; apply knowledge of Linnaean taxonomy to identify bacteria; perform identification processes to species level using a proprietary method; and discuss the use of alternative means of bacterial identification.

Standard-setting body:

NZQA National Qualifications Services

Level 6

Isolate a plant pathogen
This standard is expiring. The last date for assessment to take place is 31 December 2025.

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Version 6

12370 Unit Standard 4 Credits

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People credited with this unit standard are able to: identify infectious plant diseases by visualisation; isolate infectious agent; and confirm that the isolated agent causes the plant disease.

Standard-setting body:

NZQA National Qualifications Services

Demonstrate knowledge of the microbiology of air
This standard is expiring. The last date for assessment to take place is 31 December 2025.

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Version 6

12460 Unit Standard 2 Credits

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People credited with this unit standard are able to: describe the microorganisms found in air, their origins, and mechanisms of dispersion; describe the significance of microorganisms in air quality; and demonstrate methods of sampling air for microorganisms.

Standard-setting body:

NZQA National Qualifications Services

Demonstrate microbiological analysis of water quality
This standard is expiring. The last date for assessment to take place is 31 December 2025.

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Version 4 This unit standard and unit standard 26111 replaced unit standard 8039.

26112 Unit Standard 4 Credits

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This unit standard is for people who analyse water samples for quality using microbiological techniques in a laboratory. People credited with this unit standard are able to: describe microorganisms'' significance to water quality; and perform test methods for microorganisms in a water sample and analyse the results.

Standard-setting body:

NZQA National Qualifications Services

Design and perform microbiological sampling for laboratory analysis
This standard is expiring. The last date for assessment to take place is 31 December 2025.

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Version 4

26113 Unit Standard 4 Credits

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People credited with this unit standard are able to: design a sampling plan; perform microbiological sampling and store samples; and select and perform a sub-sampling process to provide a laboratory sample for laboratory analysis.

Standard-setting body:

NZQA National Qualifications Services

Perform methods for animal tissue culture
This standard is expiring. The last date for assessment to take place is 31 December 2025.

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Version 5 This unit standard and unit standard 26115 replaced unit standard 8104.

26114 Unit Standard 5 Credits

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People credited with this unit standard are able to prepare medium and seed with animal tissue and incubate and maintain cultures.

Standard-setting body:

NZQA National Qualifications Services

Perform methods for plant tissue culture
This standard is expiring. The last date for assessment to take place is 31 December 2025.

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Version 5 This unit standard and unit standard 26114 replaced unit standard 8104.

26115 Unit Standard 3 Credits

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People credited with this unit standard are able to: prepare medium and inoculate with plant tissue material; and incubate and cultivate tissue culture.

Standard-setting body:

NZQA National Qualifications Services

Explain cultivation of microorganisms in bioreactor systems
This standard is expiring. The last date for assessment to take place is 31 December 2025.

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Version 4

26116 Unit Standard 4 Credits

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People credited with this unit standard are able to explain cultivation of microorganisms in bioreactor systems.

Standard-setting body:

NZQA National Qualifications Services

Demonstrate knowledge of microbial-animal interactions
This standard is expiring. The last date for assessment to take place is 31 December 2025.

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Version 7

8022 Unit Standard 6 Credits

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People credited with this unit standard are able to demonstrate knowledge of normal flora of animals and microbe-induced disease processes in animals; and discuss epidemiology.

Standard-setting body:

NZQA National Qualifications Services

Describe plant microbiology
This standard is expiring. The last date for assessment to take place is 31 December 2025.

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Version 7

8025 Unit Standard 3 Credits

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People credited with this unit standard are able to: describe beneficial and pathogenic interactions between microorganisms and plants; and control of infectious diseases of plants.

Standard-setting body:

NZQA National Qualifications Services

Describe biofilms, microbial biodeterioration, biodegradation, and bioremediation
This standard is expiring. The last date for assessment to take place is 31 December 2025.

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Version 7

8027 Unit Standard 4 Credits

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People credited with this unit standard are able to describe: biofilms; biodegradation; the biodeterioration of materials and methods of prevention; and the bioremediation of environmental contaminants.

Standard-setting body:

NZQA National Qualifications Services

Test food for spoilage organisms and pathogens
This standard is expiring. The last date for assessment to take place is 31 December 2025.

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Version 7

8030 Unit Standard 6 Credits

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People credited with this unit standard are able to: describe contamination of food by microorganisms; test for the presence of food spoiling and food poisoning microorganisms; and explain the role of coliforms in food and methods used to detect them.

Standard-setting body:

NZQA National Qualifications Services

Perform viral detection techniques
This standard is expiring. The last date for assessment to take place is 31 December 2025.

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Version 7

8032 Unit Standard 4 Credits

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People credited with this unit standard are able to: describe viral detection techniques; grow indicator cells for virus detection; and infect indicator cells with a virus and demonstrate a cytopathic effect.

Standard-setting body:

NZQA National Qualifications Services

Describe the role of microorganisms in industrial processes
This standard is expiring. The last date for assessment to take place is 31 December 2025.

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Version 7

8036 Unit Standard 4 Credits

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People credited with this unit standard are able to describe the role of microorganisms in industrial processes.

Standard-setting body:

NZQA National Qualifications Services

Data as at 12 October 2024