Faculty of Science
  • Students are to follow the requirements of the Handbook for the year they commenced the course.

    However, the subject links below do not contain the subject information for the current year. You can view current subject information through the new Course Handbook.

Bachelor of Science (Biological Sciences)

The aim of the course offered by the School of Biological Sciences is to provide students, regardless of previous background, with a basic understanding of the major principles, concepts and technologies of modern Biology. A major in Biological Sciences can be taken in the fields of biochemistry, molecular biology, cell biology, immunology, comparative physiology, terrestrial ecology, marine biology, evolutionary biology and environmental biology.

First year (BIOL103, BIOL104 and BIOL105) is a general, self-contained introduction to Biology as well as essential background for future years. Students wishing to major in Biological Sciences must also take both first year Chemistry subjects (CHEM101 and CHEM102). Students are required to take four 200-level Biological Sciences subjects selected from the seven available.

Note prerequisites for third year subjects when selecting the combination of second year subjects.

Students proceeding to a Biological Sciences major are strongly encouraged to take more than the minimum array of Biological Sciences subjects, especially at second year.

Course Program

Subjects

Session

Credit Points

100-Level

SCIE000

Science Risk Management

Autumn

0

BIOL104

Evolution, Biodiversity and Environment

Autumn

6

BIOL105

Functional Biology of Animals and Plants

Autumn

6

CHEM101

Chemistry 1A: Introductory Physical and General Chemistry

Autumn

6

BIOL103

Molecules, Cells and Organisms

Spring

6

CHEM102

Chemistry 1B: Structure and Reactivity of Molecules for Life

Spring

6

Total for major at 100-level

30

MATH151

General Mathematics 1A (if required)*

Autumn

6

* Students should consider enrolling in STAT252 in Spring Session of First Year if MATH151 is not required.

Note: Students wishing to take MARE200 should note that either EESC102: Earth Environments and Resources OR EESC103: Landscape Change and Climatology is required as a prerequisite in addition to BIOL104 and CHEM102.

200-Level

24 credit points from the following Biological Sciences subjects plus Statistics

Note: When selecting 200-level subjects students should note the pre-requisites required for the 300-level subjects they wish to take.

BIOL213

Principles of Biochemistry

Autumn

6

BIOL240

Biodiversity of Marine and Freshwater Organisms

Autumn

6

BIOL251

Principles of Ecology

Autumn

6

MARE200

Introduction to Oceanography

Autumn

6

BIOL214

The Biochemistry of Energy and Metabolism

Spring

6

BIOL215

Introductory Genetics

Spring

6

BIOL241

Biodiversity of Terrestrial Organisms

Spring

6

BIOL252

Evolution and Behaviour

Spring

6

STAT252

Statistics for Natural Sciences*

Spring

6

* If not completed in First Year

Total for major at 200-level

30

300-Level

All students majoring in Biological Sciences must take at least three 300-level subjects from the following lists. Recommended subject combinations are as follows:

Option 1: Choose any three subjects from the following five subjects:

BIOL303

Biotechnology: Applied Cell and Molecular Biology

Autumn

8

BIOL320

Molecular Cell Biology

Autumn

8

BIOL332

Ecological and Evolutionary Physiology

Autumn

8

BIOL321

Infection and Immunity

Spring

8

CHEM320

Bioinformatics: From Genome to Structure

Spring

8

Option 2: Choose any three subjects from the following four subjects:

BIOL332

Ecological and Evolutionary Physiology

Autumn

8

BIOL351

Conservation Biology: Marine and Terrestrial Populations

Autumn

8

BIOL355

Marine and Terrestrial Ecology

Spring

8

MARE300

Fisheries and Aquaculture

Spring

8

Students interested in including subjects outside of these combinations should discuss their choices with an Academic Advisor.

Total for major at 300-level

24

Sub-total for major

84

Plus additional subjects chosen from the Science Schedule

6

Total for major

90

Plus elective subjects chosen from the Science or General Schedules

54

Degree Total

144

Honours

See separate entry for the Bachelor of Science Honours (741).

Other Information

A Mathematics or Statistics subject acceptable to the School of Biological Sciences may be substituted for STAT252.

Advanced Biology (BIOL392) is an 8 credit point project-based subject and Advanced Biology (BIOL391) is a 16 credit point project-based subject. These two subjects are available for high-achieving students wishing to complement their coursework with research projects. Entry into these subjects is by permission of the Coordinator and requires a distinction average or higher performance in subjects pertinent to the intended area of research, as approved by the Head of School.

The Degree Coordinator is Professor Sharon Robinson - School of Biological Sciences, Room 15.G14, telephone +61 2 4221 5753, email: sharonr@uow.edu.au.