Monash University: University Handbooks: Undergraduate handbook 2004: Units indexed by faculty
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Undergraduate handbook 2004
Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences

Bachelor of Biomedical Science

Course abbreviation: BBiomedSc + Course code: 2230 + Clayton on-campus study only

Student outcomes

The Bachelor of Biomedical Science degree will be characterised by providing:

Admission and selection

Quota

In 2004, it is expected that the first-year intake into the course will be approximately 120 students. In addition to these places, the faculty will offer a number of first-year places to suitably qualified local and international students on a full-fee-paying basis.

VCE prerequisites

The prerequisites for entry into the Bachelor of Biomedical Science are:

Application procedures

To be eligible for selection to the course, applicants must apply through the Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC). See http://www.vtac.edu.au.

Monash internal transfers

Current Monash University students applying for a transfer to the Monash Bachelor of Biomedical Science course must complete the Monash Bachelor of Biomedical Science internal transfer application form. This form is available from the School of Biomedical Sciences office. The form is to be returned by Friday, 5 December 2003 to the School of Biomedical Science office. A VTAC application is not necessary.

Applications from non-school-leavers

Applicants presenting with either a TAFE diploma, partially complete or completed tertiary qualifications will be considered for entry to the Bachelor of Biomedical Science course. In considering such applications, the selection committee will take account of an applicant's entire academic record with emphasis on most recent results.
Applicants who wish to apply for advanced standing (credit for previous or tertiary studies) can do so once they have been offered a place in the course. Applicants must clearly demonstrate to the selection committee that the content of their previous studies is at least equivalent to the Monash Bachelor of Biomedical Science course components for which they are seeking exemption. These studies may also be considered for their equivalence for elective studies in the course.

Admission to first year with equivalent qualifications

Students who have not achieved their entrance qualifications in Victoria must hold qualifications which, in the faculty's opinion, are equivalent to those held by local candidates. The qualifications must include the same prerequisite units as those for local candidates outlined above. Such applicants must demonstrate at least the same level of academic merit as that which is required for local applicants.

Selection procedure

For VCE applicants, selection will be made on the basis of the ENTER and will involve a two-stage process with a middle band of approximately 20 per cent. Applicants should consult the latest VTAC guide for further details.

International students

Places are available in the first year of the Bachelor of Biomedical Science course for international students.
Selection of international students is determined on the basis of each applicant's academic qualifications.
Prospective applicants should be aware that the fee charged for the course will be set annually. For further information, visit the Monash international website at http://www.monash.edu.au/international.

Course structure

The course is designed as a series of interlinked and consecutive sequences of units. This allows students to readily acquire fluency and proficiency in the concepts, language and fundamentals of the biomedical sciences. The distinctive feature of this educational approach is that students are allowed some flexibility in their choice of units so that they are able to construct a sequence of studies suitable to their own requirements and career aspirations.

Core units and electives

All students in the Bachelor of Biomedical Science course will complete a program which is a combination of core and elective units. Every semester, students will receive more detailed information about all core and elective units from unit convenors and individual unit manuals. These manuals contain detailed information on teaching staff, contact persons, timetables, textbooks, reading guides, supplementary lecture material, details and weighting of assessment methods and procedures including some specific assessment dates. Manuals are available at the commencement of each semester.

General considerations

The undergraduate course is normally taken in three years of full-time study.

Units for the BBiomedSc

First year
First semester
Second semester
Second year
First semester
Second semester
Third year
First semester
Second semester
Elective units

The following faculties offer units suitable as electives in various years of the program.

Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences

Students may choose from elective units from the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences in all three years of the degree. Units developed for the Bachelor of Science will be available as electives within the Bachelor of Biomedical Science, provided they do not overlap with core units. Some of the units offered in the Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics and in the Bachelor of Behavioural Neuroscience are available as electives to students undertaking the Bachelor of Biomedical Science, provided they do not overlap with core units.

First-year electives

The Department of Psychological Medicine has developed a unit, BME1130 (The human being in health and illness). The Department of Physiology, together with the Faculty of Arts, has developed a pair of first-year elective units, BME1111 (Science, culture, and the concept of race: human origins and development) and BME1120 (Human affairs: health, environment and sexual difference). Nutrition and Dietetics offers two first-year elective units, BND1011 (Social nutrition) and BND1022 (Food chemistry).

Third-year electives

The Department of Microbiology and the Department of Pathology and Immunology are offering BME3011 (Infection and immunity).

Faculty of Arts
First-year electives

In principle, all first-year Faculty of Arts units are available as electives for the Bachelor of Biomedical Science degree, subject to their availability, timetable considerations and the rules and regulations of the Faculty of Arts. These include several language units and units from philosophy, geography, sociology, history and politics. Several of these are also available by off-campus and flexible modes. For full details of units and discipline areas, consult the Arts section of this handbook.

Second and third-year electives

The Faculty of Arts has several possible elective units at later year levels, which includes languages, philosophy and geography. For full details of units and disciplines areas, consult the Arts section of this handbook.

Faculty of Business and Economics
First-year electives

Students may choose up to two electives from the discipline areas accounting and finance, business law and taxation, economics, econometrics and business statistics, management, and marketing. For full details of units and discipline areas, consult the Business and Economics section of this handbook.

Second and third-year electives

Students may choose up to two second-year and four third-year electives from all discipline areas in the faculty, provided unit prerequisites are met. For full details of units and discipline areas, consult the Business and Economics section of this handbook.

Faculty of Engineering

Students may choose units offered by the Faculty of Engineering. For full details of units and discipline areas, consult the Faculty of Engineering section of this handbook.

Faculty of Law

The Faculty of Law has agreed to make available a small number of places in certain units to suitably qualified students. Students wishing to be considered for these units need to consult with the Faculty of Law.

Faculty of Information Technology

The Faculty of Information Technology is reviewing the development of elective units for the second and third year of the degree.

Faculty of Science

Students may choose from several units offered by departments from the Faculty of Science. The Department of Mathematics in first year and the Department of Biological Sciences in second and third year are offering several elective units. Students need to be aware that some of the science units may overlap with those of the biomedical sciences (core BMS units) and to refer to the unit outlines and the prohibitions.

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