Monash University Handbook 2010 Undergraduate - Area of Study

Biotechnology (SCI)

NOTE: This area of study has been updated - please refer to the Undergraduate handbook change register for details.

All areas of study information should be read in conjunction with the relevant course entry in the Handbook. The units listed for this area of study relate only to the 'Requirements' outlined in the Faculty of Science component of any bachelors double degrees.

Managing faculty	Faculty of Science
Offered by	School of Biological Sciences
Campus(es)	Clayton
Course coordinator	Dr Alan Neale (School of Biological Sciences)

Description

Biotechnology is an exciting area in modern science that has great potential in the industrial, medical and agricultural sectors. Biotechnology includes practical applications of knowledge involving many biological processes and its strength at Monash is that it draws on advances in molecular biology, genetics, biochemistry, microbiology, chemical science/engineering, cell biology, immunology, pharmacology and other disciplines. A major in biotechnology reflecting all facets of this area includes units from various disciplines across faculties, departments and schools. Students achieve background for this discipline by completing the level one and two units listed in the 'Sequences' below.

Alternatively, this major can be taken as the undergraduate course 3501 Diploma in Biotechnology (Research and Management), effectively giving the graduate a third science major. This undergraduate diploma is studied by overloading concurrently with a degree course .

Units

Level three

BIO3610 Plant and cellular biotechnology
BTH2732 Recombinant DNA technology
BTH2741 Biochemistry
BTH3711 Food and industrial microbiology
BTH3722 Medical microbiology
BTH3732 Environmental microbiology
BTH3741 Medical aspects of cell biology
BTH3752 Molecular biology and biotechnology
BTH3820 Plant biotechnology
BTH3990 Biotechnology in action research project

Sequence requirements

Major sequence in biotechnology (48 points)

BIO1011 or BIO1722, and CHM1022
MOL2011 and MOL2022, or BTH2741 and BTH2732
one of SCI3090, SCI3094, or SCI3716
three of CHE3171, BCH3031, BCH3990, BIO3610, BTH3711, BTH3722, BTH3732, BTH3741, BTH3752, BTH3820, CHM3930, CHM3941, CHM3990, GEN3040, GEN3051, GEN3990, IMM3031, IMM3051, MIC3011, MIC3041, MIC3990, or BTH3990

In addition to these requirements, students completing a major sequence in biotechnology may need to complete additional prerequisite units at levels one and two. Students should check the individual unit entries for the level two and three units in the Handbook when planning their selection of units.

Recommendations

Level three

It is highly recommended that students undertake one of BCH3990, CHM3990, GEN3990, MIC3990 or BTH3990 to provide practical experience working in a research environment.