biochemistry/index

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Students who commenced study in 2016 should refer to this area of study entry for direction on the requirments; to check which units are currently available for enrolment, refer to the unit indexes in the the current edition of the Handbook. If you have any queries contact the managing faculty for your area of study.

Monash University

Commencement year

This area of study entry applies to students commencing this course in 2016 and should be read in conjunction with the relevant course entry in the Handbook.

Any units listed for this area of study relate only to the 'Requirements' outlined in the Faculty of Science component of any bachelors double degrees.

Unit codes that are not linked to their entry in the Handbook are not available for study in the current year.

Managing faculty

Faculty of Science

Offered by

School of Science

Coordinator

Dr Caroline Speed (Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences)

Websites

Faculty of Science

School of Science

Location

Clayton

Biochemistry explores the chemical components, reactions, structures and processes that form the foundation for all living matter in order to understand the molecular events that underlie biological processes. These are important in human, animal and plant biology, medicine, agriculture, forensic science and biotechnology. Biochemistry draws on biology, chemistry and physics, providing a key interface between these fields and opens up our understanding of the causes of disease and provides the basis of the development of effective treatments. It interfaces with chemistry, cell biology, biotechnology, bioinformatics and mathematical modelling and has many applications in leading edge research and technology.

The Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology has been ranked as the premier department in its discipline since the inception of Australian Research Council benchmarking of Australian departments in 1998. Our researchers have made strong contributions to the fields of structural biology, molecular cell biology, infection and immunity, cancer biology and metabolic diseases, among others. Student experiences, while undertaking Biochemistry at Monash, reflect that they are taught by leading researchers and educators, and receive up-to-date expertise enabling them to have the knowledge and skills for further study, research training and productive employment.

Biochemists find employment in many areas including national and international university or research institute laboratories, hospitals and diagnostic laboratories and the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and food manufacturing industries, as well as media communications and publishing, and government departments and agencies.

Availability

Biochemistry is listed in S2000 Bachelor of Science, S3001 Bachelor of Science Advanced - Global Challenges (Honours) and S3002 Bachelor of Science Advanced - Research (Honours) at Clayton as a major, extended major or minor.

The biochemistry minor, major and extended major are not available in the double degree course S2007 Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Biomedical Science.

Outcomes

In addition to achieving the broad outcomes of their course, students successfully completing this major and extended major will be able to:

  • demonstrate broad knowledge of the biomolecules, machinery and information flow within living cells, and an appreciation of how these underpin all biological processes, in both normal and diseased states
  • demonstrate knowledge in specialist areas of biochemistry including: metabolic regulation, proteins and structural biology, bioinformatics, advanced molecular biology, signal transduction, cell organisation and the roles of organelles, and demonstrate the role of biochemistry in health and diseases such as cancer
  • demonstrate proficient technical skills in core biochemical laboratory techniques, and explain and interpret the principles and applications of these methods within the molecular biosciences and associated professional and social responsibilities.

Units

Minor requirements (24 points)

12 points at level 1 and 12 points at level 2.

Students complete:

(a.) Two level 1 units (12 points) from:

(b.) The following two units (12 points):

  • BCH2011 Structure and function of cellular biomolecules
  • BCH2022 Metabolic basis of human diseases

Major requirements (48 points)

12 points at each of level 1 and level 2, and 24 points at level 3.

Students complete:

(a.) Two level 1 units (12 points) from:

(b.) Two level 2 units (12 points) from:

  • BCH2011 Structure and function of cellular biomolecules
  • BCH2022 Metabolic basis of human diseases*
  • MCB2011 Molecular biology of the cell**
  • MCB2022 The dynamic cell

*Requires BCH2011

** Requires BIO1011 and BIO1022

(c.) Four level 3 units (24 points) from:

  • BCH3021 Cell organisation: organelle structure and function in health and disease
  • BCH3031 Functional genomics and molecular medicine
  • BCH3042 Cell signal transduction: role in cancer and human disease
  • BCH3052 Protein biology: from sequence to structure and disease
  • BCH3990 Action in biochemistry research project

Extended major requirements (72 points)

12 points at level 1 may be credited to the extended major and at least 24 points must be at level 3.

Students complete:

(a.) The following six units (36 points):

(b.) Four level 3 units (24 points) from:

  • BCH3021 Cell organisation: Organelle structure and function in health and disease
  • BCH3031 Advanced molecular biology: Modern concepts and applications
  • BCH3042 Cell signal transduction: Role in cancer and human disease
  • BCH3052 Protein biology: From sequence to structure and disease
  • BCH3990 Action in biochemistry research project

(c.) Two additional level 3 units (12 points) chosen from:

  • GEN3040 Genomics and its applications
  • GEN3051 Medical and forensic genetics
  • MIC3011 Molecular microbiology
  • MIC3022 Molecular virology and viral pathogenesis
  • the remaining BCH-coded level 3 units from those listed in (b.) above

Requirements for progressing to honours

24 points of relevant level 3 units, of which normally 18 points are biochemistry or developmental biology, human pathology, immunology, microbiology, pharmacology and physiology units.

Refer to S3701 Bachelor of Science (Honours) for full details.

Relevant courses

Bachelors

Single degrees

Successful completion of this area of study can be counted towards meeting the requirements for the following single degrees:*

  • S2000 Bachelor of Science
  • S3001 Bachelor of Science Advanced - Global Challenges (Honours)
  • S3002 Bachelor of Science Advanced - Research (Honours)

Students in other single bachelor's degrees may be eligible to complete the minor or major by using 24 or 48 points of their free electives.

Double degrees

Successful completion of this area of study can be counted towards meeting the requirements for the Bachelor of Science component in the following double degrees:*

  • B2023 Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Science
  • B2016 Bachelor of Commerce Specialist and Bachelor of Science
  • D3005 Bachelor of Education (Honours) and Bachelor of Science
  • E3007 Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) and Bachelor of Science
  • C2003 Bachelor of Information Technology and Bachelor of Science
  • L3007 Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and Bachelor of Science
  • S2006 Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts
  • S2004 Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Computer Science
  • S2003 Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Global Studies
  • S2005 Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Music

* Students cannot complete a minor, major or extended major in the same area of study.