- 2017

Undergraduate

Minor / Major

Commencement year

This area of study entry applies to students commencing this course in 2017 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 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 Biological Sciences

Coordinator(s)

Professor John Beardall (School of Biological Sciences)

Location

Clayton

Plant science is the study of plants, their diversity and structure, and how they function. It involves studying plants living on land, in the sea and in freshwater environments, from the scale of genes and molecules to ecology. Plants are a diverse set of organisms that are able to live autotrophically, harvesting light and using its energy to fix carbon and manufacture complex organic molecules. In plant science we study the great diversity of plant groups, from algae and mosses through to gymnosperms and angiosperms; we investigate how plants function, for example, how they obtain water and nutrients and how they use energy from sunlight to produce carbohydrates by photosynthesis. We also study how plants are adapted to particular environments, and the factors that influence the distribution and diversity of plant species and the plant communities in which they grow. These factors are particularly important in understanding the impact of human activities, including global climate change, on plant communities so that we can provide better management into the future.

Studying plant science begins with study of general biology in first year, in which the basics of plant chemistry, genetics, structure, function, evolution and ecology are covered. In second year, studies focus on the different types of plants, their key features and evolutionary development, and on the structure and development of plants and how these are integrated with plant function. These studies continue at third year, with units focusing on the biology and ecology of terrestrial and aquatic plants and plant communities in their natural environment. Additional units can be included that expand on some aspects of research methods, ecological management, and the biology and ecology of aquatic organisms. Students may also include units that focus more on genetic control of development and function, or on plant biotechnology.

Careers available to students that study plant sciences include environmental management and consulting, biotechnology, a range of careers in government departments (e.g. related to environmental issues, park management, primary industry and sustainability), crop science, research and teaching.

Availability

Plant sciences 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 or minor.

Outcomes

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

  • demonstrate an understanding of the methods used in plant sciences and explain how scientific knowledge is contestable and testable by further enquiry and recognise the importance of biodiversity for sustaining life on our planet
  • exhibit a breadth of knowledge about plant diversity and the evolution and ecology of the major plant groups, including the development, morphology and physiology of plants and how these are integrated with plant function
  • gather, synthesize and critically evaluate information relevant to the plant sciences by applying practical and/or theoretical techniques and tools to conduct an investigation within the lab, field or virtual environment.

Units

Minor requirements (24 points)

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

Students complete:

  1. One of the following level 1 science sequences (12 points):
  2. The following two units (12 points):

Major requirements (48 points)

12 points at level 1 and at least 18 points at level 3.

Students complete:

  1. One of the following level 1 science sequences (12 points):
  2. The following four units (24 points):

    * This unit requires additional prerequisites.

  3. Two of the following units (12 points):
    • BIO2011 Ecology and biodiversity
    • BIO3011 Research methods in biology***
    • BIO3021 Marine biology***
    • BIO3070 Trends in ecology***
    • BIO3820 Tropical terrestrial biology**
    • BIO3990 Biology in action research project or GEN3990 Genetics in action research project***
    • GEN3030 Molecular, cellular and developmental genetics***
    • GEN3040 Genomics and its applications***
    • GEN3062 Evolutionary and ecological genetics***

    ** This unit has a quota.

    *** These units require additional prerequisites.

Requirements for progressing to honours

Successful competion of 24 points of relevant level 3 units, including BIO3091 (Ecology of Australian vegetation) and BIO3082 (Global change biology) and two further level 3 units from the list above.

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
  • S2007 Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Biomedical Science
  • 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.