- 2018

Undergraduate

Major

Commencement year

This area of study entry applies to students commencing this course in 2018 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

Central Clinical School

Coordinator(s)

Dr Simon Royce

Location

Clayton

Human pathology is the study of disease processes, particularly cell death, inflammation, disorders of immunity and neoplasia. This discipline delves into how the body's response to disruption of normal tissue structure and function by injurious agents occurs. A comprehensive understanding of cell injury, inflammation, wound healing, fluid and vascular disorders, growth disorders, and immunopathology are fundamental to all clinical and research disciplines. This knowledge is then utilised to define how organ systems fail during disease and injury, critical for diagnosis, prognosis and therapeutic intervention. Human pathology draws upon key disciplines such as biochemistry, microbiology, immunology and developmental biology and involves the development of skills commonly used in the laboratory such as microscopy, histological staining techniques, diagnosis and problem solving.

Students majoring in human pathology at Monash University will be exposed to the study of disease mechanisms from a clinical and research perspective. Research has always been the foundation of pathology since understanding disease mechanisms provides us with answers of how to test for a disease in the clinic or laboratory, as well as how we can prevent and treat a specific disease. Monash University has world renowned research in specific disciplines of pathology such as the Australian Centre for Blood Diseases (ACB(D.) at the Alfred Monash Research and Education Precinct (AMREP), the various departments at the clinical schools, as well as its partner institutes the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute and the Burnet Institute. Students will receive lectures from researchers and clinician-scientists working at the clinical school sites (including its partner institutes) who are at the forefront of translational medicine.

The study of human pathology is fundamental for medical research or clinical and laboratory medicine. Graduates with a major in human pathology may gain employment in biomedical research, diagnostic laboratories in hospitals or private pathologies. Other career paths may include the biopharmaceutical industry, clinical trials, commercial and patent law, research and development, or health administration.

Availability

Human pathology 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.

The human pathology major is 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 will be able to:

  • apply terminologies applicable to pathology and describe the courses and natural progress of human disease.
  • outline the current research in disease-specific disciplines and what is currently known about treatment options for various human diseases.

Units

Major requirements (48 points)

12 points at level 1, and 18 points at each of level 2 and level 3.

Students complete:

  1. The following seven units (42 points):
    • BIO1011 Biology 1
    • BIO1022 Biology 2
    • MCB2011 Molecular biology and the cell
    • IMM2011 Basic immunology: The body's defence system
    • IMM2022 Immunology in health and disease
    • HUP3011 Human pathology 1: Understanding disease processes
    • HUP3022 Human pathology 2: Pathology of human diseases
  2. One unit (6 points) chosen from:
    • HUP3990 Human pathology in action research project
    • IMM3042 Clinical immunopathology

Requirements for progressing to honours and other further studies

Students must meet the entry requirements for S3701 Bachelor of Science (Honours) or meet the progression requirements to the fourth year of S3002 Bachelor of Science Advanced - Research (Honours).

Students must also complete prerequisite study as per the intended discipline. Refer to the honours prerequisites table.

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 major by using 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