Handbook

Required reading

General information

Undergraduate

Postgraduate

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Organisation of the faculty

School of Life Sciences

Department of Agricultural Sciences

The Department offers subjects leading to the Bachelor of Agricultural Science, Bachelor of Agricultural Science/Bachelor of Business, Bachelor of Animal and Veterinary Biosciences, and the Bachelor of Agricultural Science/Bachelor of International Development degrees. Subjects offered provide a broad understanding of soils, plants, animals and business and how they interact and interrelate. Students’ work placements and research projects provide real world experience. Students enrolled in other courses may undertake subjects offered by the Department.

The Department works closely with the Department of Primary Industry and other industry partners to provide work ready graduates and research opportunities. It has a 13-hectare agricultural reserve on the Melbourne (Bundoora) Campus, which is used for fieldwork and allows hands-on exposure to the applied aspects of crop and animal husbandry. The Department provides quality teaching and research and its degrees are recognised as among the best in Australia.

Department of Botany

The Department contributes extensively to first year subjects in biology and offers subjects in botany, plant ecology, and plant biotechnology leading to pass and Honours degrees. At third year level, students have the option of pursuing specialisation at the molecular, whole plant or community level. Postgraduate training is available in a wide range of fields in the plant sciences.

Students can study botany in conjunction with a variety of the other science subjects, either in the general Bachelor of Science or in the Bachelor of Biological Sciences, or as part of more specialised courses, such as Bachelor of Biotechnology and Cell Biology or Bachelor of Conservation Biology and Ecology.

Department of Environmental Management and Ecology

The core programs of the Department are:

• The Bachelor of Science in Environmental Management and Ecology (three years plus one further year if Honours is undertaken), and
• One year of the Bachelor of Biological Science (for which students must transfer to the Melbourne (Bundoora) Campus to complete the second and third years).

First year studies are also offered in:

• Bachelor of Science
• Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Science Education.

Within the postgraduate area, the Department offers:

• Postgraduate Diploma in Science.

And research leading to:

• Master of Science
• Doctor of Philosophy.

Department of Microbiology

The Department offers subjects at first, second and third year levels leading to a Bachelor of Science and at the fourth year level, leading to a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Microbiology. Postgraduate training leading to Masters and Doctoral degrees is also available. The microbiology subjects are intended to provide a basic education and training in fundamental aspects of general microbiology and the necessary practical skills required for careers in such fields as research, industry, and teaching.

Department of Zoology

Zoology is the study of animals in all of their many facets. It includes the study of individual animals and populations of animals, their relationships with one another, with plants and with their physical environment. It encompasses many recognised sub-disciplines that fall broadly into two divisions: ecological zoology and physiological zoology. The Department offers subjects, which cover many sub-disciplines, which reflect the research interests of the staff, including conservation biology, cell, general and comparative physiology, evolution, behavioural ecology, freshwater ecology, entomology, ornithology, and herpetology.