Bachelor of Bioscience
Course code/s: Albury-Wodonga (SBBIOW)
Enquiries: (02) 6024 9885 – Department of Environmental Management and Ecology
Fax: (02) 6024 9888
Email: deme.aw@latrobe.edu.au
Students enrolled at the Albury-Wodonga campus can complete the first year of all majors on that campus and then choose to transfer to the Melbourne campus for years 2 and 3 to complete their degree with a major in Biochemistry, Botany, Ecology, Genetics, Microbiology, Molecular Biology or Zoology, or remain at Albury-Wodonga to major in Freshwater Ecology.
This new three year degree is designed for students who want to pursue a career in biology. The Bachelor of Bioscience offers the flexibility of choice from a range of specialisations within the discipline of biology and prepares graduates to address some of today’s big issues such as protecting native forests and grasslands, discovering new medicinal cures or sustainable agricultural practises; or mapping the genome of endangered species.
The degree includes foundation studies in the first year to prepare you for study in biological science. It also introduces you to a wide range of discipline areas in biology. In years two and three you will specialise in your area of interest, allowing you to graduate with up to two majors. You can choose from specialised or broad majors depending on your interests and the set of skills you want to develop for your career.
What skills will I develop?
As a bioscience student you will have the opportunity to attend a full range of practical classes to support lectures, and participate in a range of field trips. Students can study biological communities in the La Trobe Wildlife Sanctuary on-site at the University's Melbourne campus as well as field trips to locations across Victoria. Students can acquire field survey techniques including sampling in different habitats and identification of animal and plant species as well as practical and laboratory skills that prepare you to work in a laboratory science such as microbiology, cell and molecular biology, biotechnology or medical science.
Course structure
The course is of three years full-time or equivalent part-time duration and requires the completion of 360 credit points. The Bachelor of Bioscience is designed to be flexible, allowing you to specialise in several areas of biology, or combine your biology subjects with other science subjects. The Bachelor of Bioscience offers majors in discrete disciplines as well as broader multidisciplinary areas such as Ecology and Molecular Biology. Options include:
- Biochemistry
- Botany
- Ecology
- Genetics
- Microbiology
- Molecular biology
- Zoology
- Freshwater ecology
The Freshwater Ecology major is offered exclusively on the Albury-Wodonga campus (to capitalise on the close association with the Murray-Darling Freshwater Research Centre, a CSIRO-La Trobe University collaborative venture). Students enrolled at the Melbourne campus can complete a Freshwater Ecology major by transferring to Albury-Wodonga for years 2 and 3. Students enrolled at the Albury-Wodonga campus can complete the first year of all majors on that campus and then choose to transfer to the Melbourne campus for years 2 and 3 to complete their degree with a major in Biochemistry, Botany, Ecology, Genetics, Microbiology, Molecular Biology or Zoology, or remain at Albury-Wodonga to major in Freshwater Ecology.
First year (120 credit points)
| Teaching period | Subject name | Subject code | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| TE-SEM-1 | Animal Evolution and Diversity | BIO1AD | 15 |
| TE-SEM-1 | Chemistry Foundations | CHE1CHF | 15 |
| TE-SEM-1 | Organisation and Function of Cells and Organisms | BIO1OF | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Genetics, Human Biology and Evolution | BIO1GEN | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Plant Science | BIO1PS | 15 |
| TE-SEM-1 / TE-SEM-2 | Choose a first year level subject from the Faculty of Science, Technology and Engineering. Students must choose the appropriate electives to allow them to complete their desired major at second year level, see requirements for majors under programs of study below | 15 | |
| TE-SEM-1 / TE-SEM-2 | Choose two first year level subjects, preferably chosen from the list below. | 30 | |
| TE-SEM-1 | Processes that Shape the Earth | GEO1PRO | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Climate, Sustainability and Society | ENV1CSS | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Critical Thinking with Statistics | STA1CTS | 15 |
Students who successfully complete first year can either transfer to the Melbourne campus to complete second and third year or complete the Freshwater Ecology major at Albury-Wodonga.
Second year (120 credit points) – Freshwater Ecology Major only
| Teaching period | Subject name | Subject code | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| TE-SEM-1 | Freshwater Ecology | WEM2FRE | 15 |
| TE-SEM-1 | Principles of Ecology and Evolution | WEM2PEE | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Flora and Fauna of Australia | WEM2FFA | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Quantitative Research Methods | WEM2QRM | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Specific subjects from the Faculty of Business, Economics and Law | To be advised | 15 |
| TE-SEM-1 / TE-SEM-2 | Second Year Level electives | 30 | |
| Choose at least one of the following subjects: | |||
| TE-SEM-1 | Alpine Ecology | WEM2APL | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Arid Zone Ecology | WEM2ARZ | 15 |
Third year (120 credit points) – not offered until 2014 - Freshwater Ecology Major only
| Teaching period | Subject name | Subject code | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| TE-SEM-1 | Advanced Freshwater Ecology | WEM3AFE | 15 |
| TE-SEM-1 | Waste Water Management | To be advised | 15 |
| TE-SEM-1 | To be advised | To be advised | 15 |
| TE-SEM-1 | To be advised | To be advised | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Catchment Management | To be advised | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | To be advised | To be advised | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | To be advised | To be advised | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | To be advised | To be advised | 15 |
Recommended Third year level electives
| Teaching period | Subject name | Subject code | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| TE-SEM-1 | Topics in Zoology A | ZOO3TZA | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Topics in Zoology B | ZOO3TZB | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Work-placement | To be advised | 15 |
Programs of study
The Bachelor of Bioscience offers majors in discrete disciplines as well as broader multidisciplinary areas such as Ecology and Molecular Biology. Options include:
- Biochemistry
- Botany
- Ecology
- Genetics
- Microbiology
- Molecular biology
- Zoology
- Freshwater ecology * Only available to the Albury Wodonga campus. See handbook entry for Bachelor of Bioscience (course code: Albury-Wodonga SBBIOW) for more details.
Freshwater Ecology Major
To study in the area of freshwater ecology, students enrol in:
| Teaching period | Subject name | Subject code | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| TE-SEM-1 | Animal Evolution and Diversity | BIO1AD | 15 |
| TE-SEM-1 | Critical Thinking with Statistics | STA1CTS | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Freshwater Ecology | WEM2FRE | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Principles of Ecology and Evolution | WEM2PEE | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Quantitative Research Methods | WEM2QRM | 15 |
| TE-SEM-1 | Advanced Freshwater Ecology | WEM3AFE | 15 |
| TE-SEM-1 | Waste Water Management | To be advised | 15 |
| TE-SEM-1 | Catchment Management | To be advised | 15 |
Biochemistry Major - First year level requirements
To study in the area of biochemistry, students enrol in:
| Teaching period | Subject name | Subject code | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| TE-SEM-1 | Organisation and Function of Cells and Organisms | BIO1OF | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Applications of Chemistry | CHE1APL | 15 |
| Choose one first-semester chemistry subject. Students who have passed VCE Chemistry, Units 3 and 4 or equivalent, must choose CHE1GEN. | |||
| TE-SEM-1 | Chemistry Foundations | CHE1CHF | 15 |
| TE-SEM-1 | General Principles of Chemistry | CHE1GEN | 15 |
Botany Major - First year level requirements
To study in the area of botany, students enrol in:
| Teaching period | Subject name | Subject code | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| TE-SEM-1 | Organisation and Function of Cells and Organisms | BIO1OF | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Plant Science | BIO1PS | 15 |
| Recommended elective: STA1DCT, STA1LS, STA1CTS or MAT1MAB |
Ecology Major - First year level requirements
To study in the area of ecology, students enrol in:
| Teaching period | Subject name | Subject code | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| TE-SEM-1 | Animal Evolution and Diversity | BIO1AD | 15 |
| TE-SEM-1 | Organisation and Function of Cells and Organisms | BIO1OF | 15 |
| Recommended elective: STA1DCT, STA1LS, STA1CTS or MAT1MAB |
Genetics Major - First year level requirements
To study in the area of genetics, students enrol in:
| Teaching period | Subject name | Subject code | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| TE-SEM-2 | Genetics, Human Biology and Evolution | BIO1GEN | 15 |
Microbiology Major - First year level requirements
To study in the area of microbiology, students enrol in:
| Teaching period | Subject name | Subject code | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| TE-SEM-1 | Organisation and Function of Cells and Organisms | BIO1OF | 15 |
Molecular Biology Major - First year level requirements
To study in the area of molecular biology, students enrol in:
| Teaching period | Subject name | Subject code | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| TE-SEM-1 | Organisation and Function of Cells and Organisms | BIO1OF | 15 |
| Choose one first-semester chemistry subject. Students who have passed VCE Chemistry, Units 3 and 4 or equivalent, must choose CHE1GEN. | |||
| TE-SEM-1 | Chemistry Foundations | CHE1CHF | 15 |
| TE-SEM-1 | General Principles of Chemistry | CHE1GEN | 15 |
| Recommended elective: CHE1APL |
Zoology Major
To study in the area of zoology, students enrol in:
| Teaching period | Subject name | Subject code | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| TE-SEM-1 | Animal Evolution and Diversity | BIO1AD | 15 |
| TE-SEM-1 | Organisation and Function of Cells and Organisms | BIO1OF | 15 |
| Recommended elective: STA1DCT, STA1LS, STA1CTS or MAT1MAB |
Bachelor of Bioscience (Honours) Albury-Wodonga
Honours degree students are selected based on their performance in the final year of the pass degree course. Students must obtain a minimum average of 60% across all of their third year subjects and obtain at least 65% in subjects germane to the Honours discipline Freshwater Ecology to the value of 60 credit points.
Honours (120 credit points) – not offered until 2016
| Teaching period | Subject name | Subject code | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| TE-SEM-1 | Honours A | WEM4HNA | 60 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Honours B | WEM4HNB | 60 |
Please note: Some of these subjects may not be offered in the current year. For a full description of subjects, including the subject name, subject code, credit points, campus/location, teaching period and availability, subject coordinator, class requirements, assessment, prerequisites and readings, please click on the appropriate Subject Code or refer to the Subject Database at www.latrobe.edu.au/udb_public.