Extended Major Overview
- Description
Note: this major is only available to re-enrolling students.
Are you interested in finding out how diseases can be controlled, cured or prevented? Studying Biomedical Science will enable you to understand how the human body functions in health and disease, which is essential for the development of new treatments. You will gain an understanding of the anatomy and physiology of the human body, the microbes that cause disease and the molecular and pathological processes of disease and how these diseases are treated. This is an extended major. The first component comprises a set of core units (giving you a broad perspective of the field). The second component provides a deeper understanding in your chosen area of specialisation. Areas of specialisation are Anatomy and Human Biology, Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Microbiology and Immunology, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, or Pharmacology.
Students should be aware that this major does not provide a pathway to an Honours.- Outcomes
Students are able to:
- understand the basic sciences necessary for an understanding of biomedical science including the chemistry, human biology, molecular biology and physiology of the cells
- describe the major chemical and biochemical constituents of the human body, how the human body functions at the cellular and molecular level and the genetic mechanisms involved in inheritance
- understand these processes further and describe the basic cellular biochemical and molecular biological processes involved in maintaining human life, and the anatomy and physiology of the human body systems including the cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, gastrointestinal, neurological, skeletal and muscular, immune system
- describe the basic principles of the paraclinical sciences of microbiology, pathology and laboratory medicine and pharmacology
- demonstrate an integrated understanding of the paraclinical sciences through the choice of specified combinations of units
- describe the anatomy, biochemistry and physiology of the human body, how these may be influenced by environmental and genetic factors to produce disease per se, the major disease producing biological processes such as acute and chronic inflammation, the major disease producing bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites, and how the diseases may be treated using both pharmaceutical and immunological interventions
- demonstrate deep understanding of an area of specialisation
- demonstrate a range of laboratory skills while undertaking both majors including the manipulation of commonly used instrumentation in the biomedical sciences
- demonstrate competency in the laboratory; (10) demonstrate written and oral communication skills including the abilities to write a scientific report and present an oral communication to their peers; and (11) develop an awareness of the ethical requirements necessary for undertaking studies involving human subjects.
- Broadening guidelines
All students studying towards a Bachelor's Degree at UWA are required to Broaden their studies by completing a minimum of four units (24 points) of study outside their degree specific major. Broadening is your opportunity to explore other areas of interest, investigate new disciplines and knowledge paradigms and to shape your degree to suit your own aspirations and interests. Many of you will be able to undertake more than this minimum amount of broadening study and we encourage you to do so if this suits your aspirations. Over the next few months you will find here some broadening suggestions related to your degree-specific major. While we know that many students value guidance of this sort, these are only suggestions and students should not lose sight of the opportunity to explore that is afforded by your Broadening Choices. Advice can also be sought from your Allocated Student Advising Office.
- Courses
Biomedical Science can only be taken as a degree-specific major in the following degree courses:
No study plans found for this major. See study plans for more information.
Units
Key to availability of units:
- S1
- Semester 1
- S2
- Semester 2
- N/A
- not available in 2025 – may be available in 2026 or 2027
Level 1
Degree-specific major units
Take the following unit:
Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
---|---|---|---|
S2 | SCIE1106 | Molecular Biology of the Cell |
|
Degree-specific major units
Take unit(s) to the value of 6 points:
Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
---|---|---|---|
S1 | ANHB1101 | Human Biology I: Becoming Human | None |
S2 | ANHB1102 | Human Biology II: Being Human | None |
Complementary units
Take all complementary units (12 points):
Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
---|---|---|---|
CHEM1004 | None | ||
S1 | SCOM1101 | Communicating Science |
Level 2
Degree-specific major units
Take all units (24 points):
Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
---|---|---|---|
S1 | ANHB2212 | Human Structure and Development |
|
S1 | BIOC2001 | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of the Cell |
|
S2 | MICR2209 | Introduction to Infectious Diseases and Immunology |
|
S1 | PHAR2210 | Foundations of Pharmacology |
|
Complementary units
Take all complementary units (12 points):
Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
---|---|---|---|
N/A | PATH2220 | Introduction to Human Disease |
|
PHYL2001 | None |
Level 3
Anatomy and Human Biology specialisation
Degree-specific major units
Take all units (18 points):
Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
---|---|---|---|
S1 | BIOC3001 | Molecular Biology |
|
PATH3304 | None | ||
S2 | PHAR3320 | Systems Pharmacology |
|
Degree-specific major units
Take unit(s) to the value of 6 points:
Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
---|---|---|---|
S1 | MICR3305 | Immunobiology and Immune Diseases | |
S1 | MICR3330 | Bacteria and Bacterial Disease |
Degree-specific major units
Take unit(s) to the value of 18 points:
Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
---|---|---|---|
S2 | ANHB3315 | Human Evolutionary Ecology |
|
S2 | ANHB3316 | Human Reproduction |
|
S1 | ANHB3321 | Biological Anthropology: Genes and Society | None |
N/A | ANHB3322 | Human/Primate Social Organisation |
|
S1 | ANHB3323 | Cells, Tissues and Development |
|
N/A | ANHB3324 | Human Structure and Function |
Degree-specific major units
Take unit(s) to the value of 6 points:
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology specialisation
Degree-specific major units
Take all units (48 points):
Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
---|---|---|---|
S1 | ANHB3323 | Cells, Tissues and Development |
|
S1 | BIOC3001 | Molecular Biology |
|
S1 | BIOC3002 | Structural and Functional Biochemistry |
|
S2 | BIOC3003 | Omics—Global Approaches to Cell Function |
|
S2 | BIOC3005 | Cellular Biochemistry |
|
PATH3304 | None | ||
S2 | PHAR3320 | Systems Pharmacology |
|
S1 | PHYL3001 | Experimental Physiology |
|
Microbiology and Immunology specialisation
Degree-specific major units
Take all units (48 points):
Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
---|---|---|---|
S1 | ANHB3323 | Cells, Tissues and Development |
|
S1 | MICR3305 | Immunobiology and Immune Diseases | |
S2 | MICR3310 | Microbial Ecology and One Health |
|
S2 | MICR3320 | Viruses and Viral Disease | |
S1 | MICR3330 | Bacteria and Bacterial Disease | |
PATH3304 | None | ||
S2 | PHAR3320 | Systems Pharmacology |
|
S1 | PHYL3001 | Experimental Physiology |
|
Pathology and Laboratory Medicine specialisation
Degree-specific major units
Take all units (48 points):
Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
---|---|---|---|
S1 | ANHB3323 | Cells, Tissues and Development |
|
S2 | BIOC3005 | Cellular Biochemistry |
|
S1 | MICR3305 | Immunobiology and Immune Diseases | |
S1 | MICR3330 | Bacteria and Bacterial Disease | |
S1 | PATH3305 | Medical Genetics | |
S2 | PATH3308 | Biotherapeutics and Regenerative Medicine |
|
S2 | PATH3309 | Cancer Pathology | |
S2 | PHYL3003 | Nutritional and Metabolic Physiology |
Pharmacology specialisation
Degree-specific major units
Take all units (42 points):
Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
---|---|---|---|
S1 | ANHB3323 | Cells, Tissues and Development |
|
S2 | BIOC3005 | Cellular Biochemistry |
|
S1 | PHAR3310 | Molecular Pharmacology |
|
S1 | PHAR3311 | Molecular Pharmacology Methods | |
S2 | PHAR3320 | Systems Pharmacology |
|
S2 | PHAR3321 | Systems Pharmacology Methods |
|
S2 | PHYL3003 | Nutritional and Metabolic Physiology |
Degree-specific major units
Take unit(s) to the value of 6 points:
Physiology specialisation
Degree-specific major units
Take all units (42 points):
Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
---|---|---|---|
S1 | BIOC3001 | Molecular Biology |
|
PATH3304 | None | ||
S2 | PHAR3320 | Systems Pharmacology |
|
S1 | PHYL3001 | Experimental Physiology |
|
S1 | PHYL3002 | Clinical Physiology |
|
S2 | PHYL3003 | Nutritional and Metabolic Physiology | |
S2 | PHYL3004 | Extreme Environmental Physiology |
|
Degree-specific major units
Take unit(s) to the value of 6 points: