Major Overview

Description

The Human Genomics major explores the role of genomic information in human health, disease, and personalised medicine. You'll gain hands-on experience with genomic technologies, bioinformatics, and the study of the molecular mechanisms underlying inherited traits genetic variation and diseases. This major equips you with critical thinking and problem-solving skills and addresses the ethical, legal, and societal implications of genomics in human health. Graduates are well-prepared for careers in biomedical research, bioinformatics, biotechnology, or further studies in postgraduate programs

Outcomes

Students are able to:

  1. demonstrate how genomics informs the mechanisms of inheritance and its fundamental impact on human health and disease
  2. describe the broad principles of genomics including their significance and applications at the molecular, cellular, organismal, and population levels
  3. formulate hypotheses, design and justify experimental approaches, and apply appropriate methodologies to generate and investigate genomic data in human health
  4. employ bioinformatic tools to analyse and interpret genomic data to derive meaningful biological and clinical insights
  5. effectively communicate complex genomic concepts to address real-world and global issues in science and healthcare.
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 and to pursue as many areas of interest as you can during your course of study. At the same time, we know that many of you value the University's guidance and assistance in planning your enrolment throughout your course, so we offer the following suggestions for your consideration as possible avenues to broaden your degree. Do always remember, however, that there is no wrong way to broaden your studies as long as you complete at least four units not associated with your Degree Specific Major.
Suggested Minors to broaden you study area, are:
(1) MNR-WHLTH Women's Health
(2) MNR-SCCOM Science Communication
Suggested units to broaden your study area, are:
(1) PATH3305 Medical Genetics
(2) ANHB3321 Biological Anthropology: Genes and Society
(3) ANHB1101 Human Biology I: Becoming Human
(4) STAT1400 Statistics for Science
(5) PUBH1102 Foundations of Global Health
(6) SCOM1101 Communicating Science
(7) BIOC2001 Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of the Cell
(8) PUBH2203 Foundations of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
(9) ANHB2215 Biological Anthropology: Human Adaptation and Variation
(10) MICR1101 Revolutionary Microbial Discoveries
Prerequisites

Mathematics Methods ATAR or equivalent or higher, or Mathematics Applications ATAR with a mathematics unit taken in the first year. Students without ATAR mathematics will take two first year mathematics unit.

Courses

Human Genomics [not available in 2025] can 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 all units (18 points):

Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S2 BIOC1001 Introductory Cellular Biochemistry
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
ATAR Subject(s) Chemistry ATAR
or CHEM1003 Introductory Chemistry
or CHEX1003 Introductory Chemistry
Incompatibility
Successful completion of
CHEM1004 Biological Chemistry
S1, S2 SCIE1104 Science, Society and Data Analysis
Co-requisites
MATH1721 Mathematics Foundations: Methods
or MATX1721 Mathematics Foundations
or SCIE1500 Analytical Methods for Scientists or equivalent
Incompatibility
Successful completion of
STAT1520 Economic and Business Statistics
or STAX1520 Economic and Business Statistics
S2 SCIE1106 Molecular Biology of the Cell
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
ATAR Subject(s) Human Biology or equivalent
or ATAR Subject(s) Biology or equivalent
or ANHB1101 Human Biology I: Becoming Human
or ANHX1101 Human Biology 1 (Becoming Human)
or ANHX1102 Human Biology 2 (Being Human)
or ANHB1102 Human Biology II: Being Human
or BIOL1130 Frontiers in Biology
or IMED1001 Form and Function
and Successful completion of
ATAR Subject(s) Chemistry or equivalent
or CHEM1003 Introductory Chemistry
or CHEX1003 Introductory Chemistry
Incompatibility
Unit(s) SCIE2225 Molecular Biology

Level 2

Degree-specific major units

Take all units (18 points):

Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
N/A GENE2210 Functional Genomics
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
SCIE1106 Molecular Biology of the Cell
Incompatibility
GENE2230 Molecular Genetics I Students enrolled in both MJD-GENET and MJD-HUMGE may chose either GENE2230
OR GENE2210
S1 GENE2250 Principles of Inheritance
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
IMED1001 Form and Function
and IMED1002 The Facts of Life
or Successful completion of
any one BIOL1130 Frontiers in Biology
or BIOL1131 Plant and Animal Biology
or ANHB1101 Human Biology I: Becoming Human
or ANHX1101 Human Biology 1 (Becoming Human)
or ANHB1102 Human Biology II: Being Human
or ANHX1102 Human Biology 2 (Being Human)
or SCIE1106 Molecular Biology of the Cell
or SCIX1106 Molecular Biology of the Cell
Incompatibility
Unit(s) GENE2204 Principles of Genetics
N/A IMED2204 Research Methods in Human Health
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
Major(s) MJD-HUMGE Human Genomics
Incompatibility
IMED2003 Medical Sciences Research Methodologies

Level 3

Degree-specific major units

Take all units (18 points):

Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
N/A GENE3311 Genes, Development and Disease
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
Major(s) MJD-HUMGE Human Genomics
and Successful completion of
GENE2210 Functional Genomics
or GENE2230 Molecular Genetics I
N/A GENE3323 Personalised Medicine
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
Major(s) MJD-HUMGE Human Genomics
and Successful completion of IMED2203 Research Methods in Human Health and
GENE2210 Functional Genomics
or GENE2230 Molecular Genetics I
N/A GENE3333 Big Data in Human Health
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
Major(s) MJD-HUMGE Human Genomics
or Major(s) MJD-HSDEM Human Sciences and Data Analytics
and Successful completion of
GENE2230 Molecular Genetics I
or GENE2210 Functional Genomics
and
IMED2203 Research Methods in Human Health
or STAT2401 Analysis of Experiments
and STAT2402 Analysis of Observations