Major Overview

Description

How does your body cope during intense exercise, blood loss or during dehydration? How does your nervous system respond to the world around you? How does your body adapt to changing environments? The Physiology major provides answers to these questions and teaches you how the human body works, from the molecular and cellular levels to tissues and organs. The course is hands-on with a wide range of practical classes that demonstrate how scientific discovery is achieved. A graduate in Physiology will have developed skills in critical thinking, analysis, experimental design, and the essential skills required to conduct research experiments. A physiology graduate, will have advanced knowledge of how the body functions, which is central to our ability to detect, prevent and treat disease.

Outcomes

Students are able to:

  1. recall and integrate key knowledge and concepts about the function of cells, tissues and organs and how the function of each is coordinated
  2. explain a range of physiological phenomena with reference to the underlying fundamental physicochemical processes
  3. explain the physiological basis of pathological conditions
  4. explain and perform measurements of physiological phenomena from human subjects and animal tissue using a range of measurement equipment
  5. analyse and interpret physiological data derived from a range of measurement systems including computer simulations
  6. search and critically analyse research literature
  7. explain the key elements of the scientific method
  8. clearly communicate scientific facts and concepts in written and oral form, using standard scientific format and terminology
  9. work productively in small teams in a physiology laboratory setting; and (10) apply relevant employability skills for physiology.
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.
Suggested Minors to broaden you study area, are:
(1) MNR-ANSCI Anatomical Sciences
(2) MNR-DATSC Data Science
(3) MNR-WHLTH Women's Health
(4) MNR-SCCOM Science Communication
(5) MNR- MNR-PEPIH Professional Engagement and Practice in Health
(6) MNR-ONHLT OneHealth: Human Health and Environment
Suggested units to broaden your study area, are:
(1) PHAR1101 Drugs that Changed the World
(2) HMSC1000 Waking Up to Sleep
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 units.

Chemistry ATAR or an additional chemistry unit taken in the first year

Courses

Physiology can be taken as a degree-specific major in the following degree courses:

Example Study Plan

See study plans for more information.

Units

Key to availability of units:
S1
Semester 1
S2
Semester 2

Level 1

Degree-specific major units

Take the following unit:

Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S1 PHYL1001 Physiology - How your body works
Incompatibility
PHYL2001 Physiology of Human Body Systems
Degree-specific major units

Take unit(s) to the value of 12 points:

Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S1 ANHB1101 Human Biology I: Becoming Human None
S2 ANHB1102 Human Biology II: Being Human None
S1 BIOL1130 Frontiers in Biology None
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
Bridging units

Bridging units must be successfully completed within the first 48 points of study. Students who have not achieved a scaled mark of at least 50 in Mathematics Methods ATAR or equivalent or higher are required to Complete MATH1721 or SCIE1500, (SCIE1500 is recommended). Students who have not achieved a scaled mark of at least 50 in Mathematics Applications ATAR or equivalent or higher are required to completeMATH1720 and either MATH1721 or SCIE1500, (SCIE1500 is recommended). MATH1721 should be taken if also considering majors or minors that require it for progression to level 2 (e.g. Maths, Physics, Chemistry or Computer Science)



Students who have not achieved a scaled mark of at least 50 in Chemistry ATAR or equivalent or higher are required to complete CHEM1003.

Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S1, S2 CHEM1003 Introductory Chemistry
Incompatibility
ATAR Subject(s) Chemistry or equivalent
S1, S2 MATH1720 Mathematics Fundamentals
Prerequisites
Mathematics Applications ATAR [with a scaled score of less than 50] or with permission
Incompatibility
Mathematics Applications ATAR [with a scaled score of 50 or greater] or Equivalent or higher
S1, S2 MATH1721 Mathematics Foundations: Methods
Prerequisites
Mathematics Applications ATAR
or MATH1720 Mathematics Fundamentals
or MATX1720 Mathematics Fundamentals
or Mathematics Methods ATAR (with a scaled score of less than 50) or equivalent
Incompatibility
MATH1001 Mathematical Methods 1
and MATH1002 Mathematical Methods 2 and
MATH1011 Multivariable Calculus
or MATX1011 Multivariable Calculus
and
MATH1012 Mathematical Theory and Methods
or MATX1012 Mathematical Theory and Methods
and
STAT1520 Economic and Business Statistics
or STAX1520 Economic and Business Statistics
S1, S2 SCIE1500 Analytical Methods for Scientists
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
ATAR Subject(s) ATAR Subject Mathematics Applications
or MATH1720 Mathematics Fundamentals
or MATX1720 Mathematics Fundamentals
Incompatibility
ATAR Subject(s) ATAR Mathematics Methods
and Unit(s) MATH1721 Mathematics Foundations: Methods (ID 5108)
or MATX1721 Mathematics Foundations

Level 2

Degree-specific major units

Take all units (12 points):

Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S2 PHYL2002 Cellular Physiology
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
PHYL1001 Physiology - How your body works
or IMED1001 Form and Function
or NEUR1001 Neuroscience in Society
or SCIE1106 Molecular Biology of the Cell
or Enrolment in
71520 Master of Biomedical Science
S1 SSEH2260 Exercise Physiology
Prerequisites
Successful completion of PHYL1001 Physiology - How Does the Human Body Work?
or
Enrolment in
CM017 Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Sciences and Master of Public Health
or CM018 Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Sciences and Master of Clinical Exercise Physiology
or CM019 Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Sciences and Master of Applied Human Performance Science
or MJD-IMSCP Integrated Medical Sciences and Clinical Practice
or MJD-MEDSI Medical Science

Level 3

Degree-specific major units

Take all units (24 points):

Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S1 PHYL3001 Experimental Physiology
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
PHYL2002 Physiology of Cells
S1 PHYL3002 Clinical Physiology
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
PHYL1001 Physiology - How your body works
and PHYL2002 Physiology of Cells
S2 PHYL3003 Nutritional and Metabolic Physiology
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
PHYL1001 Physiology - How your body works
and 96 points

or
Successful completion of
48 points
and Enrolment in
MJD-IMSCP Integrated Medical Sciences and Clinical Practice
S2 PHYL3004 Extreme Environmental Physiology
Prerequisites
Successful completion of Unit(s) PHYL1001 Physiology - How your body works and
PHYL2002 Physiology of Cells
or PHYL3002 Physiology of Cardiovascular and Respiratory Systems