Honours Overview

Description

The course for Honours in Zoology is a blend of coursework and research project work designed to introduce the student to the world of research on animals. It equips them with the skills and flexibility of outlook needed to deal with rapidly changing technologies and to lead them into habits of critical thinking, problem analysis and public presentation which would serve in any leadership role. Each of the stages of development of a research project through which the student is guided in the units is given immediate application in the formulation and development of the student's own project. The combination of formal study and practical experience offered by the course prepares students for entry into postgraduate academic research programs, and into workplaces including but not limited to environmental consultancy or local and national government research agencies.

Students develop skills of logical and creative thinking and writing in English through exposure to a range of research projects via seminars, the guided formulation of a research proposal, and the iterative cycle of production–feedback–review–refinement involved in the writing of a research paper. Cycles of broader research seminar attendance and critiquing help to develop the capacity to question accepted wisdom and to develop cultural literacy.

Outcomes

Students are able to (1) develop disciplinary and interdisciplinary knowledge and skills through study and research-based enquiry, at internationally recognised levels of excellence; (2) develop skills required for self learning which will stay with them through life, by being immersed within the research culture of the School of Biological Sciences, and its research divisions; (3) develop personal, social and ethical awareness in an international context through participation as a collegiate part of an honours cohort within the School; and (4) communicate clearly, effectively and appropriately in a range of contexts.

Entry requirements

A weighted average mark of at least 65 percent in the Level 3 units of the Zoology major; or equivalent, as recognised by UWA.

Intake periods

Beginning of year and mid-year

Courses

Honours in Zoology can be taken as a specialisation in the following degrees:

No study plans found for this course. 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
NS
non-standard teaching period
Take all units from this group (42 points).
AvailabilityUnit codeUnit nameUnit requirements
S1, S2 BIOL4446 Honours in Biological Sciences Research Presentation Skills
Prerequisites
HON-MARBI Marine Biology
or HON-MARSC Marine Science
or HON-BOTNY Botany
or HON-CONBI Conservation Biology
or HON-ZOOLY Zoology
and BIOL5442 Honours in Biological Sciences Research Dissertation Part 1
and BIOL5443 Honours in Biological Sciences Research Dissertation Part 2
Co-requisites
BIOL5444 Honours in Biological Sciences Research Dissertation Part 3
and BIOL5447 Honours in Biological Sciences Research Dissertation Part 4
and BIOL5445 Honours in Biological Sciences Research Dissertation Part 4 (ID 6632)
S1, S2 BIOL5442 Honours in Biological Sciences Research Dissertation Part 1
Prerequisites
HON-BOTNY Botany
or HON-CONBI Conservation Biology (ID 1379)
or HON-MARSC Marine Science (ID 1400)
or HON-ZOOLY Zoology (ID 1393)
or HON-MARBI Marine Biology
S1, S2 BIOL5443 Honours in Biological Sciences Research Dissertation Part 2
Prerequisites
HON-BOTNY Botany
or HON-CONBI Conservation Biology (ID 1379)
or HON-MARSC Marine Science (ID 1400)
or HON-ZOOLY Zoology (ID 1393)
or HON-MARBI Marine Biology
Co-requisites
BIOL5442 Honours in Biological Sciences Research Dissertation Part 1
S1, S2 BIOL5444 Honours in Biological Sciences Research Dissertation Part 3
Prerequisites
HON-CONBI Conservation Biology (ID 1379)
or HON-MARSC Marine Science (ID 1400)
or HON-ZOOLY Zoology (ID 1393)
or HON-BOTNY Botany
or HON-MARBI Marine Biology
Co-requisites
BIOL5442 Honours in Biological Sciences Research Dissertation Part 1 BIOL5443 Honours in Biological Sciences Research Dissertation Part 2
S1, S2 BIOL5445 Honours in Biological Sciences Research Dissertation Part 5
Prerequisites
HON-BOTNY Botany
or HON-CONBI Conservation Biology (ID 1379)
or HON-MARSC Marine Science (ID 1400)
or HON-ZOOLY Zoology (ID 1393)
or HON-MARBI Marine Biology
and BIOL5442 Honours in Biological Sciences Research Dissertation Part 1
and BIOL5443 Honours in Biological Sciences Research Dissertation Part 2
Co-requisites
BIOL5444 Honours in Biological Sciences Research Dissertation Part 3 (ID 6630)
and BIOL5447 Honours in Biological Sciences Research Dissertation Part 4
and BIOL4446 Honours in Biological Sciences Research Presentation Skills
S1, S2 BIOL5447 Honours in Biological Sciences Research Dissertation Part 4
Prerequisites
HON-MARSC Marine Science
or HON-ZOOLY Zoology
or HON-BOTNY Botany
or HON-CONBI Conservation Biology
or HON-MARBI Marine Biology
Co-requisites
BIOL5442 Honours in Biological Sciences Research Dissertation Part 1
and BIOL5443 Honours in Biological Sciences Research Dissertation Part 2
and BIOL5444 Honours in Biological Sciences Research Dissertation Part 3
S1, S2 SCIE4402 Data Management and Analysis in the Natural Sciences
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
HON-CONBI Conservation Biology
or HON-ZOOLY Zoology
or HON-BOTNY Botany
or HON-AGSCI Agricultural Science
or HON-ENVSC Environmental Science
or HON-NRMGT Natural Resource Management
or HON-MARSC Marine Science
or 72510 Master of Agricultural Science
or 72520 Master of Biological Science
or 72530 Master of Environmental Science
or 72540 Master of Hydrogeology
or 73530 Master of Agricultural Economics
or 70550 Master of Bioinformatics
or 74230 Graduate Certificate in Bioinformatics
or 74540 Master of Marine Biology
and Successful completion of
any one STAT1400 Statistics for Science
or STAX1400 Statistics for Science
or STAT1520 Economic and Business Statistics
or STAX1520 Economic and Business Statistics
or SCIE1104 Science, Society and Data Analysis
or SCIE4401 Data Use in Science
or ENVT4422 Research Methods in Environmental Science
Take unit(s) to the value of 6 points:
AvailabilityUnit codeUnit nameUnit requirements
S1 ANIM4410 Animal Identification
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
72520 Master of Biological Science (ID 165)
or HON-ZOOLY Zoology (ID 1393)
S2 ANIM5110 Biology of Australian marsupials
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
72520 Master of Biological Science (ID 165)
or HON-ZOOLY Zoology (ID 1393)
or HON-CONBI Conservation Biology
S2 ANIM5502 Evolutionary Ecology
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
72520 Master of Biological Science (ID 165)
or HON-ZOOLY Zoology (ID 1393)
NS BIOL4408 Marine Ecology
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
72520 Master of Biological Science (ID 165)
or 70630 Master of Science (ID 202)
or or 74540 Master of Marine Biology (ID 1902)
and Successful completion of
SCIE3304 Field Techniques in Marine Science or equivalent
or BIOL4411 Marine Field Studies or equivalent
Successful completion of
SCIE4402 Data Management and Analysis in the Natural Sciences
N/A BIOL4410 Environmental Genomics
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
level 2 Unit(s) in genetics or equivalent
S2 BIOL5301 Big Data, Modelling and Meta-analysis in Biology, Conservation and the Environment
Co-requisites
Successful completion of
or Enrolment in
Unit(s) SCIE4402 Data Management and Analysis in the Natural Sciences (ID 2211)
S2 BIOL5542 Conservation Genetics
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
72520 Master of Biological Science
or 71580 Master of Biotechnology
or 71570 Master of Geographic Information Science
or BH004 Bachelor of Science (Honours)
and Successful completion of
one Unit(s) GENE4002 Integrated Topics in Genetics I
or Unit(s) GENE2250 Principles of Inheritance
or Unit(s) BIOL3364 Evolutionary Processes
S1, S2 ENVT4411 Geographic Information Systems Applications
Incompatibility
Unit(s) GEOG2201 Geographic Information Systems (ID 1384)