Master of Biological Science (coursework or coursework and dissertation) (72520)
The University of Western Australia
About
UWA's admission requirements for some postgraduate courses have changed for Semester 2, 2020 to facilitate student access to study during the COVID-19 situation.
In many cases, these changes may not be extended beyond 2020.
Contact Future Students for more information.Western Australia (WA) is a marine and terrestrial biodiversity hotspot.
Up to 80 per cent of the region's plants, marine fish and invertebrates are unique to the area.
This makes WA the ideal living laboratory for studies in biological science.
This course gives students an understanding of the molecular evolution, structure, physiology, reproduction, behaviour and ecology of organisms, and the skills to apply this knowledge to the management of natural systems and the species they support.
Structure
| KEY TO AVAILABILITY OF UNITS: |
|---|
| S1 = Semester 1; S2 = Semester 2; N/A = not available in 2020; NS = non-standard teaching period |
All units have a value of six points unless otherwise stated.
Note: Units that are indicated as N/A may be available in 2021 or 2022.
Take all units (12 points):
| AVAILABILITY | UNITCODE | UNITNAME | UNIT REQUIREMENTS | CONTACT HOURS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S2 | BIOL5301 | Big Data, Modelling and Meta-analysis in Biology, Conservation and the Environment | Co-requisites: SCIE4402 Data Management and Analysis in the Natural Sciences | (possibly) 10 half days of contact |
| S1, S2 | SCIE4402 | Data Management and Analysis in the Natural Sciences | Prerequisites: enrolment in a postgraduate course or honours; STAT1400 Statistics for Science or STAT1520 Economic and Business Statistics or STAT2210 Biometrics 1 or SCIE1104 Science, Society and Data Analysis or SCIE4401 Data Use in the Natural Sciences or ENVT4422 Research Methods in Environmental Science | 5 days (1 day per fortnight). The total workload for the unit is 150 hours. |
Students in course by coursework and dissertation, take all units in this group (36 points):
| AVAILABILITY | UNITCODE | UNITNAME | UNIT REQUIREMENTS | CONTACT HOURS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S1, S2 | BIOL5551 | Masters in Biological Sciences Research Project Development | Prerequisites: enrolment in the Master of Biological Science (72520) and (a) the equivalent of a UWA weighted average mark of at least 65 per cent in at least 24 points of Level 3 units in a relevant undergraduate major; or (b) the equivalent of a UWA weighted average mark of at least 65 per cent in at least 24 points of Level 3, 4 and 5 units completed within the course | organised meetings with supervisors to plan, develop and review the research project and its scientific context; tutorials for literature search, research safety and animal ethics and scientific writing |
| S1, S2 | BIOL5552 | Masters in Biological Sciences Research Dissertation Part 1 | Prerequisites: enrolment in the Master of Biological Science (72520) and (a) have a weighted average mark of at least 65 per cent in at least 24 points of level 3 units in their UWA undergraduate major (these units must be relevant to the master's specialisation); or (b) have a weighted average mark of at least 65 per cent in at least 24 points of levels 3, 4 and 5 units completed within the course; or (c) equivalent as recognised by the Faculty Co-requisites: BIOL5551 Masters Research Project Development | independent research and study plus regular meetings with supervisors |
| S1, S2 | BIOL5553 | Masters in Biological Sciences Research Dissertation Part 2 | Prerequisites: Enrolment in the Master of Biological Science (72520) and (a) the equivalent of a UWA weighted average mark of at least 65 per cent in at least 24 points of level 3 units in a relevant undergraduate major; or (b) the equivalent of a UWA weighted average mark of at least 65 per cent in at least 24 points of levels 3, 4 and 5 units completed within the course. Co-requisites: BIOL5551 Masters in Biological Sciences Masters Research Project Development, BIOL5552 Masters in Biological Sciences Masters Research Dissertation Part 1 | independent research and project work plus regular meetings with supervisors |
| S1, S2 | BIOL5554 | Masters in Biological Sciences Research Dissertation Part 3 | Prerequisites: enrolment in the Master of Biological Science (72520) Co-requisites: BIOL5551 Masters in Biological Sciences Masters Research Project Development, BIOL5552 Masters in Biological Sciences Masters Research Dissertation Part 1, BIOL5553 Masters in Biological Sciences Masters Research Dissertation Part 2 | independent research and project work plus regular meetings with supervisors |
| S1, S2 | BIOL5555 | Masters in Biological Sciences Research Dissertation Part 4 | Prerequisites: enrolment in the Master of Biological Science (72520) Co-requisites: BIOL5551 Masters in Biological Sciences Masters Research Project Development, BIOL5552 Masters in Biological Sciences Masters Research Dissertation Part 1, BIOL5553 Masters in Biological Sciences Masters Research Dissertation Part 2, BIOL5554 Masters in Biological Sciences Masters Research Dissertation Part 3, BIOL5556 Masters in Biological Sciences Research Presentation Skills | independent research and project work plus regular meetings with supervisors |
| S1, S2 | BIOL5556 | Masters in Biological Sciences Research Presentation Skills | Prerequisites: enrolment in the Master of Biological Science (72520) and (a) the equivalent of a UWA weighted average mark of at least 65 per cent in at least 24 points of level 3 units in a relevant undergraduate major; or (b) the equivalent of a UWA weighted average mark of at least 65 per cent in at least 24 points of levels 3, 4 and 5 units completed within the course Co-requisites: BIOL5555 Masters in Biological Sciences Research Dissertation Part 4 | seminar and discussion group: weekly; workshops: oral science communication and communicating science to the public |
See also the rules for the course and the Student Rules.
Entry requirements
4.(1) To be considered for admission to this course an applicant must have—
(a) a Bachelor of Science, or an equivalent qualification, as recognised by UWA;
and
(b) the equivalent of a UWA weighted average mark of at least 50 per cent;
and
(c) met the prerequisite for the chosen specialisation
(2) For the Conservation Biology and Ecology specialisations an applicant must have successfully completed prior studies at a tertiary level in biology (excluding human biology); or in a related cognate discipline, as recognised by UWA
(3) For the Marine Biology specialisations an applicant must have successfully completed prior studies at a tertiary level in either marine science or biology (excluding human biology); or in a related cognate discipline, as recognised by UWA
(4) For the Zoology specialisation an applicant must have successfully completed prior studies at a tertiary level in animal science; or in a related cognate discipline, as recognised by UWA
Institution
