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The University of Western Australia (UWA)

  • 22% international / 78% domestic

Bachelor of Molecular Sciences and Master of Bioinformatics

  • Bachelor

Develop biological and analytical knowledge and skills in the area of genomics and other 'omic' data to inform basic human science questions relating to health, disease, agriculture and our changing environment.

Key details

Degree Type
Bachelor
Course Code
CM024
Study Mode
In person

About this course

By completing this Combined Bachelor's and Master's course you will graduate with both a Bachelor of Molecular Sciences and a Master of Bioinformatics. In your first three years, you will complete your selected extended major in Molecular Life Sciences of Plant Biology. In the Molecular Life Sciences extended major, you will learn about life at the molecular scale. Starting with the building blocks of life (DNA, RNA, proteins, lipids and carbohydrates) you'll work towards understanding the complex function of cells, tissues and organisms. Training in cutting-edge technologies will equip you with the tools to answer the many challenges in the biological and/or health sciences. You will then complete a final year of postgraduate study in the Master of Bioinformatics where you will have the opportunity to extend your biological and analytical knowledge and skills obtained from the undergraduate program to the realm of genomics and other 'omic' data generated from different sequencing platforms to inform basic human science questions relating to health, disease and our changing environment. If you decide not to continue in the CBM you can exit after three years with a Bachelor of Molecular Sciences (Advanced). Note that the Advanced Bachelor Degree is available only as a CBM exit award. It is not offered for direct enrolment and is not awarded on completion of the CBM.

Entry requirements

Admission requirements

The University of Western Australia welcomes applications from international and domestic school-leavers. If you're interested in studying this major, find out the admission details below.

Minimum entry requirements
Minimum entry requirements

Below you'll find a list of admission equivalencies for this course's Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR).

Indonesian Sekolah Menengah Atas (SMA) - Pass of 65
  • 86
Monash University Foundation Year
  • 308
South Korean College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT)
  • 344
Trinity College Foundation
  • 338
University of Western Australia College (UWAC) Foundation Program
  • 74
Western Australian Universities' Foundation Program (WAUFP)
  • 70
Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) 2016 onwards
  • 90
Below you'll find a list of admission equivalencies for this course's Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR).
Indonesian Sekolah Menengah Atas (SMA) - Pass of 65
  • 86
Monash University Foundation Year
  • 308
South Korean College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT)
  • 344
Trinity College Foundation
  • 338
University of Western Australia College (UWAC) Foundation Program
  • 74
Western Australian Universities' Foundation Program (WAUFP)
  • 70
Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) 2016 onwards
  • 90
Admission requirements
For applicants with recent secondary education, information on admission criteria is available on our entry requirements page or on the UWA Handbook for course specific requirements and prerequisites.
Admission requirements
Mathematics requirement

This major requires a certain level of Chemistry and Mathematics. If you do not meet this level, you can take additional Chemistry and/or Mathematics units in your first year to satisfy this requirement.

WACE prerequisite: Mathematics Methods ATAR and Chemistry ATAR

Mathematics requirement
ADMISSION REQUIREMENT
English competency

English is the language of instruction and assessment at UWA and you will need to meet the English language requirements of the University to be eligible for a place.

Minimum overall IELTS score of 6.5, with no band less than 6.0.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENT
English competency

Study locations

Perth

Career pathways

Careers and further study

This course opens up a world of future study pathways and career opportunities.

Career Pathways

A bachelor's degree in Molecular Life Sciences from UWA would be highly recognised amongst employers in the biosciences. Career options include agricultural consultancy, biotechnology, drug development, food production and quality control, fermentation industries and chemical production. Life scientists find jobs in diagnostic laboratories in hospitals, veterinary health, toxicology and allied health fields. Opportunities beyond the laboratory include education, patent law and policy-making, as well as in agriculture and the environment, sales and marketing for medical, research and pharmaceutical industries. With their specialist knowledge of living systems, molecular life scientists find work as journalists and science communicators. A degree in Molecular Life Sciences is also an ideal launchpad for specialised postgraduate courses in bioinformatics, synthetic biology or forensics. Finally, many careers in the molecular life sciences benefit from further study towards a higher degree by research, so that graduates can reach more senior positions in research and development, whether in academia or in industry.

Some international, Australian and WA-based companies and institutions include:

* Pharmaceutical companies (e.g. Pfizer, CSL, Abbvie, GlaxoSmithKline, EvansPetersen Healthcare)
* Biotechnology companies (e.g. Dimerix, PYC Therapeutics, Orthocell, Novozyme, Life Cykel, Qiagen, Roche, Merck)
* Molecular diagnostics laboratories (e.g. Pathwest, Safe Work Laboratories)
* Biochemical/protein analytical laboratories (e.g. Proteomics International)
* Provisioners of scientific instrumentation (e.g. Thermo Fisher Scientific, Westlab, LabGear Australia)
* Research Centres (e.g. Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Telethon Kids Institute, Ingham Institute, Garvan Institute for Medical Research)
* Top-ranked universities around the world





Career Pathways

A bachelor's degree in Molecular Life Sciences from UWA would be highly recognised amongst employers in the biosciences. Career options include agricultural consultancy, biotechnology, drug development, food production and quality control, fermentation industries and chemical production. Life scientists find jobs in diagnostic laboratories in hospitals, veterinary health, toxicology and allied health fields. Opportunities beyond the laboratory include education, patent law and policy-making, as well as in agriculture and the environment, sales and marketing for medical, research and pharmaceutical industries. With their specialist knowledge of living systems, molecular life scientists find work as journalists and science communicators. A degree in Molecular Life Sciences is also an ideal launchpad for specialised postgraduate courses in bioinformatics, synthetic biology or forensics. Finally, many careers in the molecular life sciences benefit from further study towards a higher degree by research, so that graduates can reach more senior positions in research and development, whether in academia or in industry.

Some international, Australian and WA-based companies and institutions include:

* Pharmaceutical companies (e.g. Pfizer, CSL, Abbvie, GlaxoSmithKline, EvansPetersen Healthcare)
* Biotechnology companies (e.g. Dimerix, PYC Therapeutics, Orthocell, Novozyme, Life Cykel, Qiagen, Roche, Merck)
* Molecular diagnostics laboratories (e.g. Pathwest, Safe Work Laboratories)
* Biochemical/protein analytical laboratories (e.g. Proteomics International)
* Provisioners of scientific instrumentation (e.g. Thermo Fisher Scientific, Westlab, LabGear Australia)
* Research Centres (e.g. Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Telethon Kids Institute, Ingham Institute, Garvan Institute for Medical Research)
* Top-ranked universities around the world





Course structure

Level 1
Core

Take unit(s) to the value of 6 points from this group:

Core

Take all units (24 points):

Bridging

Bridging units must be successfully completed within the first 48 points of study. Students without Mathematics Methods ATAR or equivalent or higher take MATH1721. Students without Mathematics Applications ATAR or equivalent or higher take MATH1720 and MATH1721. Students without Chemistry ATAR or equivalent or higher take CHEM1003.

Level 2
Conversion
Conversion

Students who have not completed tertiary units that are deemed equivalent to the conversion units must complete relevant conversion units up to the value of 24 points from this group, as advised by the School(s):

Core
Core

Take all units (36 points):

Core
Core

Take 12 points:

Option