Program Requirements

The Master of Science in Biological Sciences degree requires the completion of 96 units, which must consist of:

A minimum of 24 units must come from completion of 8000-level courses.

24 units from completion of 6000 or 8000 level courses in the subject area BIOL Biology.

6 units from completion of BIOL8291 Research Presentation Skills

A minimum of 6 units from completion of courses from the following list:

BIOL8704 Biology Literature Research Project
BIOL8700 Research Proposal

A minimum of 12 units from completion of Science in Society Courses from the following list: 

BIAN8005 Theory Seminar in Biological Anthropology
BIOL6191 Biology, Society and Ethics
BIOL6201 Big Questions in Biology
BIOL8021 Health and Disease in a Changing World
ENVS6013 Society and Environmental Change
ENVS8015 Contemporary Perspectives in Environmental Science
POGO8093 Science, Innovation and Public Policy
SCOM8014 Communicating Science with the Public 
SCOM6012 Science Communication and the Web
SCOM6015 Speaking of Science
SCOM6016 Science in the Media
SCOM6003 Science in Popular Fiction
SCOM6017 Science Events for Public Engagement
SCOM6027 Science and Public Policy
SCOM6029 Cross Cultural Perspectives in Science Communication
SCOM6030 Science Dialogue Theory and Practice
SCOM6031 Science, Risk and Ethics
SCOM6032 Making Modern Science
SCOM6501 Strategies in Science Communication
SCNC8000 Science Internship
VCPG6003 Leadership and Influence in a Complex World
VCPG6004 Creating Impact
VCPG6002 Mobilising Research
VCPG6001 Unravelling Complexity

A minimum of 12 units from completion of 6000 or 8000 level courses from the subject area BIOL Biology.

24 units from completion of elective courses offered by ANU.

Admission Requirements

A Bachelor degree or international equivalent with a minimum GPA of 5.0/7.0, with at least 8 courses in a cognate area.

Cognate Disciplines

Biology, biomedical sciences, molecular biology, genetics, evolution, ecology and plant sciences.

English Language Requirements

All applicants must meet the University’s English Language Admission Requirements for Students.

 

Assessment of Qualifications

Unless otherwise indicated, ANU will accept all Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) qualifications or international equivalents that meet or exceed the published admission requirements of our programs, provided all other admission requirements are also met. Where an applicant has more than one completed tertiary qualification, ANU will base assessment on the qualification that best meets the admission requirements for the program. Find out more about the Australian Qualifications Framework: www.aqf.edu.au
ANU uses a 7-point Grade Point Average (GPA) scale. All qualifications submitted for admission at ANU will be converted to this common scale, which will determine if an applicant meets our published admission requirements. Find out more about how a 7-point GPA is calculated for Australian universities: www.uac.edu.au/future-applicants/admission-criteria/tertiary-qualifications
Unless otherwise indicated, where an applicant has more than one completed tertiary qualification, ANU will calculate the GPA for each qualification separately. ANU will base assessment on the best GPA of all completed tertiary qualifications of the same level or higher.

Applications for course credit

Applicants with a Bachelor Degree or Graduate Certificate in a cognate discipline may be eligible for up to 24 units (one semester) of credit. Applicants with a Graduate Diploma or Bachelor degree with Honours in a cognate discipline may be eligible for up to 48 units (one year) of credit. 

Scholarships

ANU offers a wide range of scholarships to students to assist with the cost of their studies.

Eligibility to apply for ANU scholarships varies depending on the specifics of the scholarship and can be categorised by the type of student you are.  Specific scholarship application process information is included in the relevant scholarship listing.

For further information see the Scholarships website.

Employment Opportunities

A postgraduate degree in biological science will provide you with a solid background to pursue career goals in a range of fields including plant and animal laboratory science, field ecology, industry, agriculture, public and environmental policy.

Our graduates find interesting careers in a range of areas including agricultural biotechnology and plant breeding, clinical or medical research, pharmaceutical companies, biosecurity, environmental policy and biological education.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the skills and knowledge to:

1.     demonstrate high level knowledge in the area of their study;

2.     apply their knowledge in the discipline to new problems;

3.     interpret, synthesize and critically analyse published literature of relevance to the discipline;

4.     demonstrate theoretical and/or practical skills relevant to techniques and research methodology for  the discipline;

5.     critically analyse data within the discipline to reach independent conclusions;

6.     demonstrate a critical understanding of science in society;

7.     clearly communicate theory and results in both written and oral formats.

Further Information