Program Requirements

The Master of Biotechnology requires the completion of 96 units which must consist of:

18 units from completion of the following compulsory courses:

BIOL6162 Molecular Gene Technology

BIOL8702 Advanced Research Techniques

A minimum of 12 units from completion of courses from the following list:

BIOL8291 Research Presentation Skills

BIOL8700 Research Proposal

BIOL8704 Biology Literature Research Project

A maximum of 66 units from completion of courses from the following list:

BIOL6006 Genetics

BIOL6106 Biosecurity

BIOL6107 Advances in Medical and Plant Biochemistry

BIOL6108 Hallmarks of Cancer

BIOL6117 Cell Biology

BIOL6141 Infection and Immunity

BIOL6142 General Microbiology

BIOL6144 Advanced and Applied Immunology

BIOL6161 Genes: Replication and Expression

BIOL6163 Genomics and its Applications

BIOL6171 Biochemistry and Nutrition

BIOL6174 Cell Physiology in Health and Disease

BIOL6177 Advances in Molecular Plant Science

BIOL6191 Biology, Society and Ethics

BIOL6204 Genetics of Human Disease 1

BIOL6205 Genetics of Human Disease 2

BIOL6243 Bioinformatics and Genomics

LAWS6504 Principles of Intellectual Property

MATH6100 Bioinformatics and Biological Modelling

MATH6208 Advanced Mathematical Bioinformatics

VCPG6001 Unravelling Complexity

A maximum of 12 units from completion of 6000- and 8000-level courses from the following subject areas:

CHEM Chemistry

NEUR Neuroscience

SCOM Scientific Communication

Study Options

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, including a minimum of 2 courses in chemistry.

The GPA requirement for this program must be met by both the program as a whole, as well as by the 8 courses in a cognate area. Where more than 8 cognate courses have been completed by the applicant, ANU will take the best 8 courses when assessing the cognate GPA.

Cognate Disciplines

Biochemistry, molecular biology and gene technology.

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

The Master of Biotechnology provides a pathway for science graduates with background knowledge in biochemistry molecular biology and chemistry to acquire new knowledge, or extend and update your theoretical and practical understanding of modern biotechnology. 

You’ll be prepared to carry out research in basic, medical or agricultural sciences in university, industry or government research institutions. Opportunities exist in scientific, pharmaceutical and pathology companies, or in government and public service positions.

Learning Outcomes

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

1. apply their knowledge in biotechnology to new problems;
2. interpret, synthesize and critically analyse published literature of relevance to biotechnology;
3. demonstrate basic laboratory skills that are commonly used in biotechnology research;
4. communicate own research work to peers and research scientists; and
5. clearly present theory and results in both written and oral formats.

Further Information

Students have the option of applying to transfer to the Master of Biotechnology (Adv) and undertaking a 48 unit research project if they satisfy the following requirements:

• achieve a minimum 70% weighted average mark in the initial 48 units of coursework

• have the approval of an identified supervisor, and 

• have completed compulsory courses in the Master Biotechnology (Advanced)