Explore the complex and fascinating world of genetics and unravel the mysteries of DNA with the ANU Bachelor of Genetics.

You’ll learn how genes hold our hereditary information, study classical genetics, molecular genetics, population genetics, and bioinformatics. You can even follow interests in areas as diverse as plant genetics, evolutionary genetics or medicine and health.

Studying at ANU means you’ll be exposed to ground-breaking research being undertaken by our academics in active research laboratories at the Research School of Biology and the John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australia’s national medical research institute.

Find out more about genetics, the degree structure, the university experience, career opportunities and student stories on our website.

Get the inside story on what it’s like to be an ANU student by visiting our student blog.

This program is not available for Semester 2 commencement.

Are you a leader? The Australian National University is a leader too, especially in the fields of philosophy, politics and economics. This progressive and well-regarded degree will arm you with the moral, economic and political perspectives you need to make a real impact.

You will develop exceptional problem solving skills and critical and conceptual thinking, all while gaining a passport to some of the world’s most promising careers.

 

Employment Opportunities

As our knowledge of the human genome expands, so does the need for graduates with specialist knowledge in genetics.

As a graduate of the Bachelor of Genetics, you can forge a career in medical and agricultural research institutes, hospitals, government departments, schools and universities, patent firms, genetic counselling services, forensics laboratories, and biotechnology companies.

See where a Bachelor of Genetics could take you: our career wheel will help you turn your interests into a career in science.

As our knowledge of the human genome expands, so does the need for graduates with specialist knowledge in genetics.

As a graduate of the Bachelor of Genetics, you can forge a career in medical and agricultural research institutes, hospitals, government departments, schools and universities, patent firms, genetic counselling services, forensics laboratories, and biotechnology companies.

See where a Bachelor of Genetics could take you: our career wheel will help you turn your interests into a career in science.

Learning Outcomes

1. major philosophical theories and approaches to the evaluation of social institutions;

2. the methods of economics to the study of political institutions and processes;

3. the methods of economics to questions within political philosophy;

4. the assumptions, ‘tools’ and limitations of political economy;

5. the core arguments and principles of public choice and rational choice theory.

Further Information

Students who commenced this program prior to 2017 will notice that some of the later year BIOL coded courses have been re-coded and/or renamed. Please contact the Research School of Biology if you need help with your course choices - rsb.studentadmin@anu.edu.au


Want to learn more about the structure of the Bachelor of Genetics or wish to map out your degree? Click here to see a short program presentation video and access the study plan.Students who commenced this program prior to 2017 will notice that some of the later year BIOL coded courses have been re-coded and/or renamed. Please contact the Research School of Biology if you need help with your course choices - rsb.studentadmin@anu.edu.au


Want to learn more about the structure of the Bachelor of Genetics or wish to map out your degree? Click here to see a short program presentation video and access the study plan.

Admission Requirements

At a minimum, all applicants must meet program-specific academic/non-academic requirements, and English language requirements. Admission to most ANU programs is on a competitive basis. Therefore, meeting all admission requirements does not automatically guarantee entry.

In line with the university's admissions policy and strategic plan, an assessment for admission may include competitively ranking applicants on the basis of specific academic achievement, English language proficiency and diversity factors.

Domestic applicants

→ School leavers will be assessed on:
• the minimum Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) requirement or equivalent for this program,
• the co-curricular or service requirement, and
• any program specific requirements that are listed below.

→ Non school leavers:
a) will be assessed on:
• the minimum Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) requirement or equivalent for this program,
b) Non school leavers who:
• complete a recognised Australian (or equivalent) post-secondary qualification, or
• complete one standard full-time year (1.0 FTE) of an Australian (or equivalent) degree qualification, or
• complete an approved tertiary preparation course/program without undertaking any further study,
will be assessed on the basis of an equivalent selection rank that is calculated upon application. Non school leavers must also meet any program specific requirements that are listed below.

 

International applicants

Applicants who complete a recognised secondary/senior secondary/post-secondary/tertiary sequence of study will be assessed on the basis of an equivalent selection rank that is calculated upon application. A list of commonly observed international qualifications and corresponding admission requirements can be found here. Applicants must also meet any program specific requirements that are listed below.

Diversity factors & English language proficiency  
As Australia's national university, ANU is global representative of Australian research and education. ANU endeavours to recruit and maintain a diverse and deliberate student cohort representative not only of Australia, but the world. In order to achieve these outcomes, competitive ranking of applicants may be adjusted to ensure access to ANU is a reality for brilliant students from countries across the globe. If required, competitive ranking may further be confirmed on the basis of demonstrating higher-level English language proficiency.

Prerequisites

ACT: Chemistry (Major); NSW:  Chemistry or equivalent. More information about interstate subject equivalencies can be found here.

Students who do not meet the chemistry requirement may be admitted into the program via a different pathway. Students who:

• Have an ATAR score of 90 or higher, and

• Commence the Bachelor of Science program after completion of the chemistry bridging course available in February through the ANU Research School of Chemistry (or equivalent) and complete CHEM1101 and BIOL1003 with a minimum average of 65%, may then apply to transfer to the Bachelor of Genetics.

Adjustment Factors

ANU offers rank adjustments for a number of adjustment factors, including for high achievement in nationally strategic senior secondary subjects and for recognition of difficult circumstances that students face in their studies. Rank adjustments are applied to Bachelor degree applicants with an ATAR at or above 70. Points are awarded in accordance with the approved schedules, and no more than 15 points (maximum 5 subject/performance-based adjustments, maximum 10 equity-based adjustments and maximum 5 Elite Athlete adjustments) will be awarded. Please note that Adjustment Factors vary and do not apply to a select few programs,  please visit the ANU Adjustment Factors website for further information.

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.

Program Requirements

The Bachelor of Genetics flexible double degree component requires completion of 96 units, of which:

A maximum of 36 units may come from completion of 1000-level courses

The 96 units must include:

66 units from completion of the following compulsory courses:

BIOL1003 Evolution, Ecology & Genetics

BIOL1004 Molecular & Cell Biology

CHEM1101 Chemistry 1

CHEM1201 Chemistry 2

BIOL2151 Genetics

BIOL2161 Genes: Replication and Expression

BIOL2162 Molecular Genetic Techniques

BIOL2202 Experimental Design and Analysis in Biology

BIOL3157 Bioinformatics and Its Applications

BIOL3161 Genomics & its Applications

BIOL3204 Genetics of Human Disease 1

 

12 units from completion of a course from the following list:

BIOL1009 Diversity of Life

BIOL2001 Introduction to Quantitative Biology

BIOL2117 Cell Biology

BIOL2142 General Microbiology

COMP1730 Programming for Scientists

 

18 units from completion of a course from the following list:

BIOL3002 Plants: Genes and the Environment

BIOL3109 Ecological and Evolutionary Developmental Biology

BIOL3113 Invertebrate Biology

BIOL3114 Vertebrate Biology

BIOL3113 Invertebrate Biology

BIOL3002 Plants: Genes to Environment

BIOL3003 Plant Physiological Ecology

BIOL3201 Big Questions in Biology

BIOL3141 Infection and Immunity

BIOL3144 Advanced and Applied Immunology

BIOL3177 Advances in Molecular Plant Sciences

BIOL3191 Biology, Society and Ethics

BIOL3193 Bacteria and Health: An Ecological and Evolutionary Perspective

BIOL3205 Genetics of Human Disease 2

BIOL3108 Hallmarks of Cancer

BIOL3206 Macroevolution & Macroecology

BIOL3208 Biology Research Project

BIOL3209 Biology Research Project (12u)

BIAN3016 Analysis of Mammalian Remains

BIAN3113 Human Evolution

Students must achieve a minimum 65% weighted average mark across all compulsory courses in the Bachelor of Genetics component undertaken in each period (Summer/First Semester/Autumn) and (Winter/Second Semester/Spring) in order to continue in the Bachelor of Genetics. Students who do not achieve a minimum of 65% weighted average mark will be transferred from the Bachelor of Genetics double degree to the equivalent Bachelor of Science double degree

The Bachelor of Politics, Philosophy, and Economics flexible double degree component requires completion of 96 units, of which:

A maximum of 48 units may come from completion of 1000-level courses

The 96 units must include:

48 units from the completion of the following compulsory courses:

ECON1101 Microeconomics 1

ECON2101 Microeconomics 2(P)

ECON3056 PPE Integration 3: Classic Literature in PPE

PHIL1005 Logic and Critical Thinking

PHIL2116 PPE Integration 2

POLS1002 Introduction to Politics

POLS1008 PPE Integration 1

POLS1009 Research and Writing in Political Science

6 units from completion of the following courses:

PHIL1004 Fundamental Ideas in Philosophy: An Introduction

PHIL1008 Introduction to Ethics

A minimum of 6 units from completion of courses from the following list, which must also be counted towards completion of any other requirements for the Bachelor of Politics, Philosophy and Economics:

ECON2141 Strategic Thinking: An introduction to Game Theory

POLS2125 Game Theory and Social Sciences

POLS2130 Public Choice and Politics

Note: these courses are included in the following lists. 

12 units from completion of courses from the following list:

EURO2003 European Union: Policies, Institutions and Challenges

POLS2043 Pressure Groups and Political Lobbying

POLS2063 Contemporary Political Theory

POLS2094 Issues in International Political Economy

POLS3039 Political Leadership and Executive Government

POLS2111 Elections, Political Behaviour and Public Opinion in Australia

POLS2114 Australian Political Institutions

POLS2120 Foundations of Political Theory

POLS2125 Game Theory and Social Sciences

POLS2126 Democracy: Its Causes and Consequences

POLS2127 U.S. Politics

POLS2130 Public Choice and Politics

POLS3022 Washington DC Internship

POLS3029 Sharing Power: Federalism in Comparative Perspective

POLS3031 Comparative Judicial Politics

POLS3034 Comparative Political Parties and Party Systems

12 units from completion of courses from the following list:

PHIL2016 Philosophy of Language

PHIL2020 Theories of Social Justice

PHIL2057 Philosophy of Science

PHIL2080 Logic

PHIL2082 Sex and Death: the Philosophy of Biology

PHIL2101 Democracy, Difference and Desire

PHIL2113 Global Justice

PHIL2121 Philosophical Logic

PHIL2122 Philosophy and Public Policy

PHIL2124 Philosophy of Cognitive Science

PHIL2125 Rationality and Social Cooperation

PHIL2126 Science in Society: Ethics, Public Policy and Scientific Practice

PHIL3073 Advanced Ethics, Social and Political Philosophy

PHIL3075 The Philosophy of Gender: Knowledge, Power, Bodies

PHIL3076 Philosophy of the Life Sciences

12 units from completion of courses from the following list:

CRIM2000 The Illicit Economy

ECHI1006 The Australian Economy: Past and Present

ECHI3008 History of Economic Thought(P)

ECHI3009 World Economy Since 1800

ECHI3019 The World Economy Since 1800 (H)

ECON1102 Macroeconomics 1

ECON2013 Behavioral Economics

ECON2014 Managerial Economics

ECON2016 Economics II (H)

ECON2026 Money and Banking

ECON2091 The Economy, Politics and the State

ECON2102 Macroeconomics 2 (P)

ECON2120 Law and Economics (P)

ECON2125 Optimisation for Economics and Financial Economics

ECON2141 Strategic Thinking: An introduction to Game Theory

ECON3100 Economics 3 (H)

ECON3101 Microeconomics 3

ECON3102 Macroeconomics 3

EMET1001 Foundations of Economic and Financial Models

INDG3003 The Indigenous Economy

6 units from the completion of 2000- and 3000-level courses from the following subject areas and courses:

ANIP Australian National Internships Program

ECON Economics

PHIL Philosophy

POLS Political Science

ASIA2090 The Political Economy of Myanmar

POLS2127 U.S. Politics

Minors

Bachelor of Politics, Philosophy and Economics Minors

Study Options

Honours

Students who attain a sufficient standard in the pass degree may be admitted to the Honours year to become candidates for the degree with Honours.

See the Honours Degree listed in the Bachelor of Science.