Program Requirements

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

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

The 96 units must consist of:

6 units from completion of the following compulsory course:

BIOL8291 Research Presentation Skills (6 units)

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

BIOL8704 Biology Literature Research Project (6 units) (*online only)

BIOL8700 Research Proposal (12 units)

A minimum of 36 units from completion of 6000- 8000- level courses from the subject area BIOL Biology

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

BIAN8005 Theory Seminar in Biological Anthropology (6 units)

BIOL6191 Bioethics and Society (6 units)

BIOL6194 Biological Sciences in the Workplace (6 units)

BIOL6201 Big Questions in Biology (6 units)

BIOL8021 Health and Disease in a Changing World (6 units)

ENVS6021 Participatory Resource Management: Working with Communities and Stakeholders (6 units)

ENVS6024 Biodiversity Conservation (6 units)

ENVS6025 Complex Environmental Problems in Action (6 units)

ENVS6101 Environment and Society: Geography of Sustainability (6 units)

ENVS6103 Introduction to Environmental and Social Research (6 units)

ENVS6307 Climate Change: Science, Society, and Policy (6 units)

ENVS6315 Essentials of Environmental Law (6 units)

ENVS6528 Environmental Policy (6 units)

ENVS8016 Contemporary Perspectives in Environment-Society Interaction (6 units)

ENVS8019 Sustainable Futures: Staying on Track (6 units)

SCNC8000 Science Internship (6 units)

SCOM6003 Science in Popular Fiction (6 units)

SCOM6007 Science Communication Project Design and Delivery (6 units)

SCOM6012 Science Communication and the Web (6 units)

SCOM6015 Speaking of Science (6 units)

SCOM6016 Science in the Media (6 units)

SCOM6027 Science Politics (6 units)

SCOM6029 Cross Cultural Perspectives in Science Communication (6 units)

SCOM6031 Science, Risk and Ethics (6 units)

SCOM6032 Making Modern Science (6 units)

SCOM6501 Strategies in Science Communication (6 units)

SCOM8014 Communicating Science with the Public (6 units)

VCPG6001 Unravelling Complexity (6 units)

VCPG6003 Leadership and Influence in a Complex World (6 units)

24 units from completion of elective courses offered by ANU.

Capstone Courses

Study Options

Admission Requirements

Applicants must present a Bachelor degree or international equivalent

• with a minimum GPA of at least 5.0/7.0
• with at least 8 courses in a cognate discipline, which must also have a minimum GPA of 5.0/7.0.

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 discipline. Where more than 8 cognate courses have been completed by the applicant, ANU will take the best 8 courses when assessing the cognate GPA.

The GPA for a Bachelor program will be calculated from (i) a completed Bachelor degree using all grades and/or (ii) a completed Bachelor degree using all grades other than those from the last semester (or equivalent study period) of the Bachelor degree. The higher of the two calculations will be used as the basis for admission.

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

Ranking and English language proficiency: 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. Applicants will first be ranked on a GPA ('GPA1') that is calculated using all but the last semester (or equivalent) of the Bachelor degree used for admission purposes. If required, ranking may further be confirmed on the basis of:

• a GPA ('GPA2') calculated on the penultimate and antepenultimate semesters (or equivalent) of the Bachelor degree used for admission purposes; and/or
• demonstrating higher-level English language proficiency

Prior to enrolment in this ANU program, all students who gain entry will have their Bachelor degree reassessed, to confirm minimum requirements were met.

Further information: English language admission requirements and post-admission support

Diversity factors: 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Fee Information

All students are required to pay the Services and amenities fee (SA Fee)

The annual indicative fee provides an estimate of the program tuition fees for international students and domestic students (where applicable). The annual indicative fee for a program is based on the standard full-time enrolment load of 48 units per year (unless the program duration is less than 48 units). Fees for courses vary by discipline meaning that the fees for a program can vary depending on the courses selected. Course fees are reviewed on an annual basis and typically will increase from year to year. The tuition fees payable are dependent on the year of commencement and the courses selected and are subject to increase during the period of study.

For further information on Fees and Payment please see: https://www.anu.edu.au/students/program-administration/fees-payments

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

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.

Inherent Requirements

Information on inherent requirements is currently not available.

Further Information

Program advice:

The capstone requirements for the Master of Science in Biological Sciences can be met by BIOL8700 or a combination of BIOL8291 and BIOL8704. For those who take BIOL8291 and BIOL8704, the topic that is researched must be the same across both courses.

Potential pathway to Masters (Advanced)

Students who are admitted to the Master of Science in Biological Sciences (NSCBS) can explore the option of undertaking a significant research component. Please discuss this option with the program convener when entering the program. Students have the option of applying to transfer to the Master of Science (Advanced) in Biological Sciences (VSCBS) program after successfully completing 24 units of Masters level coursework if they satisfy the following requirements:

• have completed the compulsory courses in the first 48 units of study in the Master of Science (Advanced) in Biological Sciences,
• achieve a minimum 70% weighted average mark in the initial 48 units of coursework,
• have the approval of an identified supervisor, and
• meet the published admission requirements of the Master of Science (Advanced) in Biological Sciences.

Vertical Double Degree pathway UGRD-PGRD:

This program is part of the Vertical Double Degree pathway structure offered by the College of Science and the College of Health and Medicine. The Vertical Double Degree pathway presents students with the opportunity to complete a 3-year single undergraduate degree offered by the ANU College of Science or the College of Health and Medicine with a cognate 2-year Masters degree in 4 years (full-time) instead of 5 years (full-time). Not all undergraduate and Masters programs are offered as a Vertical Double Degree pathway. For more information on applicable combinations, benefits and how to apply, eligibility and conditions please visit https://science.anu.edu.au/vertical-double-degrees or https://health.anu.edu.au/vertical-double-degrees

Students who are interested in pursuing a Vertical Double Degree pathway with this program, are advised to contact the College of Science Student Services Office at science.enquiries@anu.edu.au and seek academic advice. Students who are already in an undergraduate degree offered by the College of Science or College of Health & Medicine should seek academic advice before completion of the first 72 units of their undergraduate studies.

This pathway is not available to students in an undergraduate Flexible Double Degree.

Exit pathways:

Students who have completed 48 units and wish to exit the program have the option of transferring to graduate from a Graduate Diploma of Science.

Students who have completed 24 units and wish to exit the program have the option of transferring to graduate from a Graduate Certificate of Science.

Course offered by the College of Science and College of Health and Medicine:

An indicative list of courses offered by the College of Science and the College of Health and Medicine can be found under current students page on the College website via this link.

For a full list of postgraduate Biology courses offered by the Research School of Biology, please see https://biology.anu.edu.au/education/courses