C10172v9 Bachelor of Molecular Biotechnology
Award(s): Bachelor of Molecular Biotechnology (BMolBiotech)UAC code: 607045 (Autumn session, Spring session)
CRICOS code: 026806C
Commonwealth supported place?: Yes
Load credit points: 144
Course EFTSL: 3
Location: City campus
Overview
Course aims
Career options
Innovation and Transdisciplinary program
Course intended learning outcomes
Admission requirements
Pathway course
Assumed knowledge
Course duration and attendance
Course structure
Course completion requirements
Course diagram
Course program
Honours
Other information
Overview
By 2031, the global biotechnology market is expected to be valued at US$53.7 billion – which means over the coming decade, skilled biotech professionals will be more in demand than ever. Students passionate about using science to transform human and environmental outcomes can take their place in this rapidly expanding field.
At its core, biotechnology is about manipulating the cellular and molecular processes of living organisms. With a unique hands-on learning style, UTS Bachelor of Molecular Biotechnology students work at the intersection of emerging technology and medical or environmental science to drive new innovations in human and planetary health.
Why UTS Science?
As one of Australia’s leading university science faculties, UTS Science is committed to scientific advancement that creates a more sustainable world. Our students join a university that delivers global impact in STEM education and research and a faculty that produces scientists with the power to transform the profession.
Course features
- Complete a series of common core subjects that underpin all undergraduate UTS Science degrees. Data, Design and Decisions and Scientific Perspectives for Global Issues are designed to equip students with a toolkit of technical and workplace skills, preparing them to thrive both at and after uni.
- Choice of major:
- Medical Biotechnology: Study the key scientific disciplines that underpin the medical biotech field – molecular biology, microbiology, pharmacology, human genetics, and immunology – with a major that’s all about the application of biotechnology to human health. Students explore specialist subjects in areas like medical devices and bioprocessing and get hands-on with the cutting-edge molecular tools and techniques that define the modern biotech industry. By the time students graduate, they have the practical skills and theoretical knowledge to shape the future of medical diagnosis and treatment.
- Environmental Biotechnology: This major prepares students to harness biological technologies and methods to address pressing environmental issues, including pollution mitigation, environmental remediation, renewable energy generation, biosecurity, and biomass production. Through a combination of hard science and specialist environmental subjects, graduates emerge ready to contribute to products and processes that preserve and care for our planet.
- Free electives: Students can customise the degree to suit their personal or career aspirations. Enrol in an international exchange, pursue a professional internship, or tailor the degree with a choice of subjects from any UTS faculty.
- Cross-disciplinary expertise: UTS Science curriculum goes beyond scientific and technical skills development. With subjects in biobusiness and intellectual property commercialisation, students also explore the commercial and ethical impacts of biotechnology in the world beyond the lab.
Course aims
Learn from the leaders in biotechnology
Course content is shaped by research from the acclaimed UTS Climate Change Cluster (C3); the Australian Institute for Microbiology & Infection (AIMI); the School of Life Sciences; and the Deep Green Biotech Hub, a UTS-partnered collaboration that specialises in algal biotechnology and innovation. As well as studying industry-aligned curriculum, students gain access to guest lectures, mentoring and more through UTS’s extensive industry connections. Elsewhere, the faculty’s rapidly expanding professional experience program can connect students with internships in UTS laboratories and in leading medical science organisations in Sydney and beyond*.
*Please note: this is an elective subject. Students must complete a competitive application process to secure a professional placement.
Study in purpose-built facilities
As a university of technology, UTS is known for its commitment to practice-based teaching and the integration of new technologies into course design and development. Students learn in the world-class Hive Superlab and UTS Science Superlab, two tech-driven learning environments that support simultaneous teaching of multiple classes in a single collaborative space. They also have the opportunity to visit the UTS Biologics Innovation Facility, a purpose-built good manufacturing process (GMP) bioprocessing facility where biotechnology comes to life.
Career options
Biotechnology is a global field – and Australia is one of the world’s leading locations for biotech companies. Whether graduates want to work overseas or pursue local opportunities, the UTS Bachelor of Molecular Biotechnology can supercharge their career prospects.
Career options depend on the choice of major:
- Medical biotechnology: Graduates can develop and deploy new vaccines, diagnostics and medicines for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, hospitals, pathology and biomedical firms, universities, and research institutes. Or, design, develop and oversee policy for government and regulatory bodies like the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).
- Environmental biotechnology: Graduates can work in various roles, such as research associate, consultant, field scientist, microbiologist, conservation officer, environment officer or biotechnologist across a wide range of industries, including government or biosecurity agencies. Or, graduates can design, develop and oversee policy for government and regulatory bodies.
Innovation and Transdisciplinary program
Transdisciplinarity and Innovation at UTSAll UTS students have the opportunity to develop distinctive capabilities around transdisciplinary thinking and innovation through the TD School. Transdisciplinary education at UTS brings together great minds from different disciplines to explore ideas that improve the way we live and work in the world. These offerings are unique to UTS and directly translate to many existing and emerging roles and careers.
Diploma in InnovationThe Diploma in Innovation (C20060) teaches innovation, supports personal transformation and provides the hard skills needed to support the inventors and inventions of the future. Students come out of the Diploma in Innovation, with the hard skills to create and support sectoral and societal transformation. Graduates are able to fluently integrate ideas, across professional disciplines and are inventors of the future.
All UTS undergraduate students (with the exception of students concurrently enrolled in the Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation) can apply for the Diploma in Innovation upon admission in their chosen undergraduate degree. It is a complete degree program that runs in parallel to any undergraduate degree. The course is offered on a three-year, part-time basis, with subjects running in 3-week long intensive blocks in July, December and February sessions. More information including a link to apply is available at https://dipinn.uts.edu.au.
Transdisciplinary electives programTransdisciplinary electives broaden students' horizons and supercharge their problem-solving skills, helping them to learn outside, beyond and across their degrees. Students enrolled in an undergraduate course that includes electives can choose to take a transdisciplinary subject (with the exception of students concurrently enrolled in the Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation). More information about the TD Electives program is available here.
Course intended learning outcomes
| 1.1 | Explain how current and emerging molecular biotechnologies can be used to pioneer better health care or help solve or otherwise address environmental issues, and to evaluate and integrate economic and scientific strategies that influence the translation of new biotechnology products to the marketplace. |
| 2.1 | Critically evaluate information from sources such as databases and published literature to identify novel research ideas and apply strategic and creative reasoning to find solutions or articulate issues related to biotechnology. |
| 3.1 | Articulate the role and place of bio-business in the economy, with due consideration of global risk perceptions and the legal and regulatory requirements in biotechnology. |
| 4.1 | Demonstrate a confident independence to identify problems or unmet needs and act to find innovative and creative solutions with an understanding of the social, disciplinary, economic, and contextual barriers. |
| 5.1 | Display effective and appropriate professional communication skills (oral, written, visual) in order to pitch ideas, generate defensible, convincing arguments or transmit research findings within a multi-disciplinary setting. |
| 6.1 | Develop knowledge of Indigenous Australian contexts to inform professional cultural capabilities to work effectively with and for, Indigenous Australians within the biotechnology sector. |
Admission requirements
Applicants must have completed an Australian Year 12 qualification, Australian Qualifications Framework Diploma, or equivalent Australian or overseas qualification at the required level.
The English proficiency requirement for international students or local applicants with international qualifications is: IELTS Academic: 6.5 overall with a writing score of 6.0; or TOEFL iBT: 79-93 overall with a writing score of 21; or AE5: Pass; or PTE: 58-64 with a writing score of 50; or C1A/C2P: 176-184 with a writing score of 169.
Eligibility for admission does not guarantee offer of a place.
International students
Visa requirement: To obtain a student visa to study in Australia, international students must enrol full time and on campus. Australian student visa regulations also require international students studying on student visas to complete the course within the standard full-time duration. Students can extend their courses only in exceptional circumstances.
Pathway course
Successful completion of the UTS College:
- Diploma of Engineering with a WAM of at least 60 per cent without any failures guarantees entry into the course with 36 credit points recognition of prior learning
- Diploma of Science (Life Science) guarantees entry into the course with 48 credit points of recognition of prior learning.
Assumed knowledge
Mathematics; any two units of English; any two units of Science.
Chemistry, Mathematics Extension 1 is recommended.
Course duration and attendance
Students can complete the course over three years of full-time or six years of part-time study. Part-time students are required to attend some classes in daytime hours.
Course structure
Students must complete a total of 144 credit points, made up of 48 credit points of core subjects, a 72-credit-point major and 24 credit points of electives.
Industrial training/professional practice
Students studying this course have an opportunity to undertake an internship subject and receive academic credit for their placement off campus (an external business or research institute) or on campus (UTS research institutes or departments), in a capacity relevant to their academic studies.
Course completion requirements
| CBK92139 Stream Choice (Biotechnology) | 144cp | |
| Total | 144cp |
Course diagram
Course program
Typical course programs are shown below.
| Medical Biotechnology major, Autumn commencing, full time | ||
| Year 1 | ||
| Autumn session | ||
| 60006 Scientific Perspectives for Global Issues | 6cp | |
| 65111 Chemistry 1 | 6cp | |
| 91161 Cell Biology and Genetics | 6cp | |
| 33116 Design, Data, and Decisions | 6cp | |
| Spring session | ||
| 91132 Molecular Biology | 6cp | |
| 65212 Chemistry 2 | 6cp | |
| 91123 Nature and Evolution | 6cp | |
| 91400 Human Anatomy and Physiology | 6cp | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Autumn session | ||
| 91314 General Microbiology | 6cp | |
| 91142 Biotechnology | 6cp | |
| 91707 Fundamentals of Pharmacology | 6cp | |
| CBK92069 Transdisciplinary Electives | 6cp | |
| Spring session | ||
| 91178 Applications of Molecular Biology | 6cp | |
| 91401 Immunology | 6cp | |
| 91822 Human Genetics and Precision Medicine | 6cp | |
| Select 6 credit points from the following: | 6cp | |
| 79006 Intellectual Property Commercialisation | 6cp | |
| 22108 Accounting and Accountability | 6cp | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Autumn session | ||
| CBK90232 Electives (Science UG) | 24cp | |
| Spring session | ||
| 91817 Medical Biotechnology | 6cp | |
| 91368 Bioreactors and Bioprocessing | 6cp | |
| 91369 Biobusiness | 6cp | |
| Select 6 credit points from the following: | 6cp | |
| 91705 Medical Devices and Diagnostics | 6cp | |
| 91180 Immunology and Human Health | 6cp | |
| 91827 Advanced Medical Biochemistry | 6cp | |
| Medical Biotechnology major, Spring commencing, full time | ||
| Year 1 | ||
| Spring session | ||
| 65111 Chemistry 1 | 6cp | |
| 91400 Human Anatomy and Physiology | 6cp | |
| 60006 Scientific Perspectives for Global Issues | 6cp | |
| 91123 Nature and Evolution | 6cp | |
| Year 2 | ||
| January Session | ||
| 65212 Chemistry 2 | 6cp | |
| Autumn session | ||
| 91161 Cell Biology and Genetics | 6cp | |
| 91142 Biotechnology | 6cp | |
| CBK92069 Transdisciplinary Electives | 6cp | |
| Spring session | ||
| 91822 Human Genetics and Precision Medicine | 6cp | |
| 91132 Molecular Biology | 6cp | |
| 91817 Medical Biotechnology | 6cp | |
| Select 6 credit points from the following: | 6cp | |
| 79006 Intellectual Property Commercialisation | 6cp | |
| 22108 Accounting and Accountability | 6cp | |
| Year 3 | ||
| January Session | ||
| 91401 Immunology | 6cp | |
| Autumn session | ||
| 91707 Fundamentals of Pharmacology | 6cp | |
| 33116 Design, Data, and Decisions | 6cp | |
| 91314 General Microbiology | 6cp | |
| Spring session | ||
| 91178 Applications of Molecular Biology | 6cp | |
| 91368 Bioreactors and Bioprocessing | 6cp | |
| Select 6 credit points from the following: | 6cp | |
| 91705 Medical Devices and Diagnostics | 6cp | |
| 91180 Immunology and Human Health | 6cp | |
| 91827 Advanced Medical Biochemistry | 6cp | |
| 91369 Biobusiness | 6cp | |
| Year 4 | ||
| Autumn session | ||
| CBK90232 Electives (Science UG) | 24cp | |
| Environmental Biotechnology major, Autumn commencing, full time | ||
| Year 1 | ||
| Autumn session | ||
| 65111 Chemistry 1 | 6cp | |
| 91161 Cell Biology and Genetics | 6cp | |
| 33116 Design, Data, and Decisions | 6cp | |
| 91107 The Biosphere | 6cp | |
| Spring session | ||
| 91132 Molecular Biology | 6cp | |
| 91123 Nature and Evolution | 6cp | |
| 60006 Scientific Perspectives for Global Issues | 6cp | |
| 65621 Environmental Chemistry | 6cp | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Autumn session | ||
| 91168 Ecological Genetics | 6cp | |
| 91314 General Microbiology | 6cp | |
| 91142 Biotechnology | 6cp | |
| 91154 Ecology | 6cp | |
| Spring session | ||
| 91159 Environmental Remediation | 6cp | |
| CBK92069 Transdisciplinary Electives | 6cp | |
| 91178 Applications of Molecular Biology | 6cp | |
| Select 6 credit points from the following: | 6cp | |
| 79006 Intellectual Property Commercialisation | 6cp | |
| 22108 Accounting and Accountability | 6cp | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Autumn session | ||
| Select 18 credit points from the following: | 18cp | |
| CBK90232 Electives (Science UG) | 24cp | |
| Select 6 credit points from the following: | 6cp | |
| 91145 Environmental Protection and Management | 6cp | |
| 91156 Ocean Systems and Climate Change | 6cp | |
| Spring session | ||
| 91818 Environmental Biotechnology | 6cp | |
| 91368 Bioreactors and Bioprocessing | 6cp | |
| 91369 Biobusiness | 6cp | |
| Select 6 credit points from the following: | 6cp | |
| CBK90232 Electives (Science UG) | 24cp | |
| Environmental Biotechnology major, Spring commencing, full time | ||
| Year 1 | ||
| Spring session | ||
| 65111 Chemistry 1 | 6cp | |
| 91123 Nature and Evolution | 6cp | |
| 60006 Scientific Perspectives for Global Issues | 6cp | |
| 91161 Cell Biology and Genetics | 6cp | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Autumn session | ||
| 33116 Design, Data, and Decisions | 6cp | |
| 91142 Biotechnology | 6cp | |
| 91107 The Biosphere | 6cp | |
| 91314 General Microbiology | 6cp | |
| Spring session | ||
| 65621 Environmental Chemistry | 6cp | |
| 91368 Bioreactors and Bioprocessing | 6cp | |
| 91132 Molecular Biology | 6cp | |
| Select 6 credit points from the following: | 6cp | |
| 79006 Intellectual Property Commercialisation | 6cp | |
| 22108 Accounting and Accountability | 6cp | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Autumn session | ||
| 91154 Ecology | 6cp | |
| 91168 Ecological Genetics | 6cp | |
| CBK92069 Transdisciplinary Electives | 6cp | |
| Select 6 credit points from the following: | 6cp | |
| CBK90232 Electives (Science UG) | 24cp | |
| Spring session | ||
| 91818 Environmental Biotechnology | 6cp | |
| 91178 Applications of Molecular Biology | 6cp | |
| 91369 Biobusiness | 6cp | |
| 91159 Environmental Remediation | 6cp | |
| Year 4 | ||
| Autumn session | ||
| Select 6 credit points from the following: | 6cp | |
| 91145 Environmental Protection and Management | 6cp | |
| 91156 Ocean Systems and Climate Change | 6cp | |
| Select 18 credit points from the following: | 18cp | |
| CBK90232 Electives (Science UG) | 24cp | |
Honours
The Bachelor of Science (Honours) (C09168) is available to eligible students with an additional one year of full-time study.
Other information
Further information is available from:
UTS Student Centre
telephone 1300 ask UTS (1300 275 887)
or +61 2 9514 1222
Ask UTS