Biotechnology
Bachelor of Biotechnology (Honours) - BBiotech(Hons)
| Fast Facts |
| Course Level: | Undergraduate |
 |
| Course Length: | Four years full-time or equivalent part-time, including a compulsory Honours year.
Combined Degrees:
Biotechnology / Diploma in Language - one additional year to your
full-time study program;
Biotechnology / Innovation and Enterprise (Science & Technology)
- one additional year to your full-time study program; and
Biotechnology / Laws and Legal Practice degree - 5.5 years
full-time.
The Advanced Entry Program is available to students with SACE scores of 19 or 20, or IB scores of 6 or 7, in Biology and Chemistry. This program enables students to enter the degree program at second year and complete an Honours degree within 3 years.
|
| Location: | Taught on-campus at Flinders. |
| Available To: | Australian and international students. |
| Prerequisites: | None. However some first year Mathematics, Chemistry and Physics topics assume knowledge of Stage 2 subjects. |
| SATAC Code: | 214071 |
| Entry Cutoff Scores: |
Tertiary Education Rank (TER)
-
Science & Engineering Bonus Points Scheme for High School Students
 |
| Course Program Details: | A program of study is available in the University's Course Information Handbook. |
About the Course
What is Biotechnology?
Biotechnology is essentially the use of living organisms (often minute microorganisms) and their products for health, social or economic purposes and is considered to be the growth technology of the 21st Century. Its applications are widespread, including the following:
- diagnosis and treatment of human diseases.
- improved production of therapeutic agents.
- development of improved crop plant species.
- development of improved pest/pathogen control processes.
- development of biosensors for environmental pollutants.
- development of improved waste treatment processes and methods for remediating contaminated sites.
- production of transgenic organisms for production of new drugs, improved transplantation success and improved animal and plant productivity.
Career Opportunities
Biotechnology is tipped to be the growth technology of the 21st century. Our graduates work in biotechnology, medical and agricultural industries, in beverage and food production, and in a range of public and private diagnostic, therapeutic and research laboratories covering microbiology, haematology, bioremediation, immunology, forensic science, crop development, pest control, animal production, veterinary services, molecular biology and protein engineering.
The career options are expanding rapidly. Advances in genetic engineering, protein engineering, cell culture and molecular biology have generated a virtually unlimited potential for altering the capabilities of living systems, greatly expanding the scope of biotechnology, generating new applications for biological products and allowing a previously unprecedented ability to control life processes.
To find out more about the jobs this degree can lead to, go to the Your Career section of the Flinders' graduate careers website.
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Combining Degrees
Biotechnology / Innovation and Enterprise (Science & Technology)
Adds an additional year to
your full-time study program.
If you want to boost your business, management, enterprise and communication skills, and undertake a concentrated period of practical work experience, consider combining
Biotechnology with the Bachelor of Innovation and Enterprise (Science and Technology).
You’ll graduate with two degrees. More importantly, you’ll increase your immediate attractiveness to employers and your potential to become a business leader. You will need to apply for both the Bachelor of Biotechnology (Honours) and the BIE via SATAC.
Biotechnology / Laws and Legal Practice
5.5 years Full-time.
The combined Biotechnology / Laws and Legal Practice joint degree program will allow graduates to practise law but will also open up new opportunities for specialisations in forensic law and legal positions within the growing biotechnology industry.
Contact person for the combined Biotechnology/Law degree is:
What Will I Study?
In First Year you'll gain a foundation in basic biology, chemistry and information technology and be given an Introduction to Biotechnology. You will gain generic skills allowing you to develop into a productive industry scientist/researcher with good teamwork and presentation skills that will be reinforced throughout the degree program.
The Second Year has the theme ‘Using Nature to Best Advantage’ and involves a combination of fundamental biology such as microbiology, biochemistry, genetics and molecular biology and aspects of biotechnology including agricultural biotechnology and pharmaceutical drug discovery and development. Legal, ethical and social issues also are discussed.
The Third Year has the theme ‘Engineering Nature to Better Advantage’ and combines advanced biology, molecular biology, industrial and environmental biotechnology and medical biotechnology including diagnostics, vaccines, gene therapy and reproductive technologies.
The Fourth (Honours) Year looks at ‘Taking Biotechnology to the Marketplace’ and includes studies in Enterprise Management, where students work in teams to produce a full business plan for a biotechnology product or process followed by a nine-month research project in an area of the student’s choice. Projects can be based in an academic research environment or industry and can include both business and scientific aspects of biotechnology.
The full program of study, including topic descriptions, is set out in the Course rule and topic information for this degree.
Why Study Biotechnology at Flinders?
The Biotechnology Honours degree at Flinders has established a reputation as one of the foremost biotechnology degrees offered at an Australian university. The structure of the degree, including the compulsory Honours component ensures graduates are well trained for careers in a research environment. The course was developed from new with dedicated academic staff and excellent technical and equipment resources. Students receive training in all aspects of biotechnology and can specialise through their fourth year research project in their chosen area.
The course has a strong business component with emphasis on enterprise management, intellectual property protection, marketing and legal, ethical and social aspects of biotechnology, all of which play an important role in the commercialisation of biotechnology. Students can undertake industry work placements in years 2 and 3 that provide first hand experience of potential career opportunities and the requirements of industry employers.
Flinders has excellent connections to the biotechnology industry with company partners in South Australia, interstate and overseas. A number of spin-off companies have been formed in recent years in both the medical/molecular area and in environmental biotechnology.
The formal course aims are set out in the Course rule and topic information for this degree.
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Entry requirements
Australian Students
SATAC Code: 214071
There are no prerequisites. However some First Year Mathematics, Chemistry and Physics topics assume knowledge of Stage 2 subjects.
Year 12 applicants must have qualified for SACE and obtained Recorded Achievement in at least five two-unit SACE Stage 2 subjects. Included among the five must be four HESS General subjects.
To be considered for the Advanced Entry Program, applicants require SACE scores of 19 or 20, or IB scores of 6 or 7, in Biology and Chemistry.
Applicants who have completed one of the following are eligible to apply:
- SACE (Year 12) or interstate equivalent;
- International Baccalaureate (IB);
- TAFE/VET;
- Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT);
- Foundation Course/Bridging Program;
- Overseas qualifications;
- Tertiary Transfer (Grade Point Average - GPA); and
- Other access schemes are eligible to apply.
International Students
CRICOS Provider Code: 00114A
See the Why choose Flinders section for the following information about this and other Flinders courses:
- Tuition fees
- Course entry requirements
- English language requirements
- Australian visa and health cover requirements
- Scholarships Information for AusAID applicants
See the When and how to apply section for information about the application process and access to application forms.
Note: Australian qualifications are recognised in most countries, but students are advised to discuss their proposed programs with the professional registration authority and relevant professional associations in their home country before commencing studies.
Required Background
Whilst there are no formal course prerequisites, some First Year Mathematics, Chemistry and Physics topics assume knowledge of Stage 2 subjects. A strong background in science is important for biotechnology students with the most useful year 12 topics being chemistry, physics, mathematics and biology that underpin biological sciences and biotechnology. It is possible to undertake the degree without a diverse science background but this may limit the choices in the degree and may require some additional initial background study before undertaking the degree.
How do I get the Required Background if I don't already have it?
The best approach to acquire the necessary background is through first year Bachelor of Science at Flinders, where you can study Biology, Introduction to Chemistry and Information Technology.
Transferring Credit
Credit will be considered for applicants with previous tertiary study in areas relevant to the biotechnology program. These cases will be considered on an individual basis and application can be made the normal channels of applying for status.
An Application for Credit form and relevant policies are available on the web.
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More on Biotechnology
Research Activities
Biotechnology-related research at Flinders is extensive and involves academic/research staff appointed to the program and other scientists within the Faculties of Science and Engineering and Health Sciences. The university has excellent facilities for laboratory and pilot scale research including:
- a broad range of state of the art molecular biology research infrastructure including a DNA micro-array reader
- containment glasshouses for transgenic plant research
- fermentation equipment for production of important biomolecules
- protein production, purification and structural analysis facilities
- a bioremediation pilot scale research facility
Research includes:
- production of novel therapeutics from microorganisms (Franco)
- biological control of plant diseases (Franco)
- the development of improved bioremediation processes for treating industrial pollutants
- protein crystallography and investigations into the resistance of malarial parasites to current drug therapies (Menz)
- investigation into the molecular basis of plant resistance to fungal pathogens (Anderson)
- development/use of bioassays for detection of genetic damage in human cells (Sanderson)
- reproductive biotechnology (Young)
- bioinformatics and its application to diagnosis of human disease (Abbott)
- the development of novel gene shuffling technologies for protein engineering (Catcheside)
- DNA forensics (Catcheside, Burgoyne)
- production/use of fish/shellfish growth factors (Soole, Carragher)
Web Resources
Disclaimer: The following links lead to a variety of Internet sites that are not affiliated with Flinders University. The presence of a link in the table below does NOT indicate an endorsement of the ownership, content or condition of the corresponding web site.
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Further Information
Flinders Web Resources
The following are additional links within the University of Flinders website where you will find information on costs, financial assistance, and other courses offered by the University.
Contact Us
If you would like to find out more about this course, or any of our other courses, please contact us:
Admissions Office
Science & Engineering
Course Co-ordinator
Apply Now!
If you've read enough and want to apply for entry into this course then contact:
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