Master of Biotechnology
Abbreviation of Award
MBioTech
UWA Course Code
71580
Degree Type
Coursework or Coursework and Dissertation
CRICOS Code:
083859F
Fee Type
Commonwealth Supported (CSP)
Course Advice
Please contact the Science Student Office (www.science.uwa.edu.au/students/science-student-office)
About this Course
Biotechnology is rapidly becoming central to our lives. The use of plants, animals and bacteria, enhanced by areas such as genetics and
genomics gives rise to new food, fibre and chemical production routes, new strategies for environmental protection and stewardship
as well as training the next generation of biomolecular scientists.
This is a signature programme designed to set us apart from other Universities by offering a thorough grounding in state of the art
biotechnology and combining this with training in enterprise and commercialisation. This includes developing the theory of genetics
and molecular biology in parallel with skills training in practical techniques such as genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, recombinant
DNA methods, and basic and advanced bioinformatics. Current streams include the application of biotechnology to Plant and Animal
Breeding, Environmental Biotechnology, Genetics and Genomics, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Commercialisation. An
important market advantage stems from the incorporation of commercialisation and enterprise, business planning and company spin
out into the course.
Admission Requirements
To be considered for admission to this course an applicant must have a bachelor's pass degree of this University or equivalent as
recognised by the Faculty
Course Duration
Minimum: 1.5 years full-time (or equivalent part-time) comprising 72 credit points of taught units and 24 points of admission
credit.*
Maximum: 2 years full-time (or equivalent part-time) comprising 96 points of taught units**
*Students with a bachelor’s degree or major in a cognate area of study will be granted up to 24 points credit in recognition of prior learning.
** Students requiring more than 72 credit points will receive course advice specifying additional units.
Example Cognate Majors: Agricultural Science, Biochemistry and Molecular, Biology, Botany, Conservation Biology, Environmental
Science, Genetics, Marine Science and Zoology that align with the chosen specialisation in the course, or equivalent as recognised by
the faculty.
Knowledge
Graduates will gain a knowledge base of current state of the art techniques in genomics, genetics and molecular biology in relation to
its current applications in green, white and blue biotechnological fields. These include the application of DNA sequencing, proteomics,
metabolomics and molecular biology manipulations of these core cellular components as well as bioinformatic analyses and the
principles of application in animal, plant, terrestrial and aquatic biotechnological arenas.
Scientific analyses will be underpinned with fundamental principles of experimental design and application in genomics and molecular
biology. The students will also gain substantial knowledge in the business aspects of biotechnology spin out, including developing and
protecting IP, business planning and company start up.
MBioTech SSO: Jul 14
Course Structure
Coursework ONLY
SCIE4001 The Objectives and Applications of Genomics
SCIE4002 Bioinformatics and Data Analysis for Genomics
Core Units
MKTG5604 Biotechnology Commercialisation
MGMT5639 Commercialisation Management Project (12pts)
Specialisation Core Units
Take FOUR specialisation core units
Specialisation Option Units
Take THREE specialisation option units
Coursework AND Dissertation
Research Project Rule
Students who request approval to undertake a research project as an optional unit in this course must have:

a weighted average mark of at least 65 % in at least 24 points of the level three units completed towards a cognate major in their UWA
undergraduate degree;

or equivalent as recognised by the Faculty;

or have a weighted average mark of at least 65% in at least 24 points of level 4/5 units completed within the course; AND

a supervisor, approved by the Faculty, must have confirmed his/her willingness and availability to supervise the research project.
SCIE4001 The Objectives and Applications of Genomics
SCIE4002 Bioinformatics and Data Analysis for Genomics
Core Units
MKTG5604 Biotechnology Commercialisation
MGMT5639 Commercialisation Management Project (12pts)
Specialisation Core Units
Take THREE specialisation core units
SCIE5590 Literature Review and Research Proposal
SCIE5511 Science Research Project Part 1
Research Project
SCIE5512 Science Research Project Part 2
SCIE5513 Science Research Project Part 3
Specialisation Core Unit: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Coursework ONLY - Take ONE unit from:
SCIE5515 Global Challenges in Biomedical Science
CHEM4001 Advanced Studies in Chemistry
Coursework ONLY and Coursework AND Dissertation - Take ALL THREE units
BIOC4001 Advanced Studies in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
BIOC5001 Advanced Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Techniques
MSCI4006 Advanced Techniques in Molecular Sciences
Specialisation Core Unit: Environmental Biotechnology
Coursework ONLY - Take ALL FOUR units
Coursework AND dissertation - Take THREE units from:
ENVT5001 Soil Biotechnology
ENVT5002 Advanced Studies in Environmental Biotechnology
ENVT5503 Remediation of Soils and Groundwater
MSCI4006 Advanced Techniques in Molecular Sciences
Specialisation Core Unit: Genetics and Breeding
Coursework ONLY - Take ALL TWO units
Coursework AND dissertation - Take ONE unit from:
SCIE4402 Data Management and Analysis in the Natural Sciences
MSCI4006 Advanced Techniques in Molecular Sciences
Coursework ONLY - Take TWO unitsfrom:
Coursework AND dissertation - Take TWO units from:
Take one from:
Take one from:
AGRI4404 Breeding and Animal Biotechnology
AGRI5501 Advanced Breeding and Biotechnology in Action 1
AGRI4405 Breeding and Plant Biotechnology
AGRI5502 Advanced Breeding and Biotechnology in Action 2
Specialisation Core Unit: Genetics and Genomics
Coursework ONLY - Take ALL FOUR units
Coursework AND dissertation - Take THREE units from:
BIOL4402 Conservation Genetics
MSCI4006 Advanced Techniques in Molecular Sciences
GENE4001 Advanced Studies in Genetics and Genetics and Genomics
GENE5001 Advanced Genomics Techniques
Specialisation Options
Coursework ONLY Degree; students take THREE specialisation option units (18 pts).
Specialisation Options: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
AGRI4403 Animal Science and Technology 1
AGRI4401 Advanced Crop Production Science
AGRI4407 Plant and Human Nutrition
AGRI4404 Breeding and Animal Biotechnology
BIOL4402 Conservation Genetics
AGRI4405 Breeding and Plant Biotechnology
BIOL4408 Marine Ecology
AGRI4406 Integrated Pest Management
BIOL4409 Ecological Field Methods
AGRI4408 Sustainable Grazing Systems
CITS4403 Computational Modelling
BIOL4403 Plant Ecophysiology
ENVE4402 Hydrology
BIOL4407 Marine Conservation and Fisheries Management
ENVE4405 Eco-engineering
ENVT4406 Catchment and River Processes
AGRI5501 Advanced Breeding and Biotechnology in Action 1
ENVT4409 Remote Sensing of the Environment
BIOC5001 Advanced Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Techniques
ENVE5502 Wastewater Treatment and Reuse
ENVT5001 Soil Biotechnology
CITS5503 Cloud Computing
ENVT5503 Remediation of Soils and Groundwater
AGRI5502 Advanced Breeding and Biotechnology in Action 2
ENVT5510 Soil Dynamics
ENVT5512 Ecosystem Biogeochemistry
SCIE5590 Literature Review and Research Proposal
GENE5001 Advanced Genomics Techniques
CHEM4001 Advanced Studies in Chemistry
ENVT5002 Advanced Studies in Environmental Biotechnology
ENVT4411 Geographic Information Systems Applications
LAWS5114 International Environmental Law
GENE4001 Advanced Studies in Genetics and Genomics
LAWS5521 Climate Change Law and Emissions Trading
SCIE4402 Data Management and Analysis in the Natural Sciences
SCIE5500 Advanced Modelling
SCIE4403 The Conduct, Ethics and Communication of Science
SCIE5505 Global Change and the Marine Environment
LAWS5518 Bioethics and the Law
SCIE4481 Good, bogus and corrupted science
LAWS5540 Environmental Protection Law
LAWS5112 Fisheries Law and Marine Species Protection
Specialisation Options: Environmental Biotechnology
AGRI4403 Animal Science and Technology 1
AGRI4401 Advanced Crop Production Science
AGRI4407 Plant and Human Nutrition
AGRI4404 Breeding and Animal Biotechnology
BIOL4402 Conservation Genetics
AGRI4405 Breeding and Plant Biotechnology
BIOL4408 Marine Ecology
AGRI4406 Integrated Pest Management
BIOL4409 Ecological Field Methods
AGRI4408 Sustainable Grazing Systems
ENVE4405 Eco-engineering
BIOL4403 Plant Ecophysiology
AGRI5501 Advanced Breeding and Biotechnology in Action 1
BIOL4407 Marine Conservation and Fisheries Management
BIOC5001 Advanced Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Techniques
ENVT4406 Catchment and River Processes
ENVT5510 Soil Dynamics
ENVT4409 Remote Sensing of the Environment
SCIE5515 Global Challenges in Biomedical Science
SCIE4481 Good, bogus and corrupted science
SCIE5590 Literature Review and Research Proposal
AGRI5502 Advanced Breeding and Biotechnology in Action 2
BIOC4001 Advanced Studies in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
CITS5503 Cloud Computing
CHEM4001 Advanced Studies in Chemistry
ENVE5502 Wastewater Treatment and Reuse
ENVT4411 Geographic Information Systems Applications
ENVT5512 Ecosystem Biogeochemistry
GENE4001 Advanced Studies in Genetics and Genomics
GENE5001 Advanced Genomics Techniques
SCIE4402 Data Management and Analysis in the Natural Sciences
LAWS5114 International Environmental Law
SCIE4403 The Conduct, Ethics and Communication of Science
LAWS5521 Climate Change Law and Emissions Trading
LAWS5112 Fisheries Law and Marine Species Protection
SCIE5500 Advanced Modelling
LAWS5518 Bioethics and the Law
SCIE5505 Global Change and the Marine Environment
LAWS5540 Environmental Protection Law
LAWS5112 Fisheries Law and Marine Species Protection
MBioTech SSO: Jul 14
Specialisation Options: Genetics and Breeding
AGRI4403 Animal Science and Technology 1
AGRI4401 Advanced Crop Production Science
AGRI4407 Plant and Human Nutrition
AGRI4406 Integrated Pest Management
BIOL4402 Conservation Genetics
AGRI4408 Sustainable Grazing Systems
BIOL4408 Marine Ecology
BIOL4403 Plant Ecophysiology
BIOL4409 Ecological Field Methods
BIOL4407 Marine Conservation and Fisheries Management
ENVE4405 Eco-engineering
ENVT4406 Catchment and River Processes
ENVT5510 Soil Dynamics
ENVT4409 Remote Sensing of the Environment
SCIE5515 Global Challenges in Biomedical Science
ENVE5502 Wastewater Treatment and Reuse
ENVT5001 Soil Biotechnology
ENVT5512 Ecosystem Biogeochemistry
BIOC5001 Advanced Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Techniques
GENE5001 Advanced Genomics Techniques
ENVT5503 Remediation of Soils and Groundwater
LAWS5114 International Environmental Law
SCIE5590 Literature Review and Research Proposal
LAWS5521 Climate Change Law and Emissions Trading
BIOC4001 Advanced Studies in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
SCIE5500 Advanced Modelling
CHEM4001 Advanced Studies in Chemistry
SCIE5505 Global Change and the Marine Environment
ENVT4411 Geographic Information Systems Applications
ENVE5502 Wastewater Treatment and Reuse
GENE4001 Advanced Studies in Genetics and Genomics
SCIE4481 Good, bogus and corrupted science
SCIE4403 The Conduct, Ethics and Communication of Science
LAWS5518 Bioethics and the Law
LAWS5112 Fisheries Law and Marine Species Protection
LAWS5540 Environmental Protection Law
Specialisation Options: Genetics and Genomics
AGRI4403 Animal Science and Technology 1
AGRI4401 Advanced Crop Production Science
AGRI4407 Plant and Human Nutrition
AGRI4404 Breeding and Animal Biotechnology
BIOL4408 Marine Ecology
AGRI4405 Breeding and Plant Biotechnology
BIOL4409 Ecological Field Methods
AGRI4406 Integrated Pest Management
ENVE4405 Eco-engineering
AGRI4408 Sustainable Grazing Systems
AGRI5501 Advanced Breeding and Biotechnology in Action 1
BIOL4403 Plant Ecophysiology
ENVT5510 Soil Dynamics
BIOL4407 Marine Conservation and Fisheries Management
SCIE5515 Global Challenges in Biomedical Science
ENVT4406 Catchment and River Processes
BIOC5001 Advanced Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Techniques
ENVT4409 Remote Sensing of the Environment
ENVT5503 Remediation of Soils and Groundwater
AGRI5502 Advanced Breeding and Biotechnology in Action 2
ENVT5001 Soil Biotechnology
ENVE5502 Wastewater Treatment and Reuse
SCIE5590 Literature Review and Research Proposal
LAWS5114 International Environmental Law
BIOC4001 Advanced Studies in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
LAWS5521 Climate Change Law and Emissions Trading
CHEM4001 Advanced Studies in Chemistry
SCIE5500 Advanced Modelling
ENVT4411 Geographic Information Systems Applications
SCIE5505 Global Change and the Marine Environment
SCIE4402 Data Management and Analysis in the Natural Sciences
ENVT5002 Advanced Studies in Environmental Biotechnology
SCIE4403 The Conduct, Ethics and Communication of Science
ENVT5512 Ecosystem Biogeochemistry
LAWS5112 Fisheries Law and Marine Species Protection
SCIE4481 Good, bogus and corrupted science
LAWS5518 Bioethics and the Law
LAWS5540 Environmental Protection Law
MBioTech SSO: Jul 14
Course availability in line with 2014
SSO: Jun 14