Course details

Summary

With so many options to choose from, the Bachelor of Science degree (BSc) is your opportunity to create a good foundation for your study in the Earth, Chemical, Computational, Human, Life, Mathematical and Physical Sciences.

Programme overview

If you have a mind for science and you’re keen to keep your options open, then the BSc is the degree for you. With many undergraduate majors in a wide range of subject areas, the BSc will allow you to incorporate different areas of interest and expertise. As well as strongly emphasizing transferable skills to improve your employment opportunities, this programme will expose you to cutting-edge technologies and provide a gateway to independent research. Throughout your undergraduate degree you’ll be taught by knowledgeable scientists, many of whom are major contributors in their field.

Biomedical Science Major

Biomedical Science is jointly taught by the Faculties of Science and Medical and Health Sciences, with the programme spread over City and Grafton campuses.

This major within the Bachelor of Science is designed for academically able students with an interest in emerging areas of biomedical science. The Biomedical Science programme provides an understanding of the scientific basis of health and disease in humans and animals. This programme will deliver rigorous scientific training in a range of disciplines and students will gain a unique insight into this important area of modern biomedical research.

This research-led field which is currently the most rapidly developing area in basic biological science, attracts a high level of public interest. The University of Auckland is acknowledged as a centre of excellence in biomedical research and the options within the programme at Year Three reflect our particular strengths.

This challenging and immensely rewarding major provides courses in Year 1 and 2 which deliver a strong foundation for a number of majors and professional careers (including Medicine), and a unique insight into the principles underlying biomedical research. In Year 3 students may then follow options to specialise in areas such as cancer biology and therapeutics, molecular biology, cardiovascular biology, genetics and development, microbiology and immunology, neurobiology, nutrition, or reproduction.

Graduates of the Biomedical Science programme will have an internationally accepted qualification and the knowledge to work within some of the world's most rapidly advancing scientific fields.

Career opportunities

Biomedical science and biotechnology have revolutionized research over the past decade, stimulating growth in a wide range of industries including agriculture, pharmaceuticals, veterinary science and medical research. Students who graduate with a BSc Biomedical Science can expect to find employment within biomedical and biotechnology companies as laboratory technicians and scientific officers, as teachers, or as researchers in universities and government agencies such as the Department of Conservation, or in Crown Research Institutes. Employment in pharmaceutical or biotechnology companies is especially buoyant in Europe and the U.S., with growth expected in New Zealand.

Further study options

• Bachelor of Science (Honours)
• Graduate Diploma in Science (GradDipSci)
• Postgraduate Diploma in Science (PGDipSci)
• Master of Science (MSc)
• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Programme structure

To complete a BSc degree you need to pass courses totalling 360 points.

Entry criteria

Secondary school qualifications

You need to have one of the following: International Baccalaureate Diploma with a minimum total score of 24. General Certificate of Education (GCE) Advanced Level. You must have completed a minimum of three A-Level subjects with at least a 'C' grade or higher. General Studies or similar general papers cannot be included.

GCE ‘A’ Level requirements apply to ‘A’ Level qualifications examined by bodies such as AQA, OCR, Edexcel, WJEC, CCEA, Pearson Education Limited and CIE taken outside of New Zealand.

English language requirements:

IELTS 6.0; TOEFL (iBT) 80; TOEFL (paper-based) 550; CAE or CPE 169; PTE 50; MELAB 80.