Course details

Summary

The Bachelor of Science (BSc) is a three-year undergraduate degree which enables each student to develop his or her own interests in a science subject (science major) and related subjects. Students have the flexibility to combine their major subject with other science subjects, as well as subjects from other disciplines across the University.

Botany covers all aspects of the life of plants. It therefore includes their structure and development, physiology and biochemistry, health and disease, relationships with other organisms and the environment (ecology), as well as the traditional aspects of plant identification and classification.

The main emphasis at Otago is on the general biology, ecology and physiology of higher plants and marine algae, although other groups (conifers, ferns, mosses and fungi) are also included in the papers offered.

Programme Requirements

Bachelor of Science (BSc) majoring in Botany

100-level

BIOL 123 Plants: How They Shape the World

One of:

BIOL 112 Animal Biology

CELS 191 Cell and Molecular Biology

ECOL 111 Ecology and Conservation of Diversity

HUBS 191 Human Body Systems 1

HUBS 192 Human Body Systems 2

One of:

CHEM 111 Chemistry: Molecular Architecture

CHEM 191 The Chemical Basis of Biology and Human Health

PHSI 191 Biological Physics

STAT 110 Statistical Methods

STAT 115 Introduction to Biostatistics

200-level

BTNY 201 Plant Functional Biology and Biotechnology

BTNY 202 Plant and Fungal Diversity

BTNY 203 Marine and Freshwater Botany

300-level

Any four of:

BTNY 301 Plant Ecology

BTNY 302 Plant Interactions

BTNY 303 Topics in Field Botany

PLBI 301 Applied Plant Science

PLBI 302 Plants for the Future

Note: Other papers approved by the Head of Department may be substituted for one paper at 200-level and for one paper at 300-level.

Plus

180 further points; must include 54 points at 200-level or above.

Up to 90 points may be taken from outside Science

Total 360

Bachelor of Science with Honours (BSc(Hons)) is also available.

A specific aim of the Bachelor of Science with Honours (BSc(Hons)) degree is to develop advanced theoretical and research skills and in so doing to provide a platform for an advanced professional or academic career.

Entry criteria

The minimum requirement for students is the completion of a high school qualification plus satisfactory completion of one year's study at an approved tertiary institution or successful completion New Zealand Foundation Year programme.

We also accept the following International qualifications: International Baccalaureate: IB Diploma with a minimum of 26 points; GCE Advanced Levels: minimum grade of 8.

English Language Requirements:

IELTS score of 6.0 in the academic module (with no individual band below 6.0); Internet-based TOEFL Score of 80 (writing 20); Paper-based TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score of 550 (TWE 4.5); CIE Cambridge International Examinations Grade E or better in AS English; Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) - Overall score of 176 (with no individual band below 169); Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) - Overall score of 176 (with no individual band below 169); GCE 'A' Level or 'AS' Level English Language or English Literature - grade C or higher; GCE 'AS' Level General Paper (English) - grade C or higher; APIEL (Advanced Placement International English Language) Examination - grade 3 or higher; IB International Baccalaureate - English at Higher or Standard level in Language A: literature, Language A: language and literature, or at Higher level in Language B; Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic - Overall score of 58 with no communicative skills score below 50.