Biotechnology is the use of biological knowledge to develop new processes and products for use in industry, health, agribusiness and other areas of human technology. Biotechnology advances can be based on knowledge from biological sciences, chemical sciences, physical sciences or engineering. Because of this, the major is not tied to a particular discipline area. The binding concept is that of developing technology from basic discipline knowledge in at least one area. For example, agricultural biotechnology will normally involve some core crop and food technology, molecular biotechnology will normally involve some core molecular biology and chemical biotechnology will normally involve some core chemistry together with some biological science.

The Biotechnology major has a number of streams and integrates knowledge from a variety of scientific disciplines. Students will complete a sequence of specialist subjects in a discipline area and by the end of the major should have developed a detailed knowledge of that area and an appreciation of its biotechnological applications. The major provides students with opportunities to gain practical experience in the laboratory and to develop skills in problem-solving and the analysis, interpretation and communication of scientific data that will prepare them for the workplace.

Please note that completion of the Biotechnology major does not necessarily meet the entry requirements of the Master of Biotechnology.  For details of specific subject requirements for that degree, please refer to the Handbook page for the Master of Biotechnology.

With this major, you could pursue careers in a diverse range of fields, including medical and veterinary sciences, food technology, pharmaceuticals, forensic science, agriculture and waste management.

Our graduates work in public and private-sector organisations, including medical research institutes such as WEHI, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, and biotech and pharmaceutical companies such as CSL, GSK and Roche.