Major & Minor Sequences

The majors and minors offered in this school are listed below and should be read in conjunction with the linked tables of the units that make up a major or minor sequence. This provides you with a guide as to the unit choices you should make if you want to gain a strong background in a particular discipline. For a strong broad-based education in plant and animal biology you should include the following units: BIO2181 and BIO2231, with BIO2011 and GEN2041. We have also listed below an adviser for each sequence.

Ecology and Conservation Biology (Major)
Ecology and Conservation Biology (Extended Major)

Prof Paul Sunnucks (Coordinator)

在全球范围内,生物多样性的丧失和相关的ecosystem services is reaching crisis levels. Ecology is the scientific study of interactions between organisms and their environment, the understanding of which is of both fundamental and applied interest. The major sequence in Ecology and Conservation Biology equips students with knowledge of core ecological and evolutionary principles at levels from individuals to ecosystems. Strong emphasis is placed on applying those principles to real-life management issues, particularly in the field of conservation. The key goals are to describe and explain pattern and process in the natural world, understand human impacts and devise practical means to conserve biodiversity and ecosystem function.

Recommended Streams:Examples of degree structures that a student could take with Ecology and Conservation Biology as their major

Environmental Science (Extended Major)

Prof Richard Reina (Coordinator)

Environmental science is a discipline that deals with the rapidly changing environmental issues facing the world today. Environmental science at Monash gives students a multi-disciplinary perspective of current environmental challenges, such as climate change, water and land management, resource use and sustainability. Understanding our environment and the biological, geographical and physical processes that occur within it is key to effective management, planning and policy. The extended major in Environmental Science equips students with the knowledge and skills to span disciplines and understand interactions between the living and non-living worlds. Both a fundamental understanding of science and the application of this science to address environmental issues are core to Environmental Science at Monash. We begin with the a strong basis in environmental biology and the challenges facing the world, then build upon this knowledge to understand principles and application of ecology, conservation and geographical sciences. Students that major in Environmental Science are equipped with the capability to seek, measure, understand and apply scientific information for the management of our natural systems in a broad scientific context.

Recommended Streams:Examples of degree structures that a student could take with Environmental Science as their major

Genetics and Genomics (Major)
Genetics and Genomics (Extended Major)

Dr Richard Burke (Coordinator)

Genetics and Genomics at Monash covers a broad scope of topics, including conservation, developmental and medical genetics, to ensure that students are well prepared for the job market.

我们的教学实验室拥有先进的设备and facilities for practical, hands-on training. Our educators are all active researchers as well as teachers, ensuring each unit taught at Monash reflects the most recent advances in the various genetics disciplines.

Genetics is the study of genes, their structure, function, transmission and evolution, and encompasses a rich and diverse range of research topics. Genetics lies at the centre of biology because the same basic genetic principles apply to microbes, plants, animals and humans. The genetic code provides the blueprint for life and every aspect of biology, from development, physiology and biochemistry through to behaviour and ecology and diseases such as cancer, is ultimately controlled by the products of genes and their interaction with the physical environment.

Genomics, enabled by dramatic recent advances in DNA sequencing technologies and computing power, allows researchers to expand their vision from a few genes to all of the thousands of genes that govern the lives of each organism. The ability to compare the genomes of different species and assess variation between individuals of the same species is revolutionising our capacity to dissect evolutionary processes and map the complex gene networks that control every aspect of biology.

遗传学和基因组学支撑许多激动人心的领域of science such as biomedical science, biotechnology, conservation biology, and forensics. Graduates with a Major in Genetics and Genomics find employment in medical and agricultural research institutes, hospitals, government departments, schools and universities, patent firms, genetic counselling services, forensics laboratories, and biotechnology companies.

Recommended Streams:Examples of degree structures that a student could take with Genetics as their major

Plant Sciences

Prof Sureshkumar Balasubramanian (Coordinator)

Plants are arguably the most important organisms in our daily life - all life depends on plants in some way. They provide the oxygen on which aerobic life depends and they form the basis of food webs, so they support most of the diversity of life on our planet, both in the ocean and on land. Plants provide our food, and much of our clothing and shelter, drugs to prevent or combat disease, and fossil fuels that drive our modern lifestyle are derived from ancient plants. Our world and our lifestyle would be completely unrecognisable without plants.
Plant science is the study of plants, their diversity and structure, and how they function. It involves studying plants living on land, in the sea and in freshwater environments, from the scale of genes and molecules to ecology. Plants are a diverse set of organisms that are able to live autotrophically, harvesting light and using its energy to fix carbon and manufacture complex organic molecules. In plant science we study the great diversity of plant groups, from algae and mosses through to gymnosperms and angiosperms; we investigate how plants function, for example, how they obtain water and nutrients and how they use energy from sunlight to produce carbohydrates by photosynthesis. We also study how plants are adapted to particular environments, and the factors that influence the distribution and diversity of plant species and the plant communities in which they grow. These factors are particularly important in understanding the impact of human activities, including global climate change, on plant communities so that we can provide better management into the future.
Recommended Streams:Examples of degree structures that a student could take with Plant Science as their major

Zoology

Associate Professor Alistair Evans (Coordinator)

Animals are of enormous interest to us, perhaps because we are also animals, and understanding the development and evolution of animals helps us understand ourselves. Animals are integral components of natural systems and they also have a major impact on us as pests competing for our food and as parasites. Zoologists study the diversity of animals, their evolution, form, function, behaviour and ecology. They investigate the interactions of animals with plants, which ultimately are the source of nutrients and shelter, and with microbes, which enable many animals to effectively utilise plants as food. They investigate animals as bioindicators of the health of ecosystems.
Research in zoology can be undertaken at the level of the whole animal down to the level of cell biology, biochemical processes and their genetic control. A knowledge of zoology can be used to understand how animals work, how they solve environmental challenges and how they interact with each other. Much of this information is relevant to the management, protection and conservation of animals and provides skills needed in many careers related to these themes. Examples of careers available to students that study zoology include biotechnology, ecological/environmental consulting, government departments (e.g. environment, parks, primary industry and sustainability), animal husbandry and welfare, research and teaching.
Studying zoology at Monash University begins with general biology in first year, where the basics of animal evolution, diversity, structure and function are covered. In second year there is a greater focus on these topics in two units that deal with animal diversity and animal structure and function specifically. In third year we develop this understanding further with units focused on animal behaviour and the biology of Australian vertebrate animals. Other units on evolution, ecology, marine biology and environmental management complement the development of broader understanding of the role and importance of animals in our world.)

Recommended Streams:Examples of degree structures that a student could take with Zoology as their major