University: The University of Western Australia

Degree: Bachelor of Biological Science and Master of Biotechnology, Plant Biology

School Subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Geography, Mathematics Methods, English

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Introduction

Hey everyone! A little random about me: I grew up on a farm in the Wheatbelt, love a good fantasy book, and play hockey. I went straight to uni after school. At the time of writing this (Jan 2025), I’ve completed two years of my degree (halfway 😊) and am currently on a gap year travelling and working.

About the Major

Plant Biology is an extended major covering a combination of botany and genetics. This just means there are more core units and less space for electives. A general overview of the topics covered includes biochemistry, data analysis, molecular genetics, population genetics, plant anatomy and physiology, plant evolution, diversity, and ecology.

About the Degree & Why I Chose It

This accelerated degree allows me to achieve a master’s qualification in four years (2.5 years undergrad, 1.5 years master’s) instead of five (three years undergrad, two years master’s). This saves money and time. The main reason I chose this was because I knew I enjoyed biology and cared about the environment in school but wasn’t sure which particular field to go into. I found this major covered a broad range of topics, as listed above, while still allowing me to specialise when I reach postgrad and giving me a greater chance at beginning a career. For more info on the Master of Biotech, check the UWA website.

Prior Knowledge & Tips

The combined degree requires a minimum 90 ATAR and Maths Methods as a prerequisite if you don’t want to do a bridging course. However, I think Chemistry and Biology in high school have been way more useful. The basics of Biology and Chemistry aren’t explained as well as they were in school, and the only learning materials provided are what’s explained in the lectures and textbooks—no in-depth summaries like in school. The only materials needed for uni are your preferred form of note-taking, somewhere to do practice questions, and a way to access the online learning platform. Textbooks are provided online, from the library, or through OneSearch.

I recommend having at least one social activity throughout your week to keep some balance, whether that be your club sport, social sport, or joining a uni club (it doesn’t have to be more than that). Plant Biology shares units with many other majors from different sciences, so unfortunately, there’s no ‘cohort’ of people you will see in every class. However, there will be some familiar faces you see around. Keep the friends you make by planning your timetables together, studying together, and going on coffee dates. Even if you don’t know them well, don’t be afraid to send the first text, as they likely want to make friends too.

Content & Structure Review

All lectures at UWA are recorded, and I have found listening to them allows me to be more flexible with work and study while absorbing the content at my own pace, as I found I couldn’t keep up in person. I’ve found most lecturers care about your learning and are passionate about the subject, so don’t be afraid to email them questions.

Most of these units tend to have online, open-book quizzes, which are less stressful but put more pressure on the exams. You will have 3-4 labs/tutorials weekly that are compulsory to attend, and along with lectures, you will find your weeks pretty full if studying full-time. Each unit, even in Level 2, will generally re-explain basic concepts such as DNA replication and concentration calculations a lot. This can get repetitive but also makes the course a bit easier. I found I enjoyed the Level 3 units, where I had to use critical thinking, do assignments with real-world applications, and discover the niche areas of research my demonstrators have explored and the paths it led them down. Plant Diversity and Evolution was also a favourite, as we spent the labs drawing diagrams and learning about so many plant groups and species from WA.

Lecture time slots are set in stone, whereas some choice is allowed in lab times. When studying four core units each semester, it can be difficult to fit in work, but that also depends on how efficiently you can study (I’m a big procrastinator).

Recommendations & Career Stuff

With this major, it’s scary and hard to know what the future will look like, as there is no set path or job, unlike Medicine, Physio, etc. Personally, I want my career to contribute to making the world a more sustainable place, possibly in the agricultural industry. For my master’s, I will choose the coursework and dissertation option instead of just coursework to see if I enjoy research.

I recommend doing at least one internship over the summer, doing an internship unit as an elective, or volunteering in conservation to build your resume, as job hunting sucks.

I hope this helped. Good luck!