Extended Major Overview
- Description
The extended major in Medical Science will focus on mechanisms of health and human disease, providing students with the essential preclinical knowledge. This includes human anatomy, biochemistry, microbiology, immunology, genetics, pathology, haematology, pharmacology, physiology, and public health. These disciplines will be integrated within the two Level 3 Body Systems units. Communication and research skills for the health professional will be presented throughout the major, including aspects of Australian society and Aboriginal health.
To complete this major, students must select one of ten specialisations: Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing; Anatomy and Reproductive Biology; Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Exercise as Medicine; Human Biology; Human Genomics; Microbiology and Immunology; Pathology and Laboratory Medicine; Pharmacology and Toxicology; or Physiology. Each specialisation contains a discrete set of units. For some specialisations, these units begin in Level 1; others begin at Level 2.
- Outcomes
Students are able to:
- articulate a broad knowledge of the structure, function and physiology of the human body at a molecular, cellular, organ and body system level
- demonstrate an understanding of communicable and non-communicable disease processes and health interventions based on knowledge of human body functions and pharmacological principles
- demonstrate in-depth knowledge of a nominated medical science specialisation
- communicate biomedical concepts and knowledge to diverse audiences in effective and appropriate ways
- evaluate and adopt research methodologies including research design and the analysis and interpretation of health and medical data
- demonstrate high level academic and interpersonal skills.
- Broadening guidelines
All students studying towards a Bachelor's Degree at UWA are required to broaden their studies by completing a minimum of four units (24 points) of study outside their degree specific major. Broadening is your opportunity to explore other areas of interest, investigate new disciplines and knowledge paradigms and to shape your degree to suit your own aspirations and interests. Many of you will be able to undertake more than this minimum amount of broadening study and we encourage you to do so if this suits your aspirations. Over the next few months you will find here some broadening suggestions related to your degree-specific major. While we know that many students value guidance of this sort, these are only suggestions and students should not lose sight of the opportunity to explore that is afforded by your Broadening Choices. Advice can also be sought from your Allocated Student Advising Office.
- Prerequisites
ATAR Chemistry or equivalent.
ATAR Mathematics Applications or equivalent.
- Incompatibilities
- None
- Courses
Medical Science can only be taken as a degree-specific major in the following degree courses:
Example Study Plan
See study plans for more information.
Units
Key to availability of units:
- S1
- Semester 1
- S2
- Semester 2
- SS
- summer teaching period
- N/A
- not available in 2026 – may be available in 2027 or 2028
Students without WACE or ATAR Chemistry are required to successfully complete CHEM1003 in first year. Students who do not have ATAR Mathematics Applications or equivalent or higher, are required to sucessfully complete MATH1720 in their first year.
Level 1
Degree-specific major units
Take all units (24 points):
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| S1 | IMED1001 | Form and Function |
|
| S1 | IMED1002 | The Facts of Life |
|
| S2 | IMED1003 | Cell Survival and Communication |
|
| S2 | IMED1004 | Health and Society |
Aboriginal Health & Wellbeing specialisation
Degree-specific major units
Take all units (12 points):
Anatomy & Reproductive Biology specialisation
Degree-specific major units
Take the following unit:
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| S2 | ANHB1102 | Human Biology II: Being Human | None |
Exercise as Medicine specialisation
Degree-specific major units
Take the following unit:
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| S1, S2, SS | SSEH1103 | Physical Fitness and Health | None |
Human Biology specialisation
Degree-specific major units
Take the following unit:
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| S2 | ANHB1102 | Human Biology II: Being Human | None |
Human Genomics specialisation
Degree-specific major units
Take the following unit:
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| S1, S2 | SCIE1104 | Science, Society and Data Analysis |
Level 2
Degree-specific major units
Take all units (18 points):
the students taking SP-HUMGE Human Genomics will take IMED2204 instead of IMED2003
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| S1 | IMED2001 | Body Defences |
|
| S1 | IMED2002 | Blood and Drugs | |
| S2 | IMED2004 | Human Development and Genetics |
Degree-specific major units
Take unit(s) to the value of 6 points:
Students who are enrolled in SP-HUMGE specialisation take IMED2204; students enrolled in other specialisations take IMED2003
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| S2 | IMED2003 | Medical Sciences Research Methodologies | |
| N/A | IMED2204 | Research Methods in Human Health |
Aboriginal Health & Wellbeing specialisation
Degree-specific major units
Take all units (12 points):
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| S1 | AHEA2201 | Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing |
|
| S1 | INDG2300 | Indigenous Knowledge: Mind, Body and Spirit |
|
Anatomy & Reproductive Biology specialisation
Degree-specific major units
Take all units (12 points):
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| S1 | ANHB2212 | Human Structure and Development |
|
| S2 | ANHB2216 | Human Reproductive Biology |
|
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology specialisation
Degree-specific major units
Take all units (12 points):
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| S1 | BIOC2001 | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of the Cell |
|
| S2 | BIOC2002 | Biochemical Regulation of Cell Function |
|
Exercise as Medicine specialisation
Degree-specific major units
Take all units (12 points):
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| S1 | SSEH2260 | Exercise Physiology |
|
| S2 | SSEH2280 | Applied Nutrition for Sport, Exercise and Health |
|
Genetics specialisation
Degree-specific major units
Take all units (12 points):
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| S2 | GENE2230 | Molecular Genetics I | |
| S1 | GENE2250 | Principles of Inheritance |
|
Human Biology specialisation
Degree-specific major units
Take all units (12 points):
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| S1 | ANHB2212 | Human Structure and Development |
|
| S2 | ANHB2216 | Human Reproductive Biology |
|
Human Genomics specialisation
Degree-specific major units
Take the following unit:
Microbiology & Immunology specialisation
Degree-specific major units
Take the following unit:
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| S1 | MICR2208 | Introductory Microbiology |
|
Pathology & Laboratory Medicine specialisation
Pharmacology & Toxicology specialisation
Degree-specific major units
Take all units (12 points):
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| S1 | PHAR2210 | Foundations of Pharmacology |
|
| S2 | PHAR2220 | Systems Pharmacology |
|
Physiology specialisation
Degree-specific major units
Take all units (12 points):
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| S2 | PHYL2002 | Cellular Physiology | |
| S1 | SSEH2260 | Exercise Physiology |
|
Level 3
Degree-specific major units
Take all units (12 points):
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| S1 | IMED3010 | Human Body Systems 1 |
|
| S2 | IMED3020 | Human Body Systems 2 |
Aboriginal Health & Wellbeing specialisation
Anatomy & Reproductive Biology specialisation
Degree-specific major units
Take all units (18 points):
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| S2 | ANHB3316 | Human Reproduction |
|
| S1 | ANHB3321 | Biological Anthropology: Genes and Society | None |
| S1 | ANHB3323 | Cells, Tissues and Development |
|
Degree-specific major units
Take unit(s) to the value of 6 points:
ANHB3328 and ANHB3329 are offered in alternate years. Students who wish to take both ANHB3328 and ANHB3329, may take one of these units in their in their second year of study.
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| S2 | ANHB3330 | Human Structure and Function - Head and Neck |
|
| N/A | ANHB3331 | Human Structure and Function - Limbs |
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology specialisation
Degree-specific major units
Take all units (12 points):
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| S2 | BIOC3003 | Omics—Global Approaches to Cell Function |
|
| S2 | BIOC3005 | Cellular Biochemistry |
|
Degree-specific major units
Take unit(s) to the value of 12 points:
Exercise as Medicine specialisation
Degree-specific major units
Take all units (12 points):
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| S2 | SSEH3366 | Bioenergetics in Exercise, Nutrition and Energy Balance |
|
| S1 | SSEH3553 | Exercise as Medicine |
|
Genetics specialisation
Degree-specific major units
Take all units (24 points):
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| S2 | GENE3340 | Molecular Genetics II |
|
| S2 | GENE3350 | Evolution and Development |
|
| S1 | GENE3370 | Genomics |
|
| S1 | PATH3305 | Medical Genetics |
Human Biology specialisation
Degree-specific major units
Take all units (12 points):
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| S1 | ANHB3321 | Biological Anthropology: Genes and Society | None |
| S1 | ANHB3323 | Cells, Tissues and Development |
|
Degree-specific major units
Group A—take unit(s) to the value of 6 points:
ANHB3328 and ANHB3329 are offered in alternate years. Students who wish to take both ANHB3328 and ANHB3329, may take one of these units in their second year of study.
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| S2 | ANHB3316 | Human Reproduction |
|
| S2 | ANHB3330 | Human Structure and Function - Head and Neck |
|
| N/A | ANHB3331 | Human Structure and Function - Limbs |
Degree-specific major units
Group B—take unit(s) to the value of 6 points:
Human Genomics specialisation
Degree-specific major units
Take all units (18 points):
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | GENE3311 | Genes, Development and Disease |
|
| N/A | GENE3323 | Personalised Medicine |
|
| N/A | GENE3333 | Big Data in Human Health |
|
Microbiology & Immunology specialisation
Degree-specific major units
Take all units (24 points):
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| S1 | MICR3305 | Immunobiology and Immune Diseases | |
| S2 | MICR3310 | Microbial Ecology and One Health |
|
| S2 | MICR3320 | Viruses and Viral Disease |
|
| S1 | MICR3330 | Bacteria and Bacterial Disease |
|
Pathology & Laboratory Medicine specialisation
Degree-specific major units
Take all units (24 points):
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| S1 | MICR3305 | Immunobiology and Immune Diseases | |
| S1 | PATH3305 | Medical Genetics | |
| S2 | PATH3308 | Biotherapeutics and Regenerative Medicine |
|
| S2 | PATH3309 | Cancer Pathology |
Pharmacology & Toxicology specialisation
Degree-specific major units
Take all units (24 points):
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| S1 | PHAR3310 | Applied Molecular Pharmacology |
|
| S1 | PHAR3311 | Applied Molecular Pharmacology Methods | |
| S2 | PHAR3320 | Translational Pharmacology and Toxicology |
|
| S2 | PHAR3321 | Translational Pharmacology and Toxicology Methods |
Physiology specialisation
Degree-specific major units
Take all units (24 points):
| Availability | Unit code | Unit name | unit requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| S1 | PHYL3001 | Experimental Physiology |
|
| S1 | PHYL3002 | Clinical Physiology |
|
| S2 | PHYL3003 | Nutritional and Metabolic Physiology | |
| S2 | PHYL3004 | Extreme Environmental Physiology |
|