Bachelor of Science Advanced (Honours) (Biotechnology) (ST20)

Please note

This page is presenting future information for the 2027 version of this course. Any information provided is subject to change.

You're viewing information for students who are currently enrolled in this course.
If you're interested in studying a similar course, go to future students' course information.

Download printable version of Bachelor of Science Advanced (Honours) (Biotechnology)

Planning your enrolment

This information will assist to plan your studies and complete your enrolment in HiQ. Read the information under the Course Structure tab for a recommended study program and unit details.

This is a major of the course Bachelor of Science Advanced (Honours) (ST20)

If you need further enrolment advice use the contact details listed. For more information about enrolling visit the enrolment section.

Major Details

Course duration (full-time):	4 years
Total credit points:	384
Standard credit points/full-time semester:	48
Course coordinator:	Dr Brett Williams
Discipline coordinator:	AskQUT
Course contact:	+61 7 3138 2000, askqut@qut.edu.au
Delivery:	Gardens Point
CRICOS code:	102820D
Faculty:	Faculty of Science

Study costs

Domestic students may need to pay the Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF).

More information about study costs and paying fees.

Course Structures

To meet the course requirements of the Bachelor of Science Advanced (Honours), you must complete a total of 384 credit points, as follows:

Core units - 132 credit points
A Major - 180 credit points
QUT You - 24 credit points
Complementary studies - 48 credit points

Note that complementary studies options depend on major.

The Biotechnology Major consists of 180 credit points comprising:

156 credit points of core units
12 credit points of option units selected from Biotechnology Major Option Units List 1
12 credit points of option units selected from Biotechnology Major Option Units List 2

Biotechnology Major students are also required to complete 48 credit points of the complementary studies components (minors) selected from:

Advanced Science Minor
Applied Analytical Techniques Minor

Please note, students are expected to have a minimum GPA of at least 5.0 prior to entry to Honours level units in year 4. Students who do not meet this requirement will liaise with the Course Coordinator to discuss strategies for completion.

Study plan progression: Biotechnology Major, Sem 1 (February) entry, full-time

Year 1, Semester 1

Code	Title	Offered In	Requisites
SEB107	Becoming a Contemporary Scientist	Gardens Point Semester 1 - 6 Week A, 6 Week Teaching Period - A, 6 Week Teaching Period - C	Antirequisites: SEB104
STB101	Research Skills and Techniques	Gardens Point 6 Week Teaching Period - B	Prerequisites: Admission into ST20
BVB101 Equivalents: BZB210	Foundations of Biology	Gardens Point Semester 1, Semester 2
MXB100	Introductory Calculus and Algebra	Online Semester 1 Gardens Point Semester 1, Semester 2	Antirequisites: MZB125, EGD125 Sound achievement in Senior Mathematics B (or equivalent) or MAB105 is assumed knowledge.
Select one QUT You unit (6 credit points)
Select one QUT You unit (6 credit points).

Year 1, Semester 2

Code	Title	Offered In	Requisites
CVB101 Equivalents: EGB161	General Chemistry	Gardens Point Semester 1, Semester 2	Antirequisites: CZB190
CVB102	Chemical Structure and Reactivity	Gardens Point Semester 1, Semester 2	Antirequisites: CZB190, CZB191, CVB103
MZB103	Introduction to Statistics	Gardens Point 6 Week Teaching Period - A, 6 Week Teaching Period - C, Semester 2 - 6 Week C	Antirequisites: SEB113
MZB104	Quantitative Methods	Gardens Point 6 Week Teaching Period - B, Semester 1 - 6 Week B, 6 Week Teaching Period - D	Prerequisites: MZB103 Antirequisites: SEB113
Minor unit

Year 2, Semester 1

Code	Title	Offered In	Requisites
STB201	Research Foundations	Available for enrolment in 2028	Prerequisites: STB101 and completion of 84 credit points
LQB381	Biochemistry	Gardens Point Semester 1	Prerequisites: LQB180 or CZB190 or CSB432 or (CVB101 and CVB102) or (192 cp in MD70 or MV70) Foundational biochemistry.
BVB317	Principles of Genomics and Biotechnology	Gardens Point Semester 1	Prerequisites: BVB101 or (BVB201 and admission to ST20)
MXB106 Equivalents: MAB112, MAB122, MAB132, PVB202	Linear Algebra	Gardens Point Semester 1, Semester 2 Online Semester 1, Semester 2	Specialist Mathematics or MXB100, or concurrently enrolled in MXB100.

Year 2, Semester 2

Code	Title	Offered In	Requisites
STB200	Advanced Research Skills and Techniques	Gardens Point Semester 2	Prerequisites: Successfully completing 96 credit points of study from ST20
LQB481	Biochemical Pathways and Metabolism	Gardens Point Semester 2	Prerequisites: LQB381
Select one QUT You unit (6 credit points)
Select one QUT You unit (6 credit points)
Minor unit

Year 3, Semester 1

Code	Title	Offered In	Requisites
STB310-1	Science Research 1	Gardens Point Semester 1	Prerequisites: Completion of 180 credit points including STB200
BVB328	Applications in Biotechnology	Gardens Point Semester 1	Prerequisites: BVB317 or BVB201
Select either BVB305 or BVB306
BVB305	Microbiology and the Environment	Gardens Point Semester 1	Prerequisites: BVB201 or BVB317
BVB306 Equivalents: BVB203	Plant Biology	Available for enrolment in 2026	Prerequisites: BVB201 OR BVB317 OR (BVB101 and CVB101 and admission to (SV02 or SV04))
Select either LQB581 or LQB583 or Minor unit
LQB581	Biomolecular Control Systems	Gardens Point Semester 1	Prerequisites: LQB381 and LQB481
LQB583	Molecular Systems Biology	Gardens Point Semester 1	Prerequisites: (LQB385 and LQB485) or (LQB362 and LQB494) or (LQB381 and LQB481)
Minor unit

Year 3, Semester 2

Code	Title	Offered In	Requisites
STB310-2	Science Research 2	Gardens Point Semester 2	Prerequisites: STB310-1
BVB330	Synthetic Biology	Gardens Point Semester 2	Prerequisites: BVB317
Select either LQB682 or LQB684 or Minor unit
LQB682	Biomolecular Design	Gardens Point Semester 2	Prerequisites: LQB381 and LQB481
LQB684 Equivalents: LSB609	Advances in Medical Biotechnology	Gardens Point Semester 2	Prerequisites: (LQB385 and LQB485) or (LQB381 and LQB481)
Minor unit

Year 4, Semester 1

Code	Title	Offered In	Requisites
STH410 Equivalents: STB410	Advanced Techniques in Earth, Environmental and Biological Research	Gardens Point Semester 1	Prerequisites: Admission to ST10 or (Admission to ST20 and completion of 288 credit points (CP))
STH403-1 Equivalents: STB403-1	Honours Research Project 1	Gardens Point Semester 1, Semester 2	Prerequisites: Admission to ST10 OR (Admission to ST20 AND completion of 288cp AND GPA at least 5.0)
STH403-2 Equivalents: STB403-2	Honours Research Project 2	Gardens Point Semester 1, Semester 2	Prerequisites: Admission to ST10 OR (Admission to ST20 AND completion of 288cp AND GPA at least 5.0)
STH403-3 Equivalents: STB403-3	Honours Research Project 3	Gardens Point Semester 1, Semester 2	Prerequisites: Admission into ST10 OR (Admission into ST20 AND completion of 288cp AND GPA at least 5.0)

Year 4, Semester 2

Code	Title	Offered In	Requisites
STH411 Equivalents: STB411	Advanced Topics in Earth, Environmental and Biological Research	Gardens Point Semester 2	Prerequisites: Admission to ST10 or (Admission to ST20 and completion of 288 credit points (CP))
STH403-4 Equivalents: STB403-4	Honours Research Project 4	Gardens Point Semester 1, Semester 2	Prerequisites: STH403-1 AND STH403-2
STH403-5 Equivalents: STB403-5	Honours Research Project 5	Gardens Point Semester 1, Semester 2	Prerequisites: STH403-1 AND STH403-2
STH403-6 Equivalents: STB403-6	Honours Research Project 6	Gardens Point Semester 1, Semester 2	Prerequisites: STH403-1 AND STH403-2

Unit Lists

QUT You

Code	Title	Offered In
QUT001	QUT You: Artificial Intelligence in the Real World	Kelvin Grove Semester 1 - 6 Week A, Semester 2 - 6 Week D Online Semester 1 - 6 Week A, Semester 2 - 6 Week D Gardens Point Semester 1 - 6 Week A, Semester 2 - 6 Week D
QUT002	QUT You: Walking on Country	Kelvin Grove Semester 1 - 6 Week A, Semester 2 - 6 Week D Online Semester 1 - 6 Week A, Semester 2 - 6 Week D Gardens Point Semester 1 - 6 Week A, Semester 2 - 6 Week D
QUT003	QUT You: Real Action for Real Change	Kelvin Grove Semester 1 - 6 Week A, Semester 2 - 6 Week D Online Semester 1 - 6 Week A, Semester 2 - 6 Week D Gardens Point Semester 1 - 6 Week A, Semester 2 - 6 Week D
QUT004	QUT You: Living and Working Collaboratively, Ethically, and Inclusively	Online Semester 1 - 6 Week A, Semester 2 - 6 Week D Gardens Point Semester 1 - 6 Week A, Semester 2 - 6 Week D Kelvin Grove Semester 1 - 6 Week A, Semester 2 - 6 Week D
QUT005	QUT You: Seeing Me, Seeing You: Skills for a Diverse World	Gardens Point Semester 1 - 6 Week B, Semester 2 - 6 Week C Kelvin Grove Semester 1 - 6 Week B, Semester 2 - 6 Week C Online Semester 1 - 6 Week B, Semester 2 - 6 Week C
QUT006	QUT You: The Art of Pitching	Gardens Point Semester 1 - 6 Week B, Semester 2 - 6 Week C Kelvin Grove Semester 1 - 6 Week B, Semester 2 - 6 Week C Online Semester 1 - 6 Week B, Semester 2 - 6 Week C
QUT007	QUT You: Fighting 'Fake News'	Kelvin Grove Semester 1 - 6 Week B, Semester 2 - 6 Week C Online Semester 1 - 6 Week B, Semester 2 - 6 Week C Gardens Point Semester 1 - 6 Week B, Semester 2 - 6 Week C
QUT009	QUT You: Data Science for Society	Gardens Point Semester 1 - 6 Week A, Semester 2 - 6 Week D Online Semester 1 - 6 Week A, Semester 2 - 6 Week D Kelvin Grove Semester 1 - 6 Week A, Semester 2 - 6 Week D
QUT010	QUT You: People with Robots	Gardens Point Semester 1 - 6 Week B, Semester 2 - 6 Week C Kelvin Grove Semester 1 - 6 Week B, Semester 2 - 6 Week C Online Semester 1 - 6 Week B, Semester 2 - 6 Week C
QUT013	QUT You: Human Agency in the Digital World	Kelvin Grove Semester 1 - 6 Week B, Semester 2 - 6 Week C Gardens Point Semester 1 - 6 Week B, Semester 2 - 6 Week C Online Semester 1 - 6 Week B, Semester 2 - 6 Week C

ST20 Biotechnology - Minors List

As a Biotechnology Major student, you are required to complete the following 48 credit points of Study Area B (one minor) selected from:

Advanced Science Minor
Applied Analytical Techniques Minor

Anti-requisites:

Astrophysics Minor
Biotechnology Minor
Climate Science Minor
Environmental Management Minor
Environmental Science Minor
Widelife Ecology Minor

Minors for Biotechnology Major

Advanced Science Minor
ST20MNR-ADVSCI v1
The Advanced Science minor (ST20MNR-ADVSCI) consists of four (4) units (48 cp) selected from available units across the university. Selection of units should be in consultation with Major Coordinator and/or research supervisor and should be based on a logical rationale.

Applied Analytical Techniques

Code	Title	Offered In	Requisites
ST01MNR-ANALYT v1
Core units
CVB210	Introduction to Analytical Science	Gardens Point Semester 2
CVB320 Equivalents: PQB513	Instrumental Analysis	Gardens Point Semester 1	Prerequisites: CVB210
Select 24 credit points from the Applied Analytical Techniques Minor Option Units
CLB224	Environmental Geochemistry	Gardens Point Semester 2	Prerequisites: CLB100 or ERB211
CVB101 Equivalents: EGB161	General Chemistry	Gardens Point Semester 1, Semester 2	Antirequisites: CZB190
CVB102	Chemical Structure and Reactivity	Gardens Point Semester 1, Semester 2	Antirequisites: CZB190, CZB191, CVB103
CVB202	Analytical Chemistry	Gardens Point Semester 1	Prerequisites: (CVB101 and CVB102) or (CVB102 and admission to ST20) or (CVB101 and admission to ED59) or CZB190 or CZB191
CVB216	Forensic Analytical Techniques	Gardens Point Semester 1	Antirequisites: PQB684
CVB313	Environmental Analytical Chemistry	Gardens Point Semester 2	Prerequisites: CVB210
ERB222 Equivalents: ERB206	Igneous Petrology and Geochemistry	Gardens Point Semester 2	Prerequisites: ERB205 or ERB220
EVB206 Equivalents: EVB302	Environmental Pollution	Gardens Point Semester 2	Prerequisites: BVB202 or MZB126 or MZB127 or (MZB103 and completion of 72 cp of study)
EVB310 Equivalents: ERB310	Groundwater Systems	Gardens Point Semester 2	Prerequisites: Completion of 96cp of study
EVB312	Soils and the Environment	Gardens Point Semester 1	Prerequisites: EVB206 or ((ERB101 or ERB110 or EVB102) and 72 cp of Study) Antirequisites: EVB212