Our areas of study
Within the Bachelor of Science, you can choose from a range of majors, minors and extended majors to shape your degree around your interests and career goals. Explore the different Science areas of study below.
Within the Bachelor of Science, you can choose from a range of majors, minors and extended majors to shape your degree around your interests and career goals. Explore the different Science areas of study below.
Biological and life sciences
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Ecology is the scientific study of interactions between organisms and their environments. Conservation biology seeks to understand human impact on these natural patterns and processes.
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.
Zoology is the study of the diversity of animals – their evolution, form, function, behaviour and ecology.
Biomedical and behavioural sciences
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Anatomy and developmental biology explores the development of an adult organism from a single cell.
Biochemistry explores the chemical components, reactions, structures and processes that form the foundation for all living matter.
Genetics is the study of genes, their structure, function, transmission and evolution, and encompasses a rich and diverse range of research topics.
Human pathology is the study of disease processes, particularly cell death, inflammation, disorders of immunity and neoplasia.
Immunology is the study of the immune system and its defence mechanisms against harmful pathogens such as bacteria and viruses.
Microbiology is the study of microorganisms, their diversity and structure, molecular biology, and how they interact with humans and other living organisms in both harmful and beneficial ways.
Molecular biology imparts an understanding of the biology of organisms at a molecular level. It specifically focuses on the unique features of DNA, RNA and proteins and the interactions that occur between them.
Pharmacology is the study of the effects of drugs on living organisms, where the term 'drug' can be defined as a chemical substance, natural or synthetic, which affects a biological system.
Physiology is the study of the way the body functions normally, and in dysfunction and disease.
Psychology is concerned with a wide range of phenomena relating to the mind and behaviour. It focuses on understanding biological, social and environmental influences on people and societies.
Earth and environmental sciences
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In Environmental earth science you will gain deeper insights into the systems and processes that form and change our physical environment, such as rivers, soils, oceans, and the atmosphere and how humans impact these systems. You will understand how these processes impact Earth's climate and how we understand and predict natural and anthropogenic climate change
Climate and atmospheric science at Monash explores the structure and evolution of the physical climate system and addresses how we understand climate and forecast the weather.
Geographical science is the study of spatial processes operating in the landscape, such as atmospheric circulation, landform change, vegetation dynamics, human land uses, urbanisation, and economic activity.
Environmental science deals with the rapidly changing environmental issues facing the world today. It provides you with a multidisciplinary perspective on current environmental challenges, such as climate change, water and land management, resource use and sustainability.
Geoscience is the study of the planets – from our own planet Earth to others across our Solar System and beyond. This area of study covers the formation and evolution of planets, from their deep interior to their surface, and the continuing evolution of our planet through dynamic processes such as plate tectonics, volcanism, and the formation and destruction of mountains.
Mathematical and computational science
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The study of Applied mathematics – a fascinating, challenging and inspirational field – will see you using mathematical techniques and models to obtain practical solutions to concrete problems.
Financial and insurance mathematics at Monash teaches the mathematical and statistical techniques for understanding and assessing risk in insurance and financial markets.
Mathematics is the universal language used to describe, model, understand and even create aspects of the world around us.
At its core, Mathematical statistics deals with models involving a random, unpredictable component. Real-world applications are many and varied, and allow informed decisions to be made in the face of uncertainty.
Pure mathematics deals with the abstract, the rigour and the beauty of perfection. Although the discipline is motivated by reasons other than applications, it often becomes the basis for applied mathematics to solve the most profound and concrete problems.
If you're interested in using computers to construct and apply mathematical models, simulation, numerical methods and data-analysis techniques to solve scientific problems, then this is the major for you.
Physical and chemical sciences
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Astrophysics deals with big questions, such as the ultimate fate of the universe and the possibility of extra-terrestrial life. We address these questions by using theory, observations made with the largest telescopes, and calculations done on the world's largest supercomputers.
Chemistry is the science of matter and energy – the study of the makeup and structure of substances, how atoms and molecules react and interact, and how that behaviour can be harnessed to transform materials, medicine, and technology.
Physics is the study of space and time, matter and energy. By carrying out experiments and developing conceptual models, physicists seek to provide a fundamental understanding of how our physical universe works.