Plant Science: Recommended Streams 2026

Examples of degree structures that a student could take with Plant Science as their major

Below are presented four example suggested Unit combinations (‘streams’) that students with different interests might pursue:

1. Ecology/Environmental Science, 2. Genetics, 3. Zoology

  • Bold = core unit for major 
  • Standard text underlined = suggested unit for stream
  • Italics = optional unit for stream

1. Plant science with an Ecology or Conservation Biology focus

Year Semester 1 Semester 2
1BIO1011: Blueprints for Life

Choice of 3 other Level 1 units

BIO1022: Life on Earth
or
BIO1042: Life in the Environment

Choice of 3 other Level 1 units

2BIO2181: Evolution of Plant Diversity

BIO2011: Ecology and Biodiversity

BIO2231: Animal Diversity

And choice of one other

BIO2030 Food security in a changing world

BIO2010: Data Science for Biologists

BIO2040: Conservation Biology 

BIO2242: Animal Structure and Function

3

BIO3091: Biology of Australian Vegetation


And one of:
BIO3020: Evolutionary Ecology
BIO3052: Animal Behaviour
BIO3990: Biology Research in Action Project#

BIO3082: Global Change Biology

BIO3100: Advanced Methods in Field Ecology

BIO3820 (quota): Tropical Terrestrial Biology

And one of:
BIO3132: Biology of Australian Vertebrates
BIO3990: Biology Research in Action Project#

# Note that BIO3990 has a minimum academic performance prerequisite and be taken in either semester

2. Plant Science with Zoology focus

Year Semester 1 Semester 2
1BIO1011: Blueprints for Life

Choice of 3 other Level 1 units

BIO1022: Life on Earth
or 
BIO1042: Life in the Environment

Choice of 3 other Level 1 units

2BIO2181: Evolution of Plant Diversity

BIO2231: Animal Diversity

BIO2011: Ecology and Biodiversity

And choice of one other

BIO2030 Food security in a changing world

BIO2010: Data Science for Biologists

BIO2242: Animal Structure and Function

BIO2040: Conservation Biology

3BIO3091: Biology of Australian Vegetation

BIO3052: Animal Behaviour

and 
BIO3020: Evolutionary Ecology
BIO3990: Biology Research in Action Project #

BIO3082: Global Change Biology

BIO3820 (quota): Tropical Terrestrial Biology

BIO3132: Biology of Australian Vertebrates

and 
BIO3990: Biology Research in Action Project#

#-Note that BIO3990 has a minimum academic performance prerequisite and be taken in either semester

3. Plant Science with Genetics and Molecular Biology focus

Year Semester 1 Semester 2
1BIO1011: Blueprints for Life

Choice of 3 other Level 1 units

BIO1022: Life on Earth 

Choice of 3 other Level 1 units

2BIO2181: Evolution of Plant Diversity

GEN2041: Foundations of Genetics

MCB2011: Molecular Biology and the Cell

BIO2030 Food security in a changing world

BIO2010: Data Science for Biologists

GEN2052: Genomics and Population Genetics

MCB2022: The Dynamic Cell

 BIO3091: Biology of Australian Vegetation

GEN3040: Genomics and Advanced Molecular Genetics

and two of:
BIO3020: Evolutionary Ecology
BIO3052: Animal Behaviour
BIO3990: Biology Research in Action Project#
GEN3990: Genetics Research in Action Project#

BIO3082: Global Change Biology

GEN3030 Developmental & Cellular Genetics

GEN3062: Evolutionary and Ecological Genetics

Or choice of:
BIO3820 (quota): Tropical Terrestrial Biology
BIO3132: Biology of Australian Vertebrates
BIO3990: Biology Research in Action Project#
GEN3990: Genetics Research in Action Project#

# Note that BIO/GEN3990 have a minimum academic performance prerequisite and can be taken in either semester.

Some GEN units have additional prerequisites