Your options

1. Continue with your current Program

If you’re happy with your current program, no action is required. You can continue your study, following the program rules and course list from the year you commenced.

We recommend that you review the pre-2021 Bachelor of Biotechnology (Honours) study planner, as this has been updated with any changes to courses offered in the program.

2. Transfer to the revised Program

You can explore the option of studying the program under the revised structure and requirements.

Before making a decision, please read the 'Key Changes', 'Transition Details' and 'Next Steps' to understand what has changed for the program and carefully consider the options to select the one that best suits you.

Once you have changed to the revised 3-year program, in order to progress to an Honours year, you would need to apply for the 1-year  Bachelor of Biotechnology (Honours) [2457].

Key Changes

From Semester 1 2021, the revised program will be offered as a 3-year program, instead of a 4-year with Honours embedded (included) program. Due to the significant change to the structure of the program, there are now new program codes:

Program Type Program Code

Current 4-year program with Honours embedded (included)

Bachelor of Biotechnology (Honours)

2375

Revised 3-year program

Bachelor of Biotechnology

2456

Revised 1-year Honours standalone program

Bachelor of Biotechnology (Honours)

2457

The revised 3-year Bachelor of Biotechnology [2456] has the following changes:

  • Single majors now offered as 24 unit Extended Majors
  • Introduction of 2 minors
  • Dual Majors are no longer available
  • Anyone studying the revised 3-year program, wishing to complete Honours, will need to apply to study the revised 1-year Honours standalone program.

Review the Bachelor of Biotechnology [2456] to see what is available to study in this program.

Deciding which Program is right for you

When deciding whether you will continue with your current program or transition to the revised program, you should take into consideration:

  • the number of units you've completed in the pre-2021 program
  • the changes to your current major 
  • if you want to study a minor that is only offered in the revised program structure
  • if changing to the revised program structure is likely to affect your remaining program duration
  • any change to your program fees

Completed Year 1 (16 units)

If you have completed 16 units toward your current program, you may be able to transition to the revised 3-year program (BBiotech) if you have successfully completed:

BBiotech(Hons) single majors

Courses Completed
Bioinformatics

BIOL1020, CHEM1100, CSSE1001, (MATH1051 or MATH1071), CHEM1200, STAT1201, 4 units general electives

Bioprocess Technology

BIOL1020, CHEM1100, (MATH1051 or MATH1071), CHEM1200, (MATH1052 or MATH1072), STAT1201, 4 units general electives

Chemical Biotechnology

BIOL1020, CHEM1100, (BIOL1030 or SCIE1000), BIOL1040, CHEM1200, STAT1201, 4 units general electives

Drug Design & Development

BIOL1020, CHEM1100, (BIOL1030 or SCIE1000), BIOL1040, CHEM1200, STAT1201, 4 units general electives

Microbial Biotechnology

BIOL1020, CHEM1100, (BIOL1030 or SCIE1000), BIOL1040, CHEM1200, STAT1201, 4 units general electives

Molecular Biotechnology

BIOL1020, CHEM1100, (BIOL1030 or SCIE1000), BIOL1040, CHEM1200, STAT1201, 4 units general electives

Nanotechnology

BIOL1020, CHEM1100, (BIOL1030 or SCIE1000), BIOL1040, CHEM1200, STAT1201, 4 units general electives

Plant Biotechnology

BIOL1020, CHEM1100, BIOL1030, BIOL1040, CHEM1200, STAT1201, 4 units general electives

Courses can count towards the revised BBiotech program as:

  • Core
  • Level 1 major compulsory 
  • Program elective (including prerequisite course for the extended major)
  • General elective 

How the above courses will count towards the revised 3-year program (BBiotech) will depend on which extended major you choose to study. 

If the above courses were completed, you would require 32 units to complete the revised 3-year program, in any extended major.

For further information on how the completed courses will count towards each of the extended majors, please refer to the following:

Completed Years 1 & 2 (32 units)

If you have completed 32 units toward your program, you may be able to transition to the revised 3-year program (BBiotech), if you have successfully completed the level 1 courses (listed in the table below) and specific level 2 courses required for each major.

The remaining requirements for each extended major in the revised 3-year program differ depending on what you have already completed. If the extended major requires more than 16 units (as outlined in the table below), this may affect the remaining program duration. 

BBiotech(Hons) Bioinformatics single major
BBiotech extended majors Remaining units required to complete BBiotech extended major
Agricultural Biotechnology Minimum 18 units
Chemical and Nano Biotechnology Minimum 18 units 
Medical Biotechnology Minimum 16 units 
Molecular and Microbial Biotechnology Minimum 18 units 
Synthetic Biology and Industrial Biotechnology Minimum 16 units 
The Bioinformatics (PDF, 124.7 KB) information sheet details how the BBiotech(Hons) courses will count towards the BBiotech program and the remaining courses for each extended major. 
BBiotech(Hons) Bioprocess Technology single major
BBiotech extended majors Remaining units required to complete BBiotech extended major
Agricultural Biotechnology

Minimum 16 units 

May require 18 units, depending on course selection in BBiotech(Hons)

Chemical and Nano Biotechnology

Minimum 16 units 

May require 18 units, depending on course selection in BBiotech(Hons)

Medical Biotechnology

Minimum 16 units 

Molecular and Microbial Biotechnology

Minimum 16 units 

May require 18 units, depending on course selection in BBiotech(Hons)

Synthetic Biology and Industrial Biotechnology

Minimum 16 units 

The Bioprocess Technology (PDF, 127.1 KB) information sheet details how the BBiotech(Hons) courses will count towards the BBiotech program and the remaining courses for each extended major. 
BBiotech(Hons) Chemical Biotechnology single major
BBiotech extended majors Remaining units required to complete BBiotech extended major
Agricultural Biotechnology

Minimum 16 units 

May require up to 20 units, depending on course selection in BBiotech(Hons)

Chemical and Nano Biotechnology Minimum 16 units 
Medical Biotechnology Minimum 16 units 
Molecular and Microbial Biotechnology

Minimum 16 units 

May require 18 units, depending on course selection in BBiotech(Hons)

Synthetic Biology and Industrial Biotechnology

Minimum 20 units 

May require 22 units, depending on course selection in BBiotech(Hons)

The Chemical Biotechnology (PDF, 129.9 KB) information sheet details how the BBiotech(Hons) courses will count towards the BBiotech program and the remaining courses for each extended major. 
BBiotech(Hons) Drug Design & Development single major
BBiotech extended majors Remaining units required to complete BBiotech extended major
Agricultural Biotechnology

Minimum 18 units 

May require 20 units, depending on course selection in BBiotech(Hons)

Chemical and Nano Biotechnology Minimum 16 units 
Medical Biotechnology Minimum 16 units 
Molecular and Microbial Biotechnology Minimum 18 units 
Synthetic Biology and Industrial Biotechnology

Minimum 22 units 

The Drug Design & Development (PDF, 126 KB) information sheet details how the BBiotech(Hons) courses will count towards the BBiotech program and the remaining courses for each extended major. 
BBiotech(Hons) Microbial Biotechnology single major
BBiotech extended majors Remaining units required to complete BBiotech extended major
Agricultural Biotechnology

Minimum 16 units 

May require 18 units, depending on course selection in BBiotech(Hons)

Chemical and Nano Biotechnology

Minimum 16 units 

May require 18 units, depending on course selection in BBiotech(Hons)

Medical Biotechnology

Minimum 16 units 

May require 18 units, depending on course selection in BBiotech(Hons)

Molecular and Microbial Biotechnology Minimum 16 units 
Synthetic Biology and Industrial Biotechnology Minimum 18 units 
The Microbial Biotechnology (PDF, 128.9 KB) information sheet details how the BBiotech(Hons) courses will count towards the BBiotech program and the remaining courses for each extended major. 
BBiotech(Hons) Molecular Biotechnology single major
BBiotech extended majors Remaining units required to complete BBiotech extended major
Agricultural Biotechnology

Minimum 16 units 

May require 18 units, depending on course selection in BBiotech(Hons)

Chemical and Nano Biotechnology Minimum 18 units 
Medical Biotechnology Minimum 16 units 
Molecular and Microbial Biotechnology Minimum 16 units 
Synthetic Biology and Industrial Biotechnology Minimum 18 units 
The Molecular Biotechnology (PDF, 128.2 KB) information sheet details how the BBiotech(Hons) courses will count towards the BBiotech program and the remaining courses for each extended major. 
BBiotech(Hons) Nanotechnology single major
BBiotech extended majors Remaining units required to complete BBiotech extended major
Agricultural Biotechnology

Minimum 18 units 

May require 20 units, depending on course selection in BBiotech(Hons)

Chemical and Nano Biotechnology Minimum 16 units 
Medical Biotechnology Minimum 16 units 
Molecular and Microbial Biotechnology Minimum 18 units 
Synthetic Biology and Industrial Biotechnology Minimum 22 units 
The Nanotechnology (PDF, 125.9 KB) information sheet details how the BBiotech(Hons) courses will count towards the BBiotech program and the remaining courses for each extended major. 
BBiotech(Hons) Plant Biotechnology single major
BBiotech extended majors Remaining units required to complete BBiotech extended major
Agricultural Biotechnology Minimum 16 units 
Chemical and Nano Biotechnology Minimum 18 units 
Medical Biotechnology Minimum 16 units 
Molecular and Microbial Biotechnology Minimum 16 units 
Synthetic Biology and Industrial Biotechnology

Minimum 18 units 

May require 20 units, depending on course selection in BBiotech(Hons)

The Plant Biotechnology (PDF, 127.6 KB) information sheet details how the BBiotech(Hons) courses will count towards the BBiotech program and the remaining courses for each extended major. 

 

Next Steps

Changing Program

There have been a number of legislative changes to fees that will come into effect from 1 January 2021 that affect all program changes made via QTAC and mySI-net. You can find more information on my.UQ.

Please ensure that you understand the changes, consider your individual circumstances and seek individual advice as required before making a decision to change.

If you decide to change to the revised Bachelor of Biotechnology [2456], you will need to submit a Program Change Request through mySi-net:

  • by 12 February 2021 (program change requests opened on 4 December 2020), for Semester 1, 2021.
  • by 16 July 2021 (program change requests provisionally open on 30 June 2021), for Semester 2, 2021.

Requesting assistance

The Faculty of Science Student Enquiries office are available to help you with any questions you may have and can assist with booking an academic advising appointment.