Bachelor of Science specialisation in Biomedical Science

You can study Biomedical Science as a specialisation in the Bachelor of Science (BSc).

If you’re a very able student with a passion for understanding the scientific basis of health and disease in humans and animals, then Biomedical Science could be the specialisation for you.

This challenging and immensely rewarding specialisation will deliver rigorous scientific training in a range of disciplines, allowing you to gain unique insights into this important and rapidly developing area of modern research.

The specialisation is highly prescriptive, and is one of only two ways in which you can be selected for Medicine (MBChB) at the end of your first year. The first year of the Biomedical Science specialisation includes compulsory courses that all students must take and are listed in the schedule. In addition to these you must take:

If you intend to apply for a clinical programme (Medicine (MBChB), Bachelor of Optometry, Bachelor of Pharmacy and Bachelor of Medical Imaging (Honours)) you must also enrol in POPLHLTH 111 Population Health as your 15 point elective and WTRSCI 100 - Waipapa Taumata Rau: Contemporary Science in Aotearoa, New Zealand.

Students who do not intend to apply for entry into clinical programme will enrol in a 15 point elective such as STATS 101 Introduction to Statistics, or STATS 108 Statistics for Commerce or an alternative elective course, and can choose any General Education course from the Engineering, Medical and Health Sciences, Science (EMHSS) Schedule.

As you progress through your second and third years, you can opt to keep your specialisation general or you can choose one of the following pathways to focus your studies:

Research-led training in biomedical science is an important element of New Zealand’s development as a knowledge-based economy. Dealing with health and disease in humans and animals, this rapidly evolving area attracts a lot of public interest. It has stimulated growth in a wide range of industries, including medical research, pharmaceuticals, veterinary science and agriculture.

Biomedical Science offers a strong foundation for a number of professional careers, including medicine, pharmacy, optometry and medical imaging. You can specialise in areas such as:

Anatomical Imaging Science
Cancer Biology and Therapeutics
Cardiovascular Biology
Cellular and Molecular Biomedicine
Genetics
Infection and immunity
Neuroscience
Nutrition and Metabolism
Reproduction and Development

If you are interested in emerging areas of basic medical science, such as genomics, microbiology and neuroscience, and their applications to improve human and animal health, then this programme could be for you.

Biomedical Science equips students for a wide range of opportunities in scientific industries or the health sector. It offers a strong foundation for a number of careers, including medicine.
You could find work in a biomedical or biotechnology company as a scientific officer or technician, or alternatively work as a science teacher, science writer or a biomedical researcher in a university or government agency such as a Crown Research Institute. Many honours graduates in Biomedical Science will move on to careers as research leaders after further graduate training.
There is high demand for biomedical scientists in Europe and the US, and growth is expected in New Zealand.

Entry to the Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Science is limited. Selection into this programme will require a higher standard than some other programmes.