Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences Department of Microbiology and Immunology

Honours Student Information

Page Contents

Include: Introduction | Career Advancement | Honours Coordinators

Introduction

The Department of Microbiology and Immunology offers approximately 20 places annually in Honours. This varies from year to year.

The course, which runs from late February until mid November, is designed to develop the research student’s capacity to solve problems, to analyse data, to read and think critically, and to communicate clearly. A research project is undertaken in close collaboration with a senior member of staff. In addition, the coursework component will involve 30 hours of contact for the study of advanced microbiology and immunology.

Prerequisites

Bachelor of Biomedicine (BBiomed) and Bachelor of Science (BSc) students who obtain faculty honours in their third year will be welcome to join the Department of Microbiology and Immunology as BBiomed/BSc Honours candidates provided that we can find supervisors and laboratory accommodation to meet the demand.

Objectives

By the end of the year it is expected that you will have learnt from first-hand experience how to formulate questions,design and conduct experiments, analyse and evaluate data, and write a scientific paper/report.

Career Advancement

Approximately one third of the BBiomed and BSc Honours class obtain 1st Class Honours. Some of these win a Scholarship to proceed immediately to a Ph.D. degree. Some of the others obtain a position as a Graduate Research Assistant, which may enable them to proceed simultaneously to a part-time (half-time) M.Sc. Most of the remainder of the class obtain positions in: medical diagnostic laboratories in hospitals; private pathology labs or the blood bank; industry, often involving biotechnology, e.g. food, vaccines, diagnostics, chemical engineering; environmental microbiology, e.g. bioremediation, wastewater management; research in universities; research institutes, CSIRO, agriculture, CSL, etc; teaching in schools or universities.

Honours Coordinators

Prof. Stephen Turner

Ph: 03 8344 8090
Email: sjturn@unimelb.edu.au

A/Prof. Tim Stinear

Ph: 03 8344 5693
Email: tstinear@unimelb.edu.au

Dr. Scott Mueller

Ph: 03 8344 46132/43842
Email: smue@unimelb.edu.au

For further information about honours in microbiology and immunology please contact:

Ms. Rebecca Whitsed

Academic Programs Officer (Postgraduate)
Ph: 03 8344 5679
Email: rwhitsed@unimelb.edu.au

Also see:

  1. Honours Projects for 2013 - Research Topics
  2. Honours Projects for 2013 (pdf)
  3. How to apply for BBiomed or BSc Honours in the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry, and Health Sciences
  4. Department Honours Information Sessions
  5. Faculty of Science Awards, Prizes & Scholarships (for Microbiology and Immunology students)
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